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Blackout: The Inside Story of the Biggest Blackout in History

Orson Scott Card

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Published in Blackout Edward Humes

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On August 14, 2003, the largest blackout in North American history plunged 55 million people into darkness. The blackout affected eight states and two Canadian provinces, and caused an estimated $6 billion in damages. It was the first major blackout in the United States since the Northeast Blackout of 1965.

Blackout

by Edward Humes

4.7 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	900 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	304 pages

In Blackout, Edward Humes tells the inside story of this unprecedented event, from the power plant failures that triggered it to the heroic efforts of the people who worked to restore power. A gripping tale of human drama and technological failure, Blackout is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand how our complex power grid works - and how vulnerable it is.

## The Power Plant Failures

The blackout began at 4:10 PM Eastern Time, when a transmission line near Cleveland, Ohio, failed. This caused a domino effect, as other transmission lines overloaded and failed. Within minutes, power plants across the Midwest and Northeast began to shut down.

One of the largest power plants that went offline was the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station in Oak Harbor, Ohio. Davis-Besse is a 908-megawatt nuclear power plant that provides electricity to over 2 million people in Ohio and Michigan. When the transmission line near Cleveland failed, it caused a power surge at Davis-Besse. This surge damaged the plant's reactor, and it was forced to shut down.

The shutdown of Davis-Besse was a major blow to the power grid. It was one of the largest power plants in the region, and its loss of power caused a cascade of failures at other power plants. Within minutes, the entire Midwest and Northeast was without power.

## The Human Drama

The blackout had a profound impact on the lives of millions of people. People were stranded on elevators, in subways, and on highways. Hospitals were forced to evacuate patients, and businesses were forced to close. The blackout also caused widespread food spoilage and water shortages.

In the aftermath of the blackout, there were many stories of heroism and selflessness. People helped their neighbors, shared food and water, and worked together to clean up the mess. The blackout also brought people together in a way that had not been seen in years. People from all walks of life came together to help their communities and to support each other.

## The Lessons Learned

The blackout of 2003 was a wake-up call for the United States. It showed us that our power grid is vulnerable and that we need to take steps to make it more resilient. In the years since the blackout, the United States has made significant investments in upgrading its power grid. These investments have helped to make the grid more reliable and less vulnerable to future outages.

The blackout of 2003 also taught us the importance of being prepared for emergencies. In the aftermath of the blackout, many people were without power for days or even weeks. This caused widespread hardship and inconvenience. In the years since the blackout, many people have developed emergency plans and have purchased generators and other supplies to help them cope with future outages.

The blackout of 2003 was a major event that had a profound impact on the United States. It showed us that our power grid is vulnerable and that we need to take steps to make it more resilient. It also taught us the importance of being prepared for emergencies. The lessons learned from the blackout of 2003 have helped to make the United States a more prepared and resilient nation.