Date: Tue, 20 Jun 2000 00:13:29 -0500
To: Viridian List <viridian@fringeware.com>
From: Bruce Sterling <bruces@well.com>
Reply-To: <bruces@well.com>
Subject: Viridian Note 00169: Multimedia Gulch Brownouts

Key concepts: record heat,  electrical outages, San
Francisco, Silicon Valley

Attention Conservation Notice:  Emergency over for the
time being, and most people probably didn't notice it
anyway.

Links:

US Severe Weather Map:
http://www.wunderground.com/severe.asp

After watching those transformers melt on the poles,
why not enjoy more outdoor summer fun with explosive
feats of combustion?
A barbecue pit with liquid oxygen!
http://ghg.ecn.purdue.edu/
Bored demolition experts blow up the desert!
http://www.growbag.com/blast.htm
Add to global heat wave with weird, wacky art cars!
http://www.artcars.com/cover.html

Source: Business Wire, June 15, 02000

"PG&E Crews Continue Working to Restore Heat-Related
Outages in the Bay Area

"SAN FRANCISCO == (BUSINESS WIRE)== June 15, 2000 via
NewsEdge Corporation 

    "After three days of unprecedented temperatures in
Northern and Central California, Pacific Gas and Electric
Company crews continue to restore heat-related outages in
the greater Bay Area.

   "The California Independent System Operator (CAISO) did
not require the company to repeat yesterday's rotating
outages today. Rotating outages were in effect only from
1:15 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, June 14. There were,
however, a wide range of small outages throughout the
service territory caused by overloaded equipment on the
electric system. (...)

    "There were hundreds of outages that impacted small
pockets of customers each time, which required hundreds of
pieces of equipment to be repaired or replaced by work
crews. In fact, approximately 500 transformers have been
replaced. (...) Most outages were the result of
transformers on power poles overheating from the extreme
heat, coupled with the increased demand for electricity.

   "'Our crews have worked all day in the 100 degree-plus
temperatures to repair equipment impacted by the heat, and
we will continue to work hard until every customer is
restored,' said Gordon R. Smith, president and CEO of
Pacific Gas and Electric Company. 'We appreciate
everyone's patience as we continue to repair the damage
caused by this unprecedented heat wave.'

    "In order to restore customers' power as quickly as
possible, Pacific Gas and Electric Company has moved
additional crews to the San Jose area, which has
experienced continued high temperatures and the bulk of
today's outages.

"For more information about Pacific Gas and Electric
Company, please visit our web site, http://www.pge.com

"CONTACT: PG&E News Department           415/973-5930"

O=c=O O=c=O O=c=O O=c=O O=c=O O=c=O O=c=O O=c=O O=c=O
SILICON VALLEY + GREENHOUSE EFFECT = BROKEN TRANSFORMER
O=c=O O=c=O O=c=O O=c=O O=c=O O=c=O O=c=O O=c=O O=c=O