I had a blackout on Friday, despite the 2005 Energy Policy Act.

[harlinchi]

According to the BBC, I wasn't alone. Despite the 2005 Energy Policy Act, legislation initiated in response to the power-grid caused blackout of 2003, the grids are causing blackout all over America.


Blackouts as US temperatures soar
Launderette affected by blackout in Queens
Queens residents have endured seven days without power
Hundreds of thousands of people in different parts of the US continue to be affected by power outages as temperatures soar to record highs.

In California, where temperatures reached 50C (122F) in places, the heat was blamed for at least four deaths.

The power grid was unable to cope with the increased demand for electricity, leading to widespread cuts.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/5209276.stm


In an earlier thread I discussed the failure of The Act to address the 2003 blackout's proximate cause -- lack of grid maintenance:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2595417

The Act did, however, address the tax relief needs of power and energy producing utilities as well as the oil and gas industries. Is there any area touched by this administration that isn't an abject failure?

[marmar]

1. Seven days without power in Queens?

Good grief.... America: Welcome to the Third World.

[TechBear_Seattle]

2. The war on terrah is *far* more important than domestic infrastructure

But don't worry: for every American death caused by heat during a power blackout, we will take down 20... no, 30 terrists!

This message paid for by the Grand Oil Party and the Syndicate of Energy Brokers of America.

[harlinchi]

4. Especially when GOP contributors are makin' much dough...

...on the war on terror and on the generation of power.

[BlueJac]

3. From Wally World to Bush World

The home of terror and corruption.....and the continued gutting of America.

[msongs]

5. greed + selfishness = power failures

the greedy american public, consumed with ownership of electronic gizmos, makes little or no attempt to conserve power, then whines and bitches and moans like 3 year olds when the power goes down. so much electricity is used for non-essential and unnecessary things that real need, like life saving air conditioning (during extreme heat) is unavailable at times.

think of everything in your house that is constantly on, using electricity. the instant on tv, the "entertainment centers", radios, the power supply to your portable phone, the computers/printers/monitors/lights left on or on standby. All this apparently insignificant stuff adds up to huge amounts of electricity when multiplied across 250,000,000 people.

then again the american public as a whole has little or no concept of scarcity or conservation, because it's a rapacious and gimmee gimmee culture. The concept of doing with less or doing without for a few days for the over all good of society is totally alien to the US culture.

just as with gasoline, which americans deems a birthright, a 5 (guessing here) percent reduction in electricity use during peak demand periods would solve the problem of...scarcity of electricity.

The fact is that americans have the "power" to control a lot of this kind of stuff but will not do it.

when saturday's temp reached 113 outside, we had our AC set at 86 (high energy user), used a box fan (low energy user), and were quite comfy. I doubt many people in Southern California with AC keep their thermostat that high. anytime we felt warm, we went outside for a few minutes and came back into our cool oasis.

Msongs
www.msongs.com/political-shirts.htm

[harlinchi]

6. We keep our AC set to 82 degrees during the day.

In our defense, however, we do have an eleven-month old Black Lab whose safety must be protected during these 95 degree days. We do use AC plus fans to lower usage.

[Javaman]

7. Get used to it, it's only going to get worse. nt

[partylessinOhio]

8. I saw video this afternoon of flames coming out of manholes in NY City.

They did not say what caused the fire but said that there were other manholes on fire. It would seem that the fires would cause extensive damage to the power lines if they are buried underground in New York.

This did not look good for those people without power for so many days that need relief sooner rather than later.