Title screen

A method of solid insulator destruction comprising the steps of placing electrodes on a surface of a solid insulator, covering an area of the surface the solid insulator proximate the electrodes with liquid having greater electrical insulative properties against pulse voltage than the solid insulator; and applying a pulse voltage across said electrodes having a rise time to breakdown of the solid insulator of about t where t=2.times.10.sup.-6 .times.S.sup.0.3 (sec) and S (cm) is the distance between the electrodes. The solid insulator material includes at least one of rock, permafrost, ice and artificial solids including concrete, ceramics, and plastics