I read the book, have it on my bookshelf.
As I understood it, those really big transformers, not only require a long time to make as they are custom made, but the infrastructure needed to move them in some places have been removed.
How many heavy rail systems have been replaced with trails?
Dont get me wrong, I like the trails they are great.
I think, as you stated, maybe a better way just might be building the grid as a smaller system, many independent systems.
There is another book called The Grid, that talks about many of the issues our electrical system has.