Yes and no. Back in the day of Thomas Edison and Geoerge Westinghouse they each favored different types of electrical power for transmission over long distances. Edison favored direct Current (DC) and George Westinghouse favored Alterenating Current (AC). Edison was forced to admit that DC would lose power only a mile from the point of generation. AC was chosen the form of power transmission as it lost very little over many miles. Nearly all  major power producing systems from coal to fuel oil and natural gas generate DC power. The  problem with AC was it had to be converted back to DC for use by machines causing a substantial loss of power.

I have seldom heard of such an unbelievably obstructionist act by a group of politically motivated deniers as the recent ruling of the Maryland "Public" Service Commission killing a plan to install "smart" electric meters. The program was to be funded in part by the Department of Energy. It would have created many jobs as well as allowing home owners to reduce their energy use and save money. Part of the Commission's rationale for turning down this program was their belief that it would cost low income families more money but a study by the Brattle Group, a consultant to the Baltimore Gas & Electric Company, refuted this concern.

Today's Article from the New York Times, written by Matthew L Wald, makes the statement that wind energy can replace coal and natural gas for 20 to 30 percent of our electric power needs in the eastern two-thirds of the United States by 2024. He throws in the caveat, however, that it will be expensive. He says we will have to build a new power grid. Guess what, Mr. Wald, we need to rebuild the decrepit old power grid anyway, regardless of what fuel we use. Yes, we will have to battle tooth and nail the deniers and NIMBYs every step of the way, but it has to be done. Mr. Wald, you are no Thomas Friedman...

On April 27 NPR had a story on All Things Considered with Michele Norris and Robert Segal about ideas to make the national electric grid  smarter without rebuilding all of it.

My power company instigated a new program which people could sign up for which promised to save energy and consequently money. They put a new meter on your service line and meter your power usage according to off-peak, shoulder peak and peak times, charging a different rate for each time. It varies depending upon the seasons, from winter to summer to fall and spring. It's strictly voluntary...