Hour's Notice Could Have Halted Blackout -Mich. Gov Jennifer Granholm (D)

[Nambe]

WASHINGTON (Reuters)

Michigan's governor said on Tuesday she will tell Congress that a preliminary investigation indicates last month's massive power blackout could have been avoided or contained if engineers at Ohio-based utility FirstEnergy Corp. had notified other grid operators that it was having trouble. ---

If International Transmission Co. and other operators "had been informed during the previous hour that the system was having problems, they may have been able to craft a contingency plan for the energy demand and delivery, and avoid the cascading failure," said Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, a Democrat, in documents prepared for the House Energy and Commerce Committee. ---

"The fact that no calls were made or warnings extended or even the proper reporting of the subsequently reported line failures in FirstEnergy and American Electric Power and PJM (Interconnection) illustrates the number one cause of the blackout in my opinion," Joseph Welch, chief executive of ITC, said in documents obtained by Reuters.

Welch said ITC reviewed audio tapes recorded in its control room and found no such warning call from FirstEnergy or any other grid operator. ---

[David Zephyr]

1. She Will Soon Be "Gray Davised" If She Keeps This Up.

Deja Vu...We have all been here before:

1.) Corporate Energy Crooks Swindel and Lie About Power
2.) Energy Shortage Occurs
3.) Democratic Governor Questions Energy Corporation
4.) White House and Energy Corporation Plan to Recall Governor
5.) White House Secures Aging Movie Star to Challenge Governor

Hmmm...What aging "movie stars" hail from Michigan.

Memo to Gov Jennifer Granholm: Please call Gov. Davis in Sacramento.

[Nottingham]

2. Well Now we kinda Know! But WHY wasn't the CALL MADE!

:bounce:

Kinda WHY wasn't the plane shot down before it hit the Second WTC or the Pentagon!

WHY!! WHY!! WHY!! Do so many Americans have to deal with this Negligence CRAP!

[Torgo]

3. Just wait 'til the insurance lawsuits hit the fan!

I read today that an Ohio-based steelmaker suffered damages in the tens of millions of dollars resulting from the blackout. The power loss caused severe damage (and fire) at a blast furnace facility and wrecked a multi-million dollar drive motor and controls at its new bar mill.

By the time these facilities are back on line, the damages could be close to $100 million, including lost production.

The mill's insurers won't take those losses sitting down.

This will be just the beginning of the legal battles.

[Upfront]

4. Don't Worry About Governer Jenifer

she can take care of her self. I would bet my last doller that what she said is true. This gal is something.;-)

[MarianJack]

I Agree.

She's one of our best & brighest stars. Too bad she wasn't born in the U.S. and wouldn't be eligible for P or VP in 2012 after we're looking for a candidate to replace our retiring Democratic President, first elected in 2004! :kick: :bounce:

[MarianJack]

5. OOOPS, Dupe!

Sorry.

[marshmellow]

6. These events are calculated for effect.

The "we bring good things to life" company tried to buy and operate the entire west coast transmission line grid right before the collapse of Enron. DO you think they have their eyes on another transmission grid to purchase and operate?

An expanded transmission grid helps suppliers of natural gas and gas turbines build many more regional plants in new locations.

Watch for the owners of gas "right of ways" to get big bucks for construction of transmission lines on their property.

Sweet deal for gas companies.