" Stanley’s insight was that his parallel-connected transformer could be used to step up the voltage from an alternator while stepping down the amperage. The higher voltage and lower amperage would eliminate the need for thick, heavy wires and make it practical to transmit electricity efficiently across long distances. At the other end of the transmission line, the same process in reverse could step down the voltage to local requirements while boosting the amperage to useful power levels again. "
― Richard Rhodes , Energy: A Human History