How a plan to save the power system disappeared: A federal lab found a way to modernize the grid, reduce reliance on coal, and save consumers billions. Then Trump appointees blocked it

This is one of those things that I had always assumed (that our grid is already well interconnected), but had never actually asked about. Having a national power grid that cannot effectively shunt power between regions to compensate for abnormal demand or disaster seems like a fundamentally flawed concept.

The article focuses mainly on the current political climate and it's affect on the idea. I'm wondering now about the historical reasons why there isn't already more interconnection between the major grids in the US. Although I'd wager they are also political.

<rant> When i think of the flaws and gaps that exist in our infrastructure here in the U.S., it makes me both embarrassed as well as frustrated. One of the pushbacks i get when i ask "why are we so behind, or why does enough infra stuff suck here in the U.S.?"...almost reflexively friends and acquaintances reply with something about our nation being geographically large/wide., and that its size presents us with a unique challenge..but more and more it is a weakening argument. I'm not dismissing the challenge with our size...but by now, with so many years that we've had experience building, designing our infrastructure, you'd think that we'd include our large size as an important element in our infra designs...but no, of course it gets injected with politics, etc. It disgusts me and angers me so. I was a born here in the U.S., have worked here all my life, pay my taxes, and am angered to see how actual opportunities for progress for humanity (which, yes, may also help create opportunities for prosperity!) get squandered for a few powerful people. Honestly, as i grow older, i feel more and more like we live under one or at least a few kings/monarchs. The dream of opportunity for a better life seems no longer to be unique to U.S....with many other nations seeming to offer better ways of life. Apologies for my rant...This article, while important to learn about, just upset me more today! </rant>

EDIT: I meant to state that opportunities get squandered BY a few people...