Power delivery is the connecting link on which the new competitive wholesale and retail electricity markets depend, and an "electrical superhighway" is in our future. A unified, power electronics-based and digitally controlled, transmission grid will be utilized to move large amounts of power precisely and reliably throughout North America, and to manage an exponentially growing number of commercial transactions. In the longer term, the backbone of the grid will incorporate high-temperature superconducting and advanced polymer cable systems with advanced power flow management systems based on wide area communication and control technologies. The precise control provided by power electronic management will ensure system stability and that power flow corresponds with economic transactions. The new grid will minimize bottlenecks in the transmission system and enable power transport to the customer over longer distances, thus contributing to the flexibility of supply. The new grid will also provide customer access to more diversified generation sources and to resources that would otherwise be wasted (e.g. flare gas from Mexico and the Alaskan North Slope). Moreover, increased undergrounding of transmission will reduce outages and exposure to terrorists threats, plus mitigate concerns with EMF and the visual impact of the transmission system. Also, these technology advances will enable high-voltage AC and DC power transmission systems to be deployed and integrated such that the merits of each are exploited according to the application served.