Ohio Utility Cited in Blackout Has Had a Troubled Summer

Ohio Utility Cited in Blackout Has Had a Troubled Summer

August 19, 2003
MARKET PLACE
Ohio Utility Cited in Blackout Has Had a Troubled Summer
By FLOYD NORRIS


he summer of 2003 was proving to be a disaster for the FirstEnergy Corporation, with angry customers, hostile state regulators, a forced reduction of its reported profits and a court loss in a major pollution case.

Then came the blackout. Early reports traced the problem to failures at FirstEnergy transmission lines in Ohio. The company acknowledged that an alarm system had not been working at the time.

FirstEnergy, one of the largest electric utilities in the nation, with operations in Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, tried yesterday to deflect blame for the widespread power failure, saying there were problems in other parts of the nation's electrical system before its lines began to fail.

The company's position drew some support from the North American Electric Reliability Council, a group created by utilities to set standards for reducing the risks of disruption, which had called public attention to FirstEnergy's problems over the weekend.

EDITED BY ADMIN: COPYRIGHT

...more...

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/19/business/19PLAC.html

Mentioned a big $600,000 fundraiser this June the company exec (?) sponsered for Cheney. Expressed shock "there is gambling in those casinos" about bushco special interest money.

I believe these are the same jerks Kucinich battled when Mayor.....

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