New York without power
2006-07-21 18:30
New York - A mysterious electrical problem blamed for subway delays, flight cancellations and power outages on the hottest days of the year persisted for a fifth day Friday, leaving 2 500 consumers without electricity.
The blackouts started on Monday evening in many of the neighbourhoods in Queens.
Two LaGuardia Airport terminals lost power on Tuesday, hundreds of businesses have been idle, and the city's jail complex on Rikers Island had to operate on backup generators.
City councillor Peter F Vallone jun said: "This is outrageous. "When is this going to be fixed?
"If it's going to be days, they should tell people it is going to be days."
The blackouts were at their worst on Wednesday, when 10 of the 22 feeder cables that supply the area with power were down at the same time.
Get situation fixed
The temperature had hit 100°C in the neighbourhood the day before.
Consolidated Edison spokesperson Chris Olert said the power company was making every effort to get the situation fixed, but couldn't estimate when that might happen.
He said the company didn't know why things went wrong.
"Chances are fair, but not firm, that it was heat related, but right now that is just a hypothesis," said Olert.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg demanded that the utility investigate and deliver a report on the cause within two weeks.
That was little consolation for Gianni DellaPolla, 26, a baker at Gian & Piero Bakery.
"We probably lost $25 000 (about R165 800) in business in three days," said DellaPolla.
"We had to throw away everything like wedding cakes, eggs and creams".
- AP