Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live At Daybreak

New Yorkers Take it in Stride

Aired August 18, 2003 - 06:02   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: It is back to work in New York City today. Things have pretty much returned to normal after last week's massive blackout. And as energy officials try to figure out exactly why it happened, New Yorkers are trying to take it all in stride.
Here is CNN's Michael Okwu.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAEL OKWU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Earlier, New York officials were saying that the extra burden on the system may mean rolling blackouts, but now they're saying, do not expect that. Still, Mayor Michael Bloomberg is cautioning New Yorkers to conserve energy.

MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG, NEW YORK: Conservation in the summer is a very big deal. We just don't have a lot of extra power. We can run normally, but if something happens -- you lose a transmission line or you lose a power plant -- then you can get into trouble. And you saw that happen with real reality on Thursday night, so be careful.

OKWU: We talked to some residents in Manhattan, and they expressed absolutely no concern.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, I never even -- I didn't think of it until you raised it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You never even thought of it?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, none whatsoever.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, I mean, they've handled it until now, basically. There is some sort of freak event that caused everything to shut down. So, they should be able to handle it again, I think.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, I don't.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: None whatsoever?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Surprisingly I don't, no. I've been listening and they've been saying that, you know, that we should be still conserving because the grid may have some problems, but no.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And are you conserving?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Yes, I am. OKWU: Con Edison, the local utility here, is not very concerned either. They say they have more than enough juice to do their supplying. They expect to supply some 10,000 megawatts, far short of the record, and that's largely due to the mild temperatures that they are expecting.

But north of the border in Ontario, officials are not quite as optimistic. They say that they just do not have enough generators online, and they are asking businesses in Ontario to cut back by 50 percent.

Michael Okwu, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.






Aired August 18, 2003 - 06:02   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: It is back to work in New York City today. Things have pretty much returned to normal after last week's massive blackout. And as energy officials try to figure out exactly why it happened, New Yorkers are trying to take it all in stride.
Here is CNN's Michael Okwu.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAEL OKWU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Earlier, New York officials were saying that the extra burden on the system may mean rolling blackouts, but now they're saying, do not expect that. Still, Mayor Michael Bloomberg is cautioning New Yorkers to conserve energy.

MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG, NEW YORK: Conservation in the summer is a very big deal. We just don't have a lot of extra power. We can run normally, but if something happens -- you lose a transmission line or you lose a power plant -- then you can get into trouble. And you saw that happen with real reality on Thursday night, so be careful.

OKWU: We talked to some residents in Manhattan, and they expressed absolutely no concern.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, I never even -- I didn't think of it until you raised it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You never even thought of it?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, none whatsoever.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, I mean, they've handled it until now, basically. There is some sort of freak event that caused everything to shut down. So, they should be able to handle it again, I think.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, I don't.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: None whatsoever?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Surprisingly I don't, no. I've been listening and they've been saying that, you know, that we should be still conserving because the grid may have some problems, but no.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And are you conserving?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Yes, I am. OKWU: Con Edison, the local utility here, is not very concerned either. They say they have more than enough juice to do their supplying. They expect to supply some 10,000 megawatts, far short of the record, and that's largely due to the mild temperatures that they are expecting.

But north of the border in Ontario, officials are not quite as optimistic. They say that they just do not have enough generators online, and they are asking businesses in Ontario to cut back by 50 percent.

Michael Okwu, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.