Breaking News Massive Power Outage
- Thread starter bobwg
- Start date
Yahoo story
Power out for millions in Calif., Ariz., Mexico
SAN DIEGO (AP) — More than 2 million people on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border were left without power Thursday after a major outage that extended from Arizona to southern California, including San Diego, the eighth largest U.S. city.
Mike Niggli, chief operating officer of San Diego Gas & Electric Co. ruled out terrorism but said the cause is unclear.
"To my knowledge this is the first time we've lost an entire system," he said at a news conference.
The outage that started shortly before 4 p.m. PDT extended from southern parts of Orange County to San Diego to Yuma, Arizona. It also is affecting cities south of the border across much of the state of northern Baja.
All outgoing flights from San Diego's Lindbergh Field were grounded and police stations were using generators to accept emergency calls across San Diego County.
Charles Coleman, a spokesman from Southern California Edison, said the two reactors at the San Onofre nuclear power plant went offline at 3:38 p.m. as they are programmed to do when there is a disturbance in the power grid, but there was no danger to the public or to workers there.
Residents in parts of eastern San Diego County and Yuma, Ariz. endured sweltering temperatures with no air conditioning.
"It's 113 degrees right now outside and 75 in my office," said Yuma city spokesman Greg Hyland, who was sitting in the dark, answering calls.
Niggli said relief was on its way, slowly. He said his 1.4 million customers may be without power until Friday.
He said the utility lost power due to a transmission failure that started at a large switching station in Arizona, where several high-voltage lines come together, although the cause has not been determined.
"I suspect the system was overwhelmed by too many outages in too many places," Niggli said.
In the desert heat of the Palm Springs area, the temperature was 111 on Thursday, with the rolling blackouts. The Eisenhower Medical Center will serve as an oasis of air conditioning since it operates on its own power source, said hospital spokeswoman Deborah Johnson.
Johnson welcomed fragile seniors and others affected by the heat to cool off in their lobby.
"All I can say is God bless air conditioning," she said.
Five hundred to 2,000 SoCal Edison customers in southern Orange County and Riverside County are currently without power and there is no estimate for when power will be restored, Coleman said.
"It's up to the Independent System Operator to determine what the cause was," he said.
In southern Orange County, the sheriff's department dispatched deputies to busy intersections because traffic lights were out, said John McDonald, a sheriff's spokesman. Outages were confirmed in San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano and Laguna Hills, he said.
Power out for millions in Calif., Ariz., Mexico - Yahoo! News
Power out for millions in Calif., Ariz., Mexico
SAN DIEGO (AP) — More than 2 million people on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border were left without power Thursday after a major outage that extended from Arizona to southern California, including San Diego, the eighth largest U.S. city.
Mike Niggli, chief operating officer of San Diego Gas & Electric Co. ruled out terrorism but said the cause is unclear.
"To my knowledge this is the first time we've lost an entire system," he said at a news conference.
The outage that started shortly before 4 p.m. PDT extended from southern parts of Orange County to San Diego to Yuma, Arizona. It also is affecting cities south of the border across much of the state of northern Baja.
All outgoing flights from San Diego's Lindbergh Field were grounded and police stations were using generators to accept emergency calls across San Diego County.
Charles Coleman, a spokesman from Southern California Edison, said the two reactors at the San Onofre nuclear power plant went offline at 3:38 p.m. as they are programmed to do when there is a disturbance in the power grid, but there was no danger to the public or to workers there.
Residents in parts of eastern San Diego County and Yuma, Ariz. endured sweltering temperatures with no air conditioning.
"It's 113 degrees right now outside and 75 in my office," said Yuma city spokesman Greg Hyland, who was sitting in the dark, answering calls.
Niggli said relief was on its way, slowly. He said his 1.4 million customers may be without power until Friday.
He said the utility lost power due to a transmission failure that started at a large switching station in Arizona, where several high-voltage lines come together, although the cause has not been determined.
"I suspect the system was overwhelmed by too many outages in too many places," Niggli said.
In the desert heat of the Palm Springs area, the temperature was 111 on Thursday, with the rolling blackouts. The Eisenhower Medical Center will serve as an oasis of air conditioning since it operates on its own power source, said hospital spokeswoman Deborah Johnson.
Johnson welcomed fragile seniors and others affected by the heat to cool off in their lobby.
"All I can say is God bless air conditioning," she said.
Five hundred to 2,000 SoCal Edison customers in southern Orange County and Riverside County are currently without power and there is no estimate for when power will be restored, Coleman said.
"It's up to the Independent System Operator to determine what the cause was," he said.
In southern Orange County, the sheriff's department dispatched deputies to busy intersections because traffic lights were out, said John McDonald, a sheriff's spokesman. Outages were confirmed in San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano and Laguna Hills, he said.
Power out for millions in Calif., Ariz., Mexico - Yahoo! News
There was a problem with a transmission line from Arizona to Southern California that caused both major connections to the region to go out. The Arizona Public Service said one of its employees was carrying out a procedure at a substation northeast of Yuma that caused the problem. He was replacing a piece of malfunctioning equipment. The utility said the resulting power failure should have been isolated to the Yuma area. An investigation into why it was not is under way. Power was restored to most people in about 5 hours.
We arrived out at our customer last night about midnight in San Diego and we had a heck of a time finding first the hotel we were delivering to, and next finding the little signs that say "this way to dock areas".
It was interesting as it appeared a tour ship was out in the ocean with all of the lights on...
This morning it looks like the whole area has electricity and all will be normal today.
It was interesting as it appeared a tour ship was out in the ocean with all of the lights on...
This morning it looks like the whole area has electricity and all will be normal today.
Reminded me of the grid failure in Michigan, Ontario, and a few other areas half a dozen years ago ( maybe longer) another infrastructure that needs to be addressed as do the roads etc but, the money isn't there. It was there for the reason we all were taxed to the teeth for but someone's pet project came up, someone else's friend needed a boost to get their shyster business running, and the monies earmarked to keep the United States a viable world leader in almost every sense got sent to help our so called friends overseas, who in turn shot us in the back, and killed our soldiers and citizens who only help because we give a **** for our fellow human beings. Let's remember all this when it comes time to elect our new Government. Out with the OLD and in with the NEW.
Of course it could have just been caused by the illegals digging a new tunnel and therefore none of the above would count then.
Of course it could have just been caused by the illegals digging a new tunnel and therefore none of the above would count then.