During Winter Storm Fern, the power plants held the line—last mile distribution did not. (Grist)
The storm wiped out at least 860 poles, 60 substations, and 30 transmission lines in Entergy's territory alone.
Utilities are facing a brutal choice: Replace aging timber with standard wood poles (~$1K each) or upgrade to storm-proof composite versions (~$5K each). Multiply that by millions of miles, and it becomes a major driver of rising US electricity rates.