I do know that permitting a new transmission line route -- parallel to an existing route of insufficient capacity -- is severely constraining the further development of a known, existing geothermal resource. I was quoted a delay of 10-ish years for that permitting process by one of the higher-ups in the geothermal company involved.
Personally my preferred solution would be permitting reform such that transmission capacity is approved and built by-right and NIMBYs can go pound sand if they don't like it, but you have to deal with the political landscape you have, not the one you want.
When I read comments on Hacker News about something I'm otherwise intimately aware of, some of the comments read like those which would be written on 9gag.
My boss never stopped me from upgrading a transmission line because there are more expensive projects to do.
Another thing I see is that so many people in tech are easily bamboozled by a slick marketing presentation and think that the people in power are hiding away the cool technology.