Every centralised resource requires a powerful entity to protect it. Something like a massive damn for hydro power is also a great target for a state's enemies

Every centralised resource requires a powerful entity to protect it. Something like a massive damn for hydro power is also a great target for a state's enemies and requires its protection. And if we consider not the inherent potential danger but also the danger of taking away a major power source, any centralised power generation - even massive wind and solar farms - needs such protection. And that isn't even looking at the political side of this - this asserts that a powerful state is necessarily authoritarian, which is complete nonsense. Some of the most powerful countries right now aren't authoritarian (not saying they're perfect democracies, but some are pretty ok compared to the worst we have) and the "most democratic" countries have right now are all powerful enough to keep their nuclear power safe (or could if they had it). It's also not a given that a powerful state is a bad thing. Weak democratic states make it possible for authoritarian regimes to take control. And even without that, weak states are usually ridden with crime and poverty, whereas strong states have the ability to level inequalities and prevent crime) - all without the need to be authoritarian. Oh, and let's not forget that the only reason we have cheap solar power in the first place is because they're produced by modern slaves in fully authoritarian countries with zero regard for human safety or the environment.