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Diesel Power Protects Critical Services During Major Blackout
August 15, 2003
Within seconds of yesterday's blanket blackout across the northeastern U.S. and Canada, diesel generators began providing a reliable, safe source of back-up power, reported the Diesel Technology Forum.
"No other power source offers the quick start-up time, efficiency and continuous strength of diesel-powered generators," said Allen Schaeffer, executive director of the Forum. "That's why diesel is playing such a vital role in keeping transportation, communications, public health and other critical services operational during the blackout."
During the first 24 hours of this emerging story, diesel generators have been instrumental in providing emergency power to the following: - National News Media - NBC, ABC, CBS and the cable networks all relied on diesel power to stay on air last night live from New York.
- Financial Markets - Wall Street opened on time this morning thanks to back-up diesel power. Hospitals - Numerous reports on health care facilities across the affected region, including one in The Washington Post on a Cleveland hospital, detailed how "life-giving equipment was itself on life support, in the form of a diesel generator."
- Air Traffic Control - The Federal Aviation Administration reported that air traffic control centers and towers counted on diesel generators to help avert any in-flight disasters.
- Land Line and Cell Phone Networks - Telecommunications giants turned to both diesel generators and massive batteries to keep phone service operational.
- National Treasures - The Statue of Liberty remained illuminated last night thanks to back-up diesel power.
- Other Critical Infrastructure - Many water treatment plants, prisons, and even nuclear power plants relied on diesel for back-up power.
"Thanks to its unmatched versatility and reliability, diesel provides emergency power when it matters most," concluded Schaeffer.
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