I've had a rumor from another list that a powerline was destroyed on the west coast, with no affect on electrical supply.

-- Robert Waldrop (rmwj@soonernet.com), December 31, 1999

Answers

Robert:

I've had the same report from a Y2K Watch list with this link and story.

Richard Wright Williams Lake, B.C.

Source: http://www.7am.com/cgi-bin/wires02.cgi?1000_99123109.htm

Saboteurs Bring Down Major Power Feed To Oregon 9:15 am PST, 31 December 1999

A power blackout that could have affected part of Oregon this morning was averted by a sophisticated computer system after a major power feed into the state was cut by suspected saboteurs. Within moments of the power failing on the high-voltage line at 8:50 am, a computer system automatically kicked in and re-routed supplies to the state.

-- Richard Wright (rtwright@grassrootsgroup.com), December 31, 1999.

The power outage was caused by someone cutting the guy wire to a power pole. It is not believe to be a terrorist incident, just a possible prank from kids.

-- Ed Ruttan (edruttan@oregontrail.net), December 31, 1999.

Please see the pasted Associated Press story (below) which came out this morning.

The Associated Press 12/31/99 11:25 AM

BEND, Ore. (AP) -- A high-voltage Bonneville Power Administration line carrying electricity from the Pacific Northwest to California was sabotaged last night south of Bend, BPA officials said today.

BPA spokesman Perry Gruber said computers automatically re-routed power and no customers lost power. The FBI was investigating.

Gruber said that someone toppled a tower carrying the line at 8:53 p.m. He wouldn't say how the tower, which he described as being between 80- and 200-feet-tall, was taken down.

"We've had towers collapse before, but never as the result of malicious mischief like this," Gruber said.

The power agency hopes to have the line back in service later today.

A Bonneville Power Administration helicopter was to be dispatched this morning to check the rest of the line, called the Pacific Northwest- Pacific Southwest Direct Current Intertie.

A BPA computer re-routed power within one second of when the line dropped, and there was no fire.

-- Michael Dudar (mdudar@netcom.ca), December 31, 1999.