For FERC's Sake

Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham; Photo - AP The AP reports that the White House favors a delay in power grid management proposals. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission would "establish national standards for managing the flow of electricity through regional transmission organizations and new rules on access to transmission lines." But Energy Secretary Spender Abraham says that states with cheap power would opppose the deregulation the proposal would recommend. You know what, since Gothamist realizes there are special interests and various bureaucratic and politcal mines to sidestep, we'd just like to ask for this not to happen again, okay? Please?

Some more blackout news: It appears the blackout started in Ohio first...but we still reserve the right to blame Canada some. And the Post has a look at how Mayor Bloomberg handled the blackout.

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By Jen Chung in News on August 17, 2003 4:36 PM

Comments [rss]

Jen

Pete, I think a couple things are at play here. Having the city totally paralyzed in such a way reminded people of September 11, 2001. Not that it was a terrorist attack, but simply the uncertainty of things, the feeling of being disconnected. Another thing, it's totally inconvenient. And finally, 50 million people in US and Canada were affected by the blackout. According to the CIA factbook, the population of England is about 60 million. So imagine if pretty much all of England was blacked out. THAT's why it's a big story.

And torches and candles get sold out fast.

Pete

Call me a crazy limey if you like, but I really don't see what the big deal is with this power cut. Oh. There's a power cut. Look. It's quite big. But even over here in England, you just can't stop hearing about it! Don't you have candles in New York? Torches? Pen and paper? Can't you just get on with it?