"Cascade of Problems" 

By Jose Reyes   9/30/03

           The  multitude of blunders leading to the blackout was a total collapse of an out-of-date system. The system must be analyzed for the unreliability of the so-called "fail-safe" devices that are presently in place along all the Power Grids in our nation. With all the new electrical contraptions introduced to our work places and our households within the last 20 years, an upgrade must be put into motion, immediately. Here is AP (Associated Press) (TIMELINE) release of the events that took place, starting at 12:05 P.M. EST, August 14, 2003 and ending at 4:13 P.M. EST. It is shameful to read this timeline and then have an open mind to understand how so much time can pass and how futile the power grids were, in their reactions while attempting to prevent the blackout from cascading. It is so disgraceful to see the miscommunication between the power grids involved. This debacle of electricity by the 4th largest power supplier in the country (FirstEnergy) is the wake up call that President Bush was speaking about immediately after the blackout. It's time to evaluate and make changes so this will not happen again. This country is too advanced technologically, to allow these costly economical mistakes to occur now, in the year 2003. Let's Upgrade!!! NOW!!     

            This is not only a problem here in America, but also other highly technical countries around the world, for example; London, which had a large blackout about a week after ours during rush hour and 2 days ago on Sunday, 9/28/03, 90% of Italy lost their electrical power.

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