Seems pretty clear that it's a deliberate choice that isn't going to change. I don't get it myself, it's the only form of power generation in the game that requires replacing parts that wear out. There is another Steam To EU method, Power Converters, which some people don't like and I'm not really sold on it either, but it works, and the alternative of generating MJ with engines and converting the MJ to EU is quite costly in terms of both items and probably server load as well. I don't mind the steel cost, as that is basically just iron and time, but I don't want to set up another huge wall of industrial steam engines even though they are cool. I don't really need the EU either though so this is all just theorycraft for me.