Big Power Outage

[NQ6U]

Posting via my phone because we have no mains power. Looks like a major transmission line went down and caused an instability that took down the entire system from Orange County south through northern Mexico. It could be down until late tonight.

[N8YX]

Was in contact with one of our regional offices via Communicator about 3:45 this afternoon...and everybody dropped offline.

Either the routers between our facilities got mis-configured somehow or the circuit got chopped at an intermediate point.

Strange.

[NQ6U]

That's about the time the power went out. Right now it's looking as if it will be down until late tonight or possibly even tomorrow. Mostly an inconvenience for me--no refrigerator and it's been hot here. Some real morons on the local repeaters spreading unfounded rumors about terrorist attacks and such. I just wish I had backup power for my HF rig so I could operate on the low bands without all the usual interference from power line noise.

[KC9ECI]

No generator? Can you liberate the battery from your car? Manual transmission and a rolling start if you run it down too far? QRP doesn't take much battery. You're a ham, make something work.

[KG4CGC]

stationary bicycle portable

[KC9ECI]

Where's MacGyver when you need him?

[N8YX]

Where's MacGyver when you need him?

Where's all the wind and solar power when you need it?

[K7SGJ]

Where's all the wind and solar power when you need it?

That's really an interesting question. What does happen with the power generated by all those wind farms?

[KG4CGC]

That's really an interesting question. What does happen with the power generated by all those wind farms?Along that same line of thought, sort of, when a town gets a bad hit from some type of storm/natural disaster, the rebuild should require at least 50% renewable energy sources back into the infrastructure. I know, many of the dunderheads will decry this as more government in our lives and too much regulation.

[NQ6U]

Turns out the whole thing was caused by a single utility worker in Arizona who managed to shut down the main east-west transmission line while doing some maintenance work.

If it had happened on another day, it might not have been as big an issue but yesterday was hot and humid so everyone had their A/C running, meaning the load was too great for the only other high voltage transmission line into San Diego and Imperial Counties. Some breakers blew, resulting in a low voltage condition that cause several power generation stations (including the San Onofre nuke plant) to go into protection mode and go offline. One thing led to another and boom!—the power went down to more than four million people. It finally came on here on the Islets of Langerhans around 1:45 A.M., almost exactly ten hours after things went dark.

It was actually kind of a cool thing, though—because it was too warm to stay indoors without A/C or at least a fan running, all the neighbors were out on the street and there was a party atmosphere. I dragged out my little telescope and we took advantage of the unusually dark night to look at the moon and a couple of planets. About the only casualty here was a container of vanilla ice cream.

I'll bet that AZ utility worker got his pee-pee whacked this morning, though.

[KG4CGC]

Turns out the whole thing was caused by a single utility worker in Arizona who managed to shut down the main east-west transmission line while doing some maintenance work.

If it had happened on another day, it might not have been as big an issue but yesterday was hot and humid so everyone had their A/C running, meaning the load was too great for the only other high voltage transmission line into San Diego and Imperial Counties. Some breakers blew, resulting in a low voltage condition that cause several power generation stations (including the San Onofre nuke plant) to go into protection mode and go offline. One thing led to another and boom!—the power went down to more than four million people. It finally came on here on the Islets of Langerhans around 1:45 A.M., almost exactly ten hours after things went dark.

It was actually kind of a cool thing, though—because it was too warm to stay indoors without A/C or at least a fan running, all the neighbors were out on the street and there was a party atmosphere. I dragged out my little telescope and we took advantage of the unusually dark night to look at the moon and a couple of planets. About the only casualty here was a container of vanilla ice cream.

I'll bet that AZ utility worker got his pee-pee whacked this morning, though.
[emphaseassis mine]
Week off with pay.
You know what, Carl? I still think he was a terrurisk. We need to question him with a garden hose and an enema nozzle.

[NQ6U]

[emphaseassis mine]
Week off with pay.
You know what, Carl? I still think he was a terrurisk. We need to question him with a garden hose and an enema nozzle.

They're not announcing the guy's name. I think I know why.

[W3WN]

Where's MacGyver when you need him?Avoiding & hiding from Patty & Selma Bouvier.
Patty, like Selma has also had an honest sexual fixation on MacGyver (http://forums.hamisland.net/wiki/MacGyver) for many years, although this aspect of her personality was played out in later years.

[KG4CGC]

They're not announcing the guy's name. I think I know why.
Oh. I guess they caught wind of the nib of that nozzle.

[KC2UGV]

About the only casualty here was a container of vanilla ice cream.

It was eaten, right? If not: You will be cursed to the depths of hell for eternity!

[w3bny]

Wonder if there was....



An SOP in effect.
Did he read and understand the SOP
was he qualified to perform the SOP
Was the fooking SOP verified for technical correctness and signed by the plant manager


My guess....NO!!

[KK4AMI]

Being humble, I'll admit I make plenty of mistakes. But, I guess the number of people you make that mistake in front of does contribute to multiplying the "you idiot" factor. I'd say my best was about 10 people. That Utility Worker in my opinion has reached the unobtainable!

[NQ6U]

That Utility Worker in my opinion has reached the unobtainable!

He got over four million people pissed off at him—a significant accomplishment.

[W1GUH]

Turns out the whole thing was caused by a single utility worker in Arizona who managed to shut down the main east-west transmission line while doing some maintenance work.

If it had happened on another day, it might not have been as big an issue but yesterday was hot and humid so everyone had their A/C running, meaning the load was too great for the only other high voltage transmission line into San Diego and Imperial Counties. Some breakers blew, resulting in a low voltage condition that cause several power generation stations (including the San Onofre nuke plant) to go into protection mode and go offline. One thing led to another and boom!—the power went down to more than four million people. It finally came on here on the Islets of Langerhans around 1:45 A.M., almost exactly ten hours after things went dark.

It was actually kind of a cool thing, though—because it was too warm to stay indoors without A/C or at least a fan running, all the neighbors were out on the street and there was a party atmosphere. I dragged out my little telescope and we took advantage of the unusually dark night to look at the moon and a couple of planets. About the only casualty here was a container of vanilla ice cream.

I'll bet that AZ utility worker got his pee-pee whacked this morning, though.


Turns out the whole thing was caused by a single utility worker in Arizona who managed to shut down the main east-west transmission line while doing some maintenance work.



Talk about terrible infrastructure! It's beyond comprehension that the power grid would be so fragile. IMHO, this is the perfect example of the evil of de-regulation. The power company big shots obviously wanted to protect their bonuses by cutting development money to the bone, and what we get is a very sub-standard power grid. Want to guess the probability that those big shots will be penalized for their greed? I say that probability is ZERO. In fact, they'll get rewarded for saving so much money by building a grid that's worse than that of a third-world nation.

[W1GUH]

Wonder if there was....



An SOP in effect.
Did he read and understand the SOP
was he qualified to perform the SOP
Was the fooking SOP verified for technical correctness and signed by the plant manager


My guess....NO!!

My guess is, "He's human, and humans make mistakes." Something that whoever designed the power grid failed to take into account.

[NQ6U]

My guess is, "He's human, and humans make mistakes." Something that whoever designed the power grid failed to take into account.

For some reason, this image came to mind:

http://www.indymedia.ie/attachments/dec2009/homer.jpg

But, yeah, we don't know all the details yet so it's hard to criticize the person in question. He may have done everything correctly and it was a JOOTT—"Just One Of Those Things." You're right about the fragility of the electrical grid, though, there's no excuse for that.

[W1GUH]

But, at least this won't spew copious lethal radiation killing at least thousands of people. Guess we can be thankful for that.

[W2NAP]

doh!

[W1GUH]

I forgot to give my cynical side its chance to express itself.

That is, IF the information us peons have gotten is true.

[KG4CGC]

Wonder if there was....



An SOP in effect.
Did he read and understand the SOP
was he qualified to perform the SOP
Was the fooking SOP verified for technical correctness and signed by the plant manager


My guess....NO!!
Could have been a case of ''measure twice, cut once.'' He was apparently confused by the map.

[kc7jty]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXiOQCRiSp0

[KG4CGC]

Being humble, I'll admit I make plenty of mistakes. But, I guess the number of people you make that mistake in front of does contribute to multiplying the "you idiot" factor. I'd say my best was about 10 people. That Utility Worker in my opinion has reached the unobtainable!
I pissed off an entire high school football stadium one Friday night when I was a freshman.

[NQ6U]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXiOQCRiSp0

I was actually present to see one of those switches open at the substation that serves the Oroville Dam. It was spectacular and LOUD! They used a high-pressure air jet to literally blow the arc out like a candle.

[W1GUH]

One could say that this is an example of government non-regulation interfering with the well-being of the nation.

[WØTKX]

Another part of the infrastructure that needs help.

And that means workers and jobs!

[KG4CGC]

Another part of the infrastructure that needs help.

And that means workers and jobs!
[emphasiasiass mine]
Those are bad words in the Right Wingoverse.

[X-Rated]

[emphasiasiass mine]
Those are bad words in the Right Wingoverse.

But it means nothing in the won'tspendoverse. If they won't spend any money, there will be no jobs. We just become the United States of Bangladesh.

[KG4CGC]

But it means nothing in the won'tspendoverse. If they won't spend any money, there will be no jobs. We just become the United States of Bangladesh.
Ask them what they think a ''fair wage'' should be in the US.

[X-Rated]

Ask them what they think a ''fair wage'' should be in the US.

Depends on whether you are talking about their wages or someone elses wages.

[KG4CGC]

Depends on whether you are talking about their wages or someone elses wages.Allow me to be very specific, ask them what a fair wage would be for the average worker in the various categories of work.
Start with a burger flipper and move up the ladder. What should a factory worker make, truck driver, longshoreman etc until your reach the peons just below corporate execs.

[KK4AMI]

I pissed off an entire high school football stadium one Friday night when I was a freshman.

I was never that motivated I guess. You were destined for politics being able to garner that much attention.

[KG4CGC]

I was never that motivated I guess. You were destined for politics being able to garner that much attention.
Believe it. It was quite, ''spur of the moment'' type stuff.

[n2ize]

Talk about terrible infrastructure! It's beyond comprehension that the power grid would be so fragile. IMHO, this is the perfect example of the evil of de-regulation. The power company big shots obviously wanted to protect their bonuses by cutting development money to the bone, and what we get is a very sub-standard power grid. Want to guess the probability that those big shots will be penalized for their greed? I say that probability is ZERO. In fact, they'll get rewarded for saving so much money by building a grid that's worse than that of a third-world nation.

Actually the power grid is built to be anything but fragile and has a great deal of built in redundancy. As far as our power grid resembling that of a third world nation, try living in a third world nation where power outages such as this are daily occurrences and many areas have no power.

[X-Rated]

Actually the power grid is built to be anything but fragile and has a great deal of built in redundancy. As far as our power grid resembling that of a third world nation, try living in a third world nation where power outages such as this are daily occurrences and many areas have no power.

"Redundancy" must be the New York word for crap. Our power goes out several times a week anymore.

[KG4CGC]

Actually the power grid is built to be anything but fragile and has a great deal of built in redundancy. As far as our power grid resembling that of a third world nation, try living in a third world nation where power outages such as this are daily occurrences and many areas have no power.
http://khmernz.blogspot.com/2010/08/man-on-wires.html

[W1GUH]

Actually the power grid is built to be anything but fragile and has a great deal of built in redundancy. As far as our power grid resembling that of a third world nation, try living in a third world nation where power outages such as this are daily occurrences and many areas have no power.

Well, I call bringing down the power for that many people over that wide an area because of one mistake by one individual (if we're being told the truth...if not, that would be a completely different issue) way too fragile. Especially after 1965, 1977, and 2003 in the NE. Isn't it something like "one plant or substation or whatnot goes down and there a catastrophic cascading of calamities? (Like the alliteration? I do!) Who do they have designing those systems? Oh yea, that's right, it's probably minimum wage workers who went to Apex Technical School and dropped out after the first week.

But then, you're the one who believes that meltdowns aren't a bad thing, so...

Are you actually a major stockholder in a power company with quite an agenda?

[NQ6U]

Actually the power grid is built to be anything but fragile and has a great deal of built in redundancy. As far as our power grid resembling that of a third world nation, try living in a third world nation where power outages such as this are daily occurrences and many areas have no power.

Believe want you to believe but, in fact, the events of yesterday in the southwestern U.S. would suggest otherwise. One person made an error that shut down a 500KV transmission line, which in turn began a whole cascade of failures that resulted in the loss of power to five million people in an area the size of several eastern states. I don't think that's the precise definition of "robust."

[n2ize]

Believe want you to believe but, in fact, the events of yesterday in the southwestern U.S. would suggest otherwise. One person made an error that shut down a 500KV transmission line, which in turn began a whole cascade of failures that resulted in the loss of power to five million people in an area the size of several eastern states. I don't think that's the precise definition of "robust."

Consider the fact that such widespread outages are not common and most of the time the built in redundancy of the network keeps the system up and running. Of course there are outlying situations where things will go wrong. That is to be expected.

[n2ize]

Well, I call bringing down the power for that many people over that wide an area because of one mistake by one individual (if we're being told the truth...if not, that would be a completely different issue) way too fragile. Especially after 1965, 1977, and 2003 in the NE. Isn't it something like "one plant or substation or whatnot goes down and there a catastrophic cascading of calamities? (Like the alliteration? I do!) Who do they have designing those systems? Oh yea, that's right, it's probably minimum wage workers who went to Apex Technical School and dropped out after the first week.

But then, you're the one who believes that meltdowns aren't a bad thing, so...

Are you actually a major stockholder in a power company with quite an agenda?

Since you seem to know so much about it then perhaps you can propose a network that would work far better ? Of course you will not be allowed any coal, oil, or nuclear power sources. To win the prize you will have to design it in such a way that only wind, water and solar energy are used and you must achieve at least 25% of the reliably of the robust and superior third world power systems. Good Luck.

[Jerry]

Posting via my phone because we have no mains power. Looks like a major transmission line went down and caused an instability that took down the entire system from Orange County south through northern Mexico. It could be down until late tonight.
What a bunch of cry babies.
I live in Pennsytuckey and we have power outages all the time.
As a matter of fact, back around 1976 - 78, it was not uncommon to loose our power for weeks, one particular time we lost power and did not have school for 3 weeks.
Not a couple of days here and a couple of days there - 3 weeks as in 21 days straight with no electricity.

As recent as less then 4 years ago, after a summer storm went through, we did not have any electricity for 10 days straight.
Living in the country, we keep kerosene lanterns on hand, Coleman lanterns, a generator and I even have my radios connected to a battery bank in the basement - cellar. And you want me to feel sorry for you because you lost your power for a couple of hours? Geesh - get a life!

You would never make it in my world!

[N8YX]

Living in the country, we keep kerosene lanterns on hand, Coleman lanterns, a generator...
Under the guidelines of the new regime, Citizen, you will have to turn those in. They release too much carbon when used.

[K7SGJ]

Kind of harsh, no? I just reread Carl's post, and didn't see anything about wanting your, or anybody elses sympathy. Someone piss in your corn flakes this AM?

[KG4CGC]

Under the guidelines of the new regime, Citizen, you will have to turn those in. They release too much carbon when used.I thought it was because those items were deemed to be too dangerous for a 5th grader.

[ad4mg]

What a bunch of cry babies.

-snip-

You would never make it in my world!
Man, do you ever have anything nice to say? You're like a walking, talking buzz kill.

[KG4CGC]

What a bunch of cry babies.
<snip>
You would never make it in my world!
Well why don't you tell us about how hard you life is and the rugged things you do everyday.

[w0aew]

Well why don't you tell us about how hard you life is and the rugged things you do everyday.

He's a rugged pioneer!

4646

[KJ3N]

Man, do you ever have anything nice to say? You're like a walking, talking buzz kill.

I would have used a different descriptive label. :roll:

[n2ize]

And you want me to feel sorry for you because you lost your power for a couple of hours? Geesh - get a life!

You would never make it in my world!

What makes you assume he is asking you or anyone to feel sorry for him ? Maybe he is just reporting what it going on.

Furthermore, unlike the rural farm country where a power outage affects only a tiny handful of people and is insignificant, when a power outage affects major urban centers its news because large numbers of people are affected, including people who don't live anywhere near the affected areas. Urban centers serve as major hubs and portals for worldwide transportation, communications, data, shipping, banking, large scale business and other key services and operations. When these areas go down it becomes a major event and is newsworthy.

[NQ6U]

Man, do you ever have anything nice to say? You're like a walking, talking buzz kill.

Jerry's post didn't faze me—I've had him on ignore for weeks since he has nothing worthwhile to add to the conversation here on the Island—but now having read it in other people's quotes, let me say this:

Jerry, For many years I lived completely off the grid in a hand-built cabin in the woods of southwestern Oregon. No electricity, water fetched from a well in a bucket, wood stove for heat and cooking and a pit toilet. Believe me, I know how to do without the niceties of civilized life far better than you do. I wasn't complaining about the outage, I was reporting and maybe even celebrating it a little bit. If you weren't such a stupid ass, you'd have recognized that.

[W2NAP]

What a bunch of cry babies.
I live in Pennsytuckey and we have power outages all the time.
As a matter of fact, back around 1976 - 78, it was not uncommon to loose our power for weeks, one particular time we lost power and did not have school for 3 weeks.
Not a couple of days here and a couple of days there - 3 weeks as in 21 days straight with no electricity.

As recent as less then 4 years ago, after a summer storm went through, we did not have any electricity for 10 days straight.
Living in the country, we keep kerosene lanterns on hand, Coleman lanterns, a generator and I even have my radios connected to a battery bank in the basement - cellar. And you want me to feel sorry for you because you lost your power for a couple of hours? Geesh - get a life!

You would never make it in my world!

thats nothing. i had to walk 10 miles to school uphill both ways in 3 feet of snow.

[KC9ECI]

thats nothing. i had to walk 10 miles to school uphill both ways in 3 feet of snow.

Feh! I had to walk twice that, with snow over my head, wolves at my heals AND I had to carry my sister.

[N8YX]

Feh! I had to walk twice that, with snow over my head, wolves at my heals AND I had to carry my sister.

Fireman carry, right? :chin:

[suddenseer]

I had to walk up hill, and down hill to school 10 feet of school, naked, and barefoot.

[K7SGJ]

I had to walk up hill, and down hill to school 10 feet of school, naked, and barefoot.

So we can assume you left a trail in the snow?

[suddenseer]

So we can assume you left a trail in the snow?Those were tracks alright.

[KC2UGV]

One could say that this is an example of government non-regulation interfering with the well-being of the nation.

Wrong. We need more deregulation of the power industry. For teh childrenz. WDYHA?