After Irene, Utilities Race to Restore Power
Last week, millions of consumers lost electric power after Hurricane Irene bowled over tress and power lines. Several days later, tens of thousands of households remain without power. Why does it take so long for utilities to restore power? It seems simple enough -- just reconnect the wires and move along.
It's not so simple. To reconstruct power systems after they have been assaulted by severe weather requires a careful thought and planning. The strategy is to seek the greatest good for the greatest number of people. That means fixing the larger systems first and restoring power to critical loads such as hospitals and public safety facilities as quickly as possible.
First on the list is to fix any damaged transmission lines. Transmission lines are the lifeblood of the utility system; they are the local utility's primary source of electric power for distribution to consumers. When transmission lines go out of commission, little power will reach consumers....627 more words left in this article. To read them, just click below and try Real Money FREE for 14 days.
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