Power Problems?

[PurgedVoter]

Remember when power was regulated? It was way back when we had a two-party system and a democracy. Good times. Back when politicians consulted independent experts, not just bribery experts.

Here are a few news stories that would have been considered WILD, just a few years ago.

Power Returns to Queens, but Fails in Staten Island - New York Times, Sewell Chan, July 26, 2006
About 14,000 customers in Staten Island lost power this afternoon because of downed electrical wires, Consolidated Edison said. The power outage came hours after the company said a lengthy blackout in western Queens had ended.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/26/nyregion/26cnd-power.html?ei=5087%0A&en=dd32b9081f327522&ex=1154145600&pagewanted=all

POWER RESTORED TO ALL BUT 1,130 SOUTH BAY CUSTOMERS AFTER HEAT WAVE -- Bay City News Wire CBS5.com 07/27/06 3:55 PDT
The number of Bay Area customers without power due to heat-related outages this morning has been reduced to approximately 1,130 in the South Bay, Pacific Gas and Electric Co. spokeswoman Jana Schuering reported.
http://cbs5.com/localwire/localfsnews/bcn/2006/07/27/n/HeadlineNews/POWER-OUTAGES/resources_bcn_html

Heat Eases, but Thousands of Southern Californians Still Lack Power -- LA Times Lynn Doan and Amanda Covarrubias, July 27, 2006
Across the state, the death toll keeps rising. Fresno County is particularly hard hit.
Even as temperatures finally dipped Wednesday, thousands of Southern Californians remained without power for the fifth straight day, and utilities officials said they were unsure when electricity would be fully restored.
"We're making a lot of progress" in repairing overtaxed transformers, said Kim Hughes, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, which had 11,000 customers without service Wednesday, down from 25,000 Tuesday.
In addition, 3,300 Southern California Edison customers had no power.
Across the state, the death toll continued to climb, with more than 60 Californians believed to have died from the record heat wave. One of the hardest-hit counties was Fresno, where hospitals were filled to capacity and the morgue ran out of room.
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-heat27jul27,1,6897704.story?coll=la-headlines-pe-california

New York regulators to study ConEd power outages -- Reuters Wed Jul 26, 2006 5:32pm
HOUSTON, July 26 (Reuters) - New York regulators said on Wednesday they will launch an investigation into power outages that began July 17 in Consolidated Edison Inc.'s (ED.N: Quote, Profile, Research) Long Island network.
http://today.reuters.com/stocks/QuoteCompanyNewsArticle.aspx?view=CN&storyID=2006-07-26T213233Z_01_N26167908_RTRIDST_0_UTILITIES-CONED.XML&rpc=66

Update power infrastructure -- Whittier Daily News, July 27, 2006
THE recent power outages in the San Gabriel Valley and other parts of the state were not due to a lack of supply. In fact, the state has vastly increased its electricity production since the frantic power-brokering days of 2000 and 2001, when the lights went out on thousands of residents and businesses and on the career of then-Gov. Gray Davis.
No, this time, the power outages in the San Gabriel Valley and other parts of the state were caused by nearly three weeks of relentless heat that exploded overheated electrical transformers like kernels of popcorn in hot oil.
In short, the recent outages were the result of an aging infrastructure unable to keep going following relentless 24-hour power cycles caused by extreme meteorological conditions. Transformers - instead of cooling off at night - were kept red hot by 90-degree nighttime highs driving residential air conditioners. These transformer fires often ignited power lines, causing spotty outages. It's what Southern California Edison euphemistically calls "equipment failures."
http://www.whittierdailynews.com/opinions/ci_4099259

Power restored; more dying of heat -- theeagle.com, JULIANA BARBASSA, Associated Press, 7:21 AM on Thursday, July 27, 2006
SAN FRANCISCO - The possibility of rolling power blackouts eased Wednesday as an ever-so-slight drop in triple-digit heat provided some relief for Californians and the state electric grid.
The number of deaths believed to be caused by the heat climbed to at least 63 in the state, and farmers reported animals dying in the fields and fruit and nuts scorched on the vine on the 11th day of 100-degree temperatures.
http://www.theeagle.com/stories/072706/nation_20060727024.php

After 10 days, power returns for all residents in Queens, NY -- The Hindu News Update Service New York, July 27. (AP)
The last of the tens of thousands of Queens residents and businesses affected by a ten day long power outage had their electricity restored on Wednesday morning, according to a spokeswoman for the utility.
As residents sweltered on some of the hottest days of the year and estimated business losses grew to the millions of dollars,...,people went without lights, air conditioning and refrigeration.
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/003200607270314.htm

As this progresses, this is going to cost your business, your company, your livelihood, maybe your life.

[havocmom]

1. Unbridled Capitalism is just as bad as unbridled Communism

and for the very same reason: human nature.

There HAS TO BE some regulation, real regulation, or there is anarchy in the marketplace. That is what we are seeing the results of now. And it will keep running amok until we put the bridle back on.

[Syncronaut Seven]

2. You've heard the old chestnut, the difference between capitalism

and communism.

Under capitalism, man exploits man.

Under comunism, It's the other way around.

[Whoa_Nelly]

3. Great post, PurgedVoter!

Lost power here on Sunday, but only for about four hours.

I must say, I certainly feel safer knowing our infrastructure is failing, whether due to neglect, political motivation, mega-corporate choices, or all of the above. :sarcasm:

[benburch]

4. And in the St. Louis area...

...mostly in minority districts.

[benburch]

5. Kick! nt

[ray of light]

6. ...

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

7. Kick

:kick:

[havocmom]

8. a kick for the night owls

:kick: