I got into superconductors shortly after the Fukushima disaster, and it was the poster child for superconductors in transmission lines. One of the perks back then was that you could put these reactors that are sensitive to earthquakes and the like out where they are relatively safe from such things. You can also have fewer, higher output power stations, so fewer municipalities have to operate smaller power plants (which tend to be coal or natural gas).

> put a lot of solar power in the desert

If you lose 20% to the grid, then build a 20% bigger solar farm.

Solar farms actually help with reversing desertification by reducing water losses from direct exposure to sunlight.