[FixitGuy]

I would strongly suggest that the American Electric Companies consult the bishops of the various Amish communities to learn how to deal with grid failures!

We have experts here in our own country!

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

Shortage = Demand > Supply

at some particular time and place

at some government-specified price

Under any given conditions the government could always produce either a shortage or a surplus of supply, by specifying a low or a high price.

A high price stinks.

But not like a blackout does . . .

[thinking]

What a pile of crap....I lived in India, and I can tell you that the power black outs are a hourly event, in fact we had a 20 KW diesel generator to run the house.....

The local power man would ride up on his bike, and strap in a piece of copper wire for a fuse, then the wire would glow red hot for a couple of hours, until it melted; then the same little guy would ride up and repeat the sequence.

Nothing has changed since the Brits left in 1947.

[_Jim]

US turns to India for blackout advice
Economic Times of India

Puff piece meant for home (India) consumption ...

[_Jim]

NEW DELHI: What does the world's one and only super power do when it faces power blackouts?

I DOUBT 'the grid' in India has EVER faced a sudden loss of 1100 to 2200 MW of 'load' (as HAPPENED a week ago Thursday) - RESULTING in a power 'swell' into the rest of the system (to the east) that then caused lines and power plants to 'trip' off line ... this last blackout (2003) plus the 1965 NE blackout make for TWO cases now where this effect has been seen.

[_Jim]

"I have learned a lot from my Indian counterparts," said William Massey, commissioner of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, on a visit scheduled before the US blackout, quotes the Financial Times.

HE was just being kind ...

[wita]

With absolutely no sarcasm at all, may I say we don't need no steenken advise from no third world nation on the subject of blackouts. Drop Califoria off the "so called" grid and the problem is solved.

[Centurion2000]

I can solve this electricity issue really quickly ... : BUILD NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS

[lafayette76]

The problem, ultimately, is technological. The current technology of centralized electricity generation no longer works. What's needed is distributed energy generation.

When fuel cells are finally used to power cars, the family car could easily become the power source for the house, with just water vapor as the exhaust locally, and CO2 exhaust at the fuel reformation (hydrogen) stations. And the CO2 wouldn't have to be from "greenhouse warming" sources. Recent advances in de-polymerization of organic substances will allow the recycling of everything organic, from landfill to yard clippings.

In addition, recent breakthroughs in solar cell technology promise conversion ratios of 50% or more, making it possible for a 20'x 20' rooftop area to supply more than enough electricity for one house.