The expansion of the power grid is an important part of a country’s development, but the electrical pylons or transmission towers - the huge steel structures that keep high voltage power lines aloft - are viewed by many as unsightly. As such, designers are looking at new ways to better integrate power poles in the urban and natural landscapes (see how some cell phone companies are disguising cell phone towers as trees). In 2011, the Department of Energy and Climate Change and the National Grid of UK held a "Pylon Design Competition" to find a design that has the potential to deliver power for future generation while preserving the beauty of the countryside. Similar completions are also held in other countries. While it might take a few years, decades even, to see any of these futuristic designs converted to reality, a few power companies are already trying out new designs that are clever without being too unpractical.