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CNN Live At Daybreak

Electricity Back On

Aired August 18, 2003 - 05:32   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: Well, in New York, Con Edison says it isn't expecting any more power problems today. Electricity is back on across the eight states and two Canadian provinces.
Our Michael Okwu takes a look.

(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 as 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. Never even, I didn't think of it till you raised it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You know, but you thought of it?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No. None whatsoever.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No. I mean they've handled it till now. Basically there was some sort 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. Surprisingly don't, no. I've been listening that 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)

WHITFIELD: The New York City Council estimates that this power blackout cost the city $800 million. Breaking it down now, that's $750 million in lost revenue, $40 million in lost taxes and $10 million in worker overtime.

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 - 05:32   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Well, in New York, Con Edison says it isn't expecting any more power problems today. Electricity is back on across the eight states and two Canadian provinces.
Our Michael Okwu takes a look.

(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 as 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. Never even, I didn't think of it till you raised it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You know, but you thought of it?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No. None whatsoever.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No. I mean they've handled it till now. Basically there was some sort 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. Surprisingly don't, no. I've been listening that 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)

WHITFIELD: The New York City Council estimates that this power blackout cost the city $800 million. Breaking it down now, that's $750 million in lost revenue, $40 million in lost taxes and $10 million in worker overtime.

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