Wall Street Journal -- Lightning Strike Is Blamed For East Coast Blackout

The Wall Street Journal ^ | Thursday, August 14, 2003 | Dennis Berman, Carl Bialik, Marilyn Chase, Jesse Drucker, Stacy Forster, Paul Glader, Jon E. Hilsenr

[TroutStalker]

A massive power blackout hit U.S. and Canadian cities Thursday, closing nuclear power plants from New York to Michigan, driving workers in New York and Toronto into the streets, and shutting subways in blistering heat.

Canadian officials said that the power outage was caused by a lightning strike at the Niagara power plant, setting off outages that spread over 9,300 square miles.

[GrandmaPatriot]

I believe the jury is still out on this one.

[Paul Atreides]

was caused by a lightning strike at the Niagara power plant

I thought Bubba was telling lies in California.

[Shermy]

I've seen on the net a plant called "niagara" on the US side, another on the Canadian side, the "niagara network", etc.

Might be a confusion in terms.

[Paul Atreides]

Oh yeah. Bubba was out in California, touring the Viagra plant.

[varina davis]

Some reports say there were no storms or lightening in the Niagra area at the time of the shut-down.

[TBall]

I just hope and pray the lightning doesn't strike twice.

[joesnuffy]

Lightning Strike Map

[Fred Mertz]

That's what they said caused the Jim Beam warehouse fire that burned about a million gallons of whiskey about ten days ago.

The locals say otherwise.

[MEG33]

The lightning story has been dumped.I have a feeling this problem may have originated in a place that may be diplomatically challenging.

If everyone in the grid operates according to a set of rules,this isn't supposed to occur says the head of a commission in charge of seeing to such things.Chretien was the originator of the lightning story I believe.

[TBall]

"We have been informed that lightning struck a power plant in the Niagara region on the U.S. side," So I guess the problem started at this plant. Maybe it was not lightning, but a bright flash that looked like lightning.

[quidnunc]

Chrétien may be lying through his teeth.

The people at the Niagra power plant are denying that they took a lightning strike, and there are reports that this plant was one of the few in the region which remained on-line.

[Prince Charles]

From a related article:

"We have been informed that lightning struck a power plant in the Niagara region on the U.S. side," said Jim Munson, a spokesman for Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien. Brian Warner of the New York Power Authority said he wasn't sure where the power failure originated. "The New York Power Authority's Niagara Power Project has at no time during this incident cease to operate. We also have not experienced a lighting strike at that facility," he said.

Once again, Cretin The Showboater has shot off his big mouth. Since he loves to be seen empathizing with victims, I wonder what he can do to showboat this time: maybe step on the third rail to show it's safe?

[Brian S]

The people at the Niagra power plant are denying that they took a lightning strike, and there are reports that this plant was one of the few in the region which remained on-line.

I heard this also and believe it is so...something stinks and I still do not rule out terrorism, on CANADIAN SOIL!!!

[mlmr]

What do the locals say?

[StatesEnemy]

What part of ""We have been informed" don't you comprehend?

Sounds like the 'story' started on this side of the Falls.

[Prince Charles]

U.S. officials said they were looking at a power transmission problem from Canada as the most likely cause of the biggest outage in U.S. history, said a spokeswoman for New York Gov. George Pataki.

Comprehend this.

[lawdude]

"...something stinks and I still do not rule out terrorism, on CANADIAN SOIL!!!"

I am anything but a conspiracy type and do not side with those that yell "terrorism" whenever something happens, but here, something is strange!

[nuconvert]

Neat. Thanks

[StatesEnemy]

Sounds to me as neither side has a clue.