Blackout Memories
Posted on August 15, 2004
Filed Under General |
Every media outlet has been profiling someone or something on one year after a blackout that put most of northeastern North America dark. In summary, strangers came together to help each other out… but that quickly faded and people are again jaded. Good energy conservation efforts ended about the same time as the state of emergency was lifted. The US Congress failed to pass a law to regulate the electrical grid in the US. The lack of standards and consistent procedures was one of the leading causes to the blackout (oh, and a for profit corporation that was cutting corners to maintain profit growth). Canada has failed to establish a grid with more independence from the US grid.
Since these topic have been flogged in other channels why repeat them in depth. Instead, I’d like to hear some of your stories from that dark night. My most memorable moment was just after dusk, on Newton with Alex and Marc. There was a guy playing his piano by candle light. His intensity in the music, the solitude of the moment, framed in a window with a flickering flame as the back light. I can still picture it in my mind.
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I thought I’d correct you: It isn’t Canada that has failed to establish a grid with more independence from the US grid. It’s Ontario. All of Quebec never once lost power during the big blackout. They actually have failsafe systems that work and disconnect the US and Ontario from their powerlines when they overload. Ontario has some too but they are 40 years old and where never tested properly.
About stories, I watched a few episodes of M*A*S*H season1 on my laptop: the battery was full. I also bought 4L of a terrible tasting juice from the depanneur. Power was back for us by midnight the day of so we didn’t spend that much time without power.