Bananas don't grow here though

[vilakins]

The area's still running on one transformer instead of the proper three (they took one out for routine maintenance yesterday and one of the others broke down, leaving one), and they're doing rolling power cuts to keep the demand down. They haven't hit us yet, but they probably will. I just hope it's during the day, or that they fix the damned transformer by nightfall as otherwise there's nothing to do but go to bed. So if you don't hear from me for a while, that will be what it is.

I might eat at the airport tonight when I take Greg in. That's outside the affected area, and I assume they have some sort of emergency system anyway.

A few summers ago, the inner city was without power for about three days because the underground lines melted in the heat. [rolls eyes] You'd think they'd have learned to have some backup systems in place, but no.

Mind you, LJ is going down for maintenance in a few hours. If it doesn't come back for a while, I'm over at InsaneJournal where I can at least talk to some of you. :-)

Comments

[kalinda001.livejournal.com]

The underground lines melted in the heat? Yikes! It is amazing how unprepared people can be even when it's happened before. Too much of an expense I guess.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

This is a different problem. They took one of the three transformers out for routine maintenance and one of the others broke down. :-(

[entropy-house.livejournal.com]

*hugs* When it costs money to be prepared, no government wants to think about the future.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Word.

[wolfma.livejournal.com]

I was going to mention the money situation too. Why spend money on infrastructure when it can go into someone's personal slush fund?

Hope you guys keep power or find a place that has it.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

A system of supplying power from other areas in a case like this was suggested, but never implemented. I don't think it's that corrupt here; we just don't have a lot of money for public spending like that. However the losses when the power is out for hours or days are huge.

[vjezkova.livejournal.com]

After a moment of panic, I breath out with a relief - LJ is back!
And you are back, good, however I don´t envy you that heat and all, even the perspective of more trouble - huh!
We are back to normal life ( I hope), so it is the highest time your side joins too. Really, leaving the city without any backup...Um, easy to criticise, our situation was very scary in 2002 when those catastrophic floods struck - biiiig gaps in backup systems...
Take care!!!

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

We didn't lose any power today; yay! Oh, we've had major power outages, usually in the country, due to storms and floods too.

I was relieved to find LJ back. I need LJ and all my friends here!

I just took Greg to the airport (at least he only had a mild cold) and now I'm alone again for three days. :-(

[vjezkova.livejournal.com]

Not alone!*Hugs*

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Thanks. [hugs] Of course I have the cats too. I hope they sleep on the bed tonight.

[linda-joyce.livejournal.com]

I was half expecting power cuts here because of the snow bringing down power lines that's par for the course in the UK, but this is the first time I have heard of power cuts because of the heat. That's not the problem this time I know but dear god how hot did it get when the wires melted?!!!

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

The problem was, the earth underground got very hot because of a succession of hot days, and the heat from the cables couldn't go anywhere. They wouldn't have melted above ground (or we would have too).