City of Derby, Kansas at 11:55am CDT. All power disrupted downing the entire city. Traffic lights, stores, gas stations, etc. City is about 8 minutes south of McConnell AFB in Wichita, KS.

I had just stopped by to visit with my brother about 10 minutes prior to this event. As we were visiting EVERYTHING went down. It was funny in that we both looked at each other and at the same time said, "NO". Total disbelief because he reports power in Derby is very reliable and since he has lived there has not experienced this; even so much as a flicker.

A quick call to the City Hall gives us nothing but busy signals. Traffic lights down the street were dead. So, in light of this we decided to drive around and check things out. It appeared the only functioning business was Dillon's Food Store and they were on generator. Police were at every major intersection directing traffic because ALL traffic signals were out.

What really concerned us was the sight of the K.G.& E. vehicles traversing back and forth in no particular direction of travel. We figured by this they really had no clue as to why the system was down and were scrambling to find the point of interruption.

After some 30 minutes the local radio reports a public announcement of critcal importance to all listeners. A Police spokes person announced that ALL power to the City of Derby had been disrupted. She stated that there was no time frame for bringing things back online and COULD NOT give a reason for the disruption. She assured authorities were reacting and would remediate as soon as possible.

Power resumed at 1:25pm today. Still unknown cause. For verification of this I am providing numbers to City Hall and the P.D. non-emergency lines.

Derby Kansas City Hall 316-788-3132 Derby Kansas Police Dept. 316-788-1557

Very interesting indeed. I wonder how many Derby-ites were shaken from a light, non-event slumber ? (***grin***)

-- Rob (maxovrdrv51@hotmail.com), January 05, 2000

Answers

Sounds like a Y2K problem.

-- (bartel@tristan.org), January 05, 2000.

Great post!!How was the weather at the time?

-- Carl Jenkins (Somewherepress@aol.com), January 05, 2000.

Goddamm Martians

-- Larry McMurtry (fbeamer@vpi.edu), January 05, 2000.

Carl,

Weather was excellent, actually. Barely a cloud in the sky. Martians ??? I doubt it. Probably residual Chemicals from the spraying; shorted a diode. They should have used a non-conductive base in the mixture. (grin)

-- Rob (maxovrdrv51@hotmail.com), January 05, 2000.

Have you called Wolf Creek Nuclear Power Plant? It provides the energy for Kansas City and Eastern Kansas, including Wichita. They might have the answer.

-- Simpleminded (nope@wont.never), January 05, 2000.

I called information in Derby Kansas.....they gave me 316-788-1519...why does this differ from the number you gave. Explain.

-- I am (just@wondering.gov), January 05, 2000.

Derby, Kansas? Dang. That sounds serious. Y2K for sure. Bet Nowhere, Kentucky'll be next, specially if there's a storm.

-- Bill (xtown@abc.com), January 05, 2000.

Just called city hall...There was indeed a blackout. The guy in city hall indicated that he's only heard it was a problem at a substation.

I'm on hold now with the electric company to see what they say.

-- Duke1983 (Duke1983@aol.com), January 05, 2000.

I just called the number that Rob gave, and they answered "City Managers Office". I said "oh...I take it the power is back on"... she said yup. I asked if they ever figured out what the problem was, and she said it had something to do with the El Paso substation. Call yourself if you don't believe. Of course, this doesn't mean it was a y2k failure.....

-- Arachnid (arachnid@spider...web), January 05, 2000.

Well, I called 316-788-1519, the Derby City helpdesk. The kind lady could not confirm the ENTIRE city lost power, but would comfirm at least part of the city had lost power for approximately 1:20 hours, and could NOT confirm the problem had been corrected. (As if she half expected it to crash again shortly; my inferrance.)

-- Hillbilly (Hillbilly@possum.creek), January 05, 2000.

"I am just wondering" asks: I called information in Derby Kansas.....they gave me 316-788-1519...why does this differ from the number you gave. Explain.

-------

It's just a two digit difference. Probably a y2k glitch...

-- (1519@1557.hmm), January 05, 2000.

"Substation problem caused circuits to go down at El Paso substation."

That's what the electric company customer service has. No further information available at this time.

No reason given for the substation failure.

I've got a question, however. What makes a substation problem in June (or whenever it was) a few years ago bring down the entire pacific northwest grid down for what was it, 12 hours?

And a substation problem here is isolated? Has the electric industry learned enough from prior grid failures to contain problems so that they don't cascade?

Or if demand is low enough, problems won't cascade? If this is the case, I guess we're lucky y2k hit in a lower demand period, huh?

Also, if some embeddeds have a RTC in them, and don't look to an outside source for the date, would their current date be off by the amount of time lapsed between manufacture and installation?

Assuming the RTC start date=manufacture date. And what is the typical lag between manufacture and installation date?

-- Duke1983 (Duke1983@aol.com), January 05, 2000.

Well, as far as the discrepancy in the phone numbers, I can't say. I took the numbers right out of the Derby phone book. If you aren't satisfied with those numbers, of course you can call info for 316 area code and get another number to try. Anyone should be able to verify what I say.

What I don't understand is how El Paso would affect this particular area. Of course I don't understand the whole grid idea, per say, but I guess it's possible. That is interesting information.

I haven't had the time today for detective work and tomorrow looks to be not much better but maybe I can get a few answers anyway, in between appts.

5pm news, KAKE TV should have some information on this. I can post more after the local news is on. My brother is also supposed to call when he gets information on the matter.

-- Rob (maxovrdrv51@hotmail.com), January 05, 2000.

Jesus! Talk about a crisis! I can't flush this huge turd down! It's TOO BIG! What the hell are all you gripin' about?

-- Bob Dole (bdole@stiff.com), January 05, 2000.

Bob... Tell Elizabeth to take that hideous wig off before you try to flush her. Just a suggestion....

-- Arachnid (arachnid@spider..web), January 05, 2000.

Yep, the Derby-ites were kicking themselves for not laying in at least thirty days of food, water, ammunition, fuel and first aid supplies...what with the power being out for 90 minutes and all.

Even granting this was a Y2K failure, just for the sake of debate...yes, I'd have to call it pretty much a non-event. I would be interested in hearing whether it turns out to be Y2K or not.

-- Craig Kenneth Bryant (ckbryant@mindspring.com), January 05, 2000.

Get into the bunker right now!!! Hurry!!! Do not take any more time to read the answers to your post!!!

GO!!!!!!!!

-- worried (worried@aol.com), January 05, 2000.

Duke 1983,

Were you able to get anything from the Utility Company ?

-- Rob (maxovrdrv51@hotmail.com), January 05, 2000.

look you little bug...I can kick your butt even with one hand! Stop talking 'bout my little woman like that. What are you, a communist!

-- Bob Dole (bdole@stiff.com), January 05, 2000.

Well ... here we go again.

I live in Derby, Kansas. Yes the electricity went out at about 12:07 PM and came back on at about 1:27 PM. I called the High School, Middle School, and Elementary School (where I have children). It would only ring, no one pick up. The reason is that the schools phone systems are tied into the electricity system.

Called friends. His wife just walked in from Swaney Elementary School (on the south side of town). They had electricity all the time. Never went down there. I would assume houses on the south side of town never experienced a power outage either.

Rumor I heard is that three transformers blew at the Rock Road Station (this from an electrician). Cause unknown right now ... but folks let's not get carried away with a simple power outage until proven otherwise.

One who is prepared, but let's use some common sense.

tim

-- tim daniels (timdaniels@commonsense.com), January 05, 2000.

Too bad you couldn't kick Clinton's ass :(

-- Arachnid (arachind@spider..web), January 05, 2000.

I'm just curious about something. With the jokers agitating on this forum as they do, is it because they dare not hang out at the local pub/bar anymore for fear of getting their sarcastic teeth kicked in for the same attitude ? Hmm.

I'll bet a few of them here are missing their uppers, without a doubt. Yeah, you know you are reasonably safe here. REASONABLY. It's not that I'm not sympathetic to you. I do understand you need SOME kind of safe haven for your antics. On the other hand, there are some good people here too.

-- Rob (maxovrdrv51@hotmail.com), January 05, 2000.

too bad for the country.

-- Bob Dole (bdole@stiff.com), January 05, 2000.

Rob, thanks for the post....I don't think these Trolls have ever been out from under their slimy bridges to actually see an entire forest. To them a forest is a tree. They cannot understand that many trees make-up a forest. I do wish though, that they would somehow find their way back to their bridge(s).

-- (karlacalif@aol.com), January 05, 2000.

Just wait.

The Squirrel King will end up taking credit for this one. I predict it was caused by a Kamakazee squirrel attack on a sub- station. There's probably not much left of the perpetrator. The king's subjects will soon bring the entire nation to its knees.

It never was y2k. It was the rodent revolution.

gene

-- gene (ekbaker@essex1.com), January 05, 2000.

What's wrong with you people? It was a squirrel driving a Moose car that ran into a telephone pole. Get it right!

-- Mat (whatthematter@withyou.com), January 05, 2000.

Rob, any update as to the actual reason given for this outage????

Anyone out there with an answer to my other question....why do some seemingly small failures have the potential to bring down the grid, while others don't?

-- Duke1983 (Duke1983@aol.com), January 06, 2000.

Squirrels, mice. mouses, moose - who cares - they're all four-footed rodents!!!!

Death to the sabotuers!

-- Boris Badinoff (rocky&bullwinkle@moose.gov), January 06, 2000.