[diftraku]

At the same time, I'm in awe and in horror of seeing those high current, high voltage disconnects being opened only to end up with a few meter high arc of current jumping through the air between contacts.

I was taught the procedure of disconnecting a 10/20kV disconnect for an on-site transformer (alas, only an old one that had been decommissioned) and that thing scared the crap out of me when I first heard the spring loaded high voltage disconnect actuate.

Having a 3 meter fibreglass pole to actuate the thing, just incase, tells you there is a real risk of the thing blow up in your face, on a good day.