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Power Returning in London

Aired August 28, 2003 - 15:00   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.


JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: We begin with another blackout, this time in London. It does not appear to be as widespread as the recent power outages here in the United States and in Canada. But it is causing serious problems for the city and for evening travelers.
CNN's Charles Hodson joins us now with the latest from London.

Charles, some of the power coming back now?

CHARLES HODSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, we are seeing some power being restored in some parts of the city.

But there's no doubt about it. This is a major power outage which swept across parts of central and south London, crippling the subway lines, crippling mainline train lines. And it did so right in the heart of the rush hour. It did so at 6:15 p.m. local time. Now we're looking at 8:00 p.m. local time. And there are many people, one suspects thousands of people, over the last hour and three-quarters have probably been stuck in subway trains deep underground.

Now, the London Underground, which is, of course, the name of the subway here, they say that 60 percent of their routes have been affected. They are managing to get some power back from other sources. But, of course, the chaos factor is going to continue, because, for one thing, they cannot get people out of those trains if they're grounded, because, if power is restored, it comes through the tracks. So it is, of course, a dangerous situation.

It has to be said, we haven't heard of any injuries so far. And it also has to be said that this is only, I'm told, a 700 megawatt power outage. So it's not on the scale of the one that you mentioned in the Northeastern United States and eastern Canada. But, by London's standards, certainly, you'd have to go back quite a long way to remember quite U.S. a dramatic power outage as this right in the middle of the rush hour -- Judy.

WOODRUFF: And, Charles, what exactly are authorities saying they're doing in order to get those trains running again? Obviously trying to get the power back to them, but how are they trying to get to people underground?

HODSON: Well, they are doing is, they are sending staff along the lines with flashlights, etcetera, to try and get people out. This is what we're told.

On the other hand, a much-needed solution, as far as they're concerned, is to get the trains moving again. The Lots Road power station, which is in the Fulham district of southwest London, is the one that has been affected. With that one out, of course, they had to get power in from other areas. So they're getting power in, they say, from more northerly districts of the city.

But it's a slightly confusing picture. I mean, some of the people who are responsible for giving the power, to handing out the power, the final transmission, if you like, of power to the consumers, had no idea what was going on. This seems to have been a problem at the national grid level. National grid says we are getting this back, but it is a confused picture still -- Judy.

WOODRUFF: All right, Charles Hodson reporting for us from the streets of London, thank you very much. And, of course, CNN will continue to monitor that story.

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 28, 2003 - 15:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: We begin with another blackout, this time in London. It does not appear to be as widespread as the recent power outages here in the United States and in Canada. But it is causing serious problems for the city and for evening travelers.
CNN's Charles Hodson joins us now with the latest from London.

Charles, some of the power coming back now?

CHARLES HODSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, we are seeing some power being restored in some parts of the city.

But there's no doubt about it. This is a major power outage which swept across parts of central and south London, crippling the subway lines, crippling mainline train lines. And it did so right in the heart of the rush hour. It did so at 6:15 p.m. local time. Now we're looking at 8:00 p.m. local time. And there are many people, one suspects thousands of people, over the last hour and three-quarters have probably been stuck in subway trains deep underground.

Now, the London Underground, which is, of course, the name of the subway here, they say that 60 percent of their routes have been affected. They are managing to get some power back from other sources. But, of course, the chaos factor is going to continue, because, for one thing, they cannot get people out of those trains if they're grounded, because, if power is restored, it comes through the tracks. So it is, of course, a dangerous situation.

It has to be said, we haven't heard of any injuries so far. And it also has to be said that this is only, I'm told, a 700 megawatt power outage. So it's not on the scale of the one that you mentioned in the Northeastern United States and eastern Canada. But, by London's standards, certainly, you'd have to go back quite a long way to remember quite U.S. a dramatic power outage as this right in the middle of the rush hour -- Judy.

WOODRUFF: And, Charles, what exactly are authorities saying they're doing in order to get those trains running again? Obviously trying to get the power back to them, but how are they trying to get to people underground?

HODSON: Well, they are doing is, they are sending staff along the lines with flashlights, etcetera, to try and get people out. This is what we're told.

On the other hand, a much-needed solution, as far as they're concerned, is to get the trains moving again. The Lots Road power station, which is in the Fulham district of southwest London, is the one that has been affected. With that one out, of course, they had to get power in from other areas. So they're getting power in, they say, from more northerly districts of the city.

But it's a slightly confusing picture. I mean, some of the people who are responsible for giving the power, to handing out the power, the final transmission, if you like, of power to the consumers, had no idea what was going on. This seems to have been a problem at the national grid level. National grid says we are getting this back, but it is a confused picture still -- Judy.

WOODRUFF: All right, Charles Hodson reporting for us from the streets of London, thank you very much. And, of course, CNN will continue to monitor that story.

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