Re: Summary: Bay Area Power (2000-06-14)

[Danny McPherson <danny () tcb net>]

I believe they're more so the result of "brown outs" as the power companies 
attempt to "proactively" deal with extremely high loads.  Given your message, 
I guess it does make sense for the power companies to first inconvenience 
business customers that 1) use a substantial amount of resources and 2) 
already have alternative method of supporting themselves.

Of course, I'd guess there's considerable ground for objection to this model.

-danny

> In a conversation with an MFS engineer today I mentioned the problems
> in the Bay area.  He previously worked for SNET (Southern New
> England Telephone, now part of SBC) for many years and said it was
> standard practice for them to disconnect COs from the grid and run
> off generator power for hours or even a day or two during the
> summer season.
>
> I was under the impression that these power shortages were the
> result of less over-engineering on the part of power companies due
> to deregulation but maybe this isn't such a new situation after all?