This article suggest that the public is going to take the hit for the upgrades. I say we start spreading the word now that if the public pays for the upgrades, then the powerplants must be
RE-regulated.
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Blackout Probe Focused on Lake Erie Grid
Disruption Cascaded in Less Than 10 Seconds, Affected Over 100 Power Plants
The largest power blackout in American history prompted new calls Friday for overhauling the nation's electricity system. Investigators said the power disruptions likely began in the Midwest but they have yet to pinpoint the cause.
Investigators said they are focusing on a massive electrical grid that encircles Lake Erie, moving power from New York to the Detroit area, into Canada and back to New York state. There had been problems with the transmission loop in the past, officials said.
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At a news conference, Gent provided a picture of the enormity of the blackout that began Thursday at 4:11 p.m. and raced from New England to Michigan and southeastern Canada.
He said more than 100 power plants -- including 22 nuclear reactors in the United States and Canada -- were shut down, and the blackout affected 50 million people over a 9,300-square-mile area from New England to Michigan.
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It's very clear this is not about deregulation. It's about investing in the transmission system," said Nora Brownell, a member of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A63794-2003Aug15.htmlEdited to correct major typo.