“Imagine your utility grid is a massive water tank high on a hill,” Leo began. “That’s your infinite bus —an unlimited source. The pipe coming down the hill is your transmission line. At the bottom, you install a valve (your main breaker). Then you split the pipe into smaller ones for your factory.

“We are toast,” she said. “The breaker will explode before it even trips.”

Old Leo, sipping his third coffee, chuckled. “Let me tell you a story.”

“Just connect it to the main 11 kV bus,” said the project manager. “The breaker we have in stock is rated for 25 kA. That should be plenty.”

The Day the Substation Sneezed