-Caveat Lector-
"Fallout from the 19-hour blackout is likely to include investigations
and lawsuits based on the residents' belief that electricity in one of the
city's poorest areas was shut off so the rest of the city could remain in
light.
"``You'll never be able to convince anyone that it was a random event,''
said a state senator who represents parts of the area. ``They think it was
very deliberate -- and they think it was a way to handle a problem, at our
expense.' ''
In case of energy and water shortages and the rationing of other limited
resources, will the Powers That Be decide who'll get essential services along
class or race lines?
Cause of NYC Blackout Still Unclear
By TIMOTHY WILLIAMS
.c The Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) - Fifteen hours into a blackout that cut power to some 300,000
people during a scorching heat wave, the president of the utility company
responsible for providing the electricity walked around the neighborhood
trying to answer questions.
The head of Consolidated Edison, J. Michael Evans, apologized to people -
many of whom sat wearily outside in 94-degree heat to avoid even hotter
apartments that had started to smell of rotting eggs and spoiling meat.
But Evans had few answers about why predominantly poor, densely packed
Washington Heights in Manhattan had no power while most of the city had no
noticeable energy problems.
Several days after the July 6 power failure, Con Ed can explain the series of
events that led to the breakdown - feeder cables failed in the area after a
surge in use. But it still doesn't know why it happened.
Fallout from the 19-hour blackout is likely to include investigations,
lawsuits and the residents' belief that electricity in one of the city's
poorest areas was shut off so the rest of the city could remain in light.
``You'll never be able to convince anybody that it was a random event,'' said
David Paterson, a state senator who represents parts of the area. ``They
think it was very deliberate and they think it was a chosen way to handle the
problem at our expense.''
Con Ed, which plans to spend $14 million on transmission and distribution
infrastructure this year, said they have already appointed a team of experts
to figure out why the feeder cables failed in some places but not others.
``Believe me,'' said Con Ed spokesman Joe Petta. ``We want the answers as
much, if not more, than anyone else.''
Mayor Rudolph Giuliani chalks it up to human failure.
``Last night was not a natural disaster,'' the mayor said on the morning
after. ``Last night was a man-made disaster.''
Giuliani and City Council Speaker Peter Vallone have demanded investigations
and both the city and state governments have scheduled hearings on the issue
this week.
Giuliani has also promised a city lawsuit against Con Ed to recoup $1.5
million in overtime for police maintaining order, as well as an undetermined
amount for response to emergency medical calls related to the power failure.
City lawyers are also considering suing Con Ed for consumer fraud - not
delivering promised goods.
A class action lawsuit and a federal civil rights complaint on behalf of
consumers are also likely. One resident has already filed a lawsuit, alleging
the company was negligent in preparing itself for a predicted heat wave.
Con Ed, however, says the lights went out in Washington Heights and
neighboring Inwood simply because that's where the power system failed,
though they still don't know why.
The state Public Service Commission said Con Ed is one of the most reliable
providers in the industry, averaging fewer power failures than any other
electric provider in the state, said spokesman David Flanagan.
The blackout caused no fatalities, but the heat wave that prompted it led to
at least 28 deaths, according to the city's medical examiner. The power
failure also ruined heat-sensitive medical research on AIDS and Alzheimer's
disease being conducted at the area's largest hospital, Columbia Presbyterian
Medical Center. The hospital says the damage is likely to cost $20 million.
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