It Is To Laugh

So... here's the skinny on our third-world power grid:

Xcel working to solve repeated power failures

January 11, 2011 1:09 PM

An Xcel spokesman said a short-term solution to Portales’ power troubles has been found and crews are working to resolve recent problems.

Technicians are installing  a higher capacity breaker in a substation near downtown Portales while at the same time working to shift power loads from overloaded lines, spokesman Wes Reeves said Tuesday.

“(The new breaker) will allow more power to flow,” Reeves said, as opposed to the existing breaker, which trips the circuit at a lower level, causing power failures.

About 600-800 Portales Xcel customers have lost power four times in the last week, with the most recent incident being Tuesday morning.

“Customers should be aware that these are extreme conditions and should be prepared to keep warm in some other way if the power goes out again,” Reeves said.

There's more at the link, including the fact last night's failures were on the coldest day of the season.  I got a kick out of the only comment on the story:

Last weeks story was a joke. Xcel blames their customers for not telling them that the grid load has increased over time. I believe we all have that little round box on the side of our house that tells them how much electricity is being used. At least they send me a letter every month asking for money! We lost power six times last night and once this morning.

The commenter's reference to "blaming the customers" comes from a quote by an Xcel energy spokesman who asked customers to notify Xcel when they install new appliances or devices that will increase electricity consumption.  They really said that.

Update, 1815 hrs.   Mebbe Xcel could call these guys for some professional help:

Civil engineers restore electricity to village

Posted 1/11/2011  

by Senior Airman Tong Duong
332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

1/11/2011 - JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq (AFNS) -- For the past three months, inhabitants of Bakir village, Iraq, were without power, but members of the 332nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, contractors and local Iraqi electricians worked together to install new high-voltage cable to restore electricity.

Heh.