[Fair use for education and research purpose only]

POWER GRID GLITCH LEAVES HALF OF PORTUGAL IN THE DARK

Story Filed: Tuesday, May 09, 2000 9:18 PM EST

Lisbon, May 09, 2000 (EFE via COMTEX) -- A glitch in the power distribution system left half of Portugal without electricity on Tuesday night, authorities said.

The blackout affected an area extending from about 100 kilometers (62 miles) north of Lisbon to the extreme southern region of Algarbe.

According to the power company, an unknown failure in the high-tension system near the town of Rio Maior caused the blackout, which progressed to the central and southern regions starting at about 10:20 p.m. local time (2120 GMT).

Power was restored to the country's rail systems and many of the affected towns after an hour, although the blackout in several of Lisbon's neighborhoods lasted more than two hours.

The most serious problem is in Evora in the central region near the border with Spain and in the southern region of Algarbe.

Portuguese Interior Minister Fernando Gomez said there were no incidents to report as a result of the blackout, although local train service was paralyzed for about an hour. EFE

ja/av/jlb Copyright (c) 2000. Agencia EFE S.A.

http://www.efe.es KEYWORD: Lisbonhttp://library.northernlight.com/FD20000509430000042.html?cb=0&dx=2006&sc=0#doc

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-- (Dee360Degree@aol.com), May 09, 2000

Answers

Southern Portugal Has Power Outage

Story Filed: Tuesday, May 09, 2000 10:18 PM EDT

LISBON, Portugal (AP) -- A massive power outage late Tuesday plunged the southern half of Portugal, including the capital Lisbon, into darkness.

The lights went out in Lisbon and along a 180-mile mostly rural stretch to the Algarve coastal area around 10 p.m., according to the national power company Electricidade de Portugal.

The blackout ended in Lisbon after 1 hour 45 minutes but emergency phone lines were jammed with calls.

The power company's chief national engineer Hugo Assuncao told state radio RDP that a technical fault occurred at a substation in Rio Maior, 50 miles north of Lisbon, but he said the cause was not known.

Officials said there were no reports of serious injuries as a result of the blackout.

http://library.northernlight.com/EE20000509040000010.html? cb=0&dx=2006&sc=0#doc

-- (Dee360Degree@aol.com), May 09, 2000.

May 9, 2000 - 10:15 PM

Power Outage Blacks Out Southern Half of Portugal The Associated Press

LISBON, Portugal (AP) - A massive power outage late Tuesday plunged the southern half of Portugal, including the capital Lisbon, into darkness.

The lights went out in Lisbon and along a 180-mile mostly rural stretch to the Algarve coastal area around 10 p.m., according to the national power company Electricidade de Portugal.

The blackout ended in Lisbon after 1 hour 45 minutes but emergency phone lines were jammed with calls.

The power company's chief national engineer Hugo Assuncao told state radio RDP that a technical fault occurred at a substation in Rio Maior, 50 miles north of Lisbon, but he said the cause was not known.

Officials said there were no reports of serious injuries as a result of the blackout.

AP-ES-05-09-00 2215EDT

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGICOBRB28C.html

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), May 09, 2000.

Half a country got hit with a power outage? No third world country, either. Portugal is a reasonably modern nation.

-- Billiver (billiver@aol.com), May 10, 2000.

I wonder if their's is the hot weather excuse, too.

-- Uncle Fred (dogboy45@bigfoot.com), May 10, 2000.

It will be real interesting to see to what they attribute this one.

-- JackW (jpayne@webtv.net), May 10, 2000.

I am surprised that we have heard nothing at all going wrong in Portugal's neighbor country, Spain. I am curious to know why they are seemingly coming off so trouble free, when they were at about the bottom of the C.I.A.'s list for troubled Euroean countries.

-- Loner (loner@bigfoot.com), May 10, 2000.

Loner,

Perhaps because this is one of the "spike" categories for the establishment media, as ordained by TPTB.

-- Observer (lots@to.observe), May 10, 2000.