More Than 1 Million Without Power After U.S. Storm

[marmar]

(Bloomberg) Utility companies restored power to about 300,000 U.S. customers overnight while more than a million remained without electricity five days after severe storms swept across the mid-Atlantic and Midwest.

West Virginia had the most customers without power today, almost 317,000 out of a total 1.04 million across the region, the Department of Energy reported. Ohio remained the second- hardest hit with nearly 287,000 without power as of 9 a.m. New York time. A storm system, known as a derecho, brought 91 mile (146 kilometer) per hour winds, rain and lightning to knock out distribution substations and transmission lines.

“The storm came in with no warning, no one had time to prepare,” Gregg Edeson, a partner in the global energy section of PA Consulting Group and a former utility lineman, said in a telephone interview. “The lightning in these storms went after the transformers which affects a wider area than trees falling on power lines.”

The widespread blackouts are the worst in the U.S. since Hurricane Irene struck in August. Utilities said the effects were equivalent to a hurricane, disrupting electricity for as many as 4.3 million customers from North Carolina to New Jersey. ..............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-07-04/more-than-1-million-without-power-after-u-s-storm.html

[hedgehog]

1. Waaaaay past time to bury every utility line in the country -

No place is safe from high winds, freak storms, ice storms, tornadoes, wild fire, etc, etc any more!

[monmouth]

2. That would be a great employment opportunity. They should do it...n/t