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Millions affected by power outage in Florida

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Source: CCTV.com | 02-27-2008 13:04

In the US millions were affected Tuesday by a major power outage in Florida.

A problem with the southerneastern state's electrical grid caused a nuclear plant to automatically shut down.

A substation located next to Florida Power and Light headquarters is shown in Miami, Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2008. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)

A substation located next to Florida Power and Light
headquarters is shown in Miami, Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2008.
(AP Photo/Alan Diaz)

The head of Florida Power and Light, the main energy provider in the area, said the afternoon blackout was triggered by an unexplained equipment failure and fire at a Miami transmission facility.

This caused an automatic emergency shutdown of the Turkey Point nuclear plant in south Florida.

The company says about two to three million people were affected, while some local media said the number was higher.

Fire rescue service says the biggest danger that residents faced was failing traffic lights.

In Miami-Dade County, officials said sea and airport transport were normal, and the incident didn't create a civil emergency.

The mayor said they've been in communications with the school system. Saying the schools are on a normal schedule now, and their buses will be taking the kids home.

But one Floridian mother, who was affected by the outage, had a different story to tell.

Maria Davila, Resident of Miami-Dade Country, said, "Miami Dade has shut down all the transportation for the kids so they put it all over the news and radio that parents have to provide their own transportation for their kids."

Some engineers say the outage is a reminder of the risks caused by years of severe under-investment in U.S. electricity distribution networks.

In August 2003, New York City and much of the Northeast and parts of the Midwest suffered a blackout that affected 50 million people.

It was widely seen as the worst blackout in North American history.

 

Editor:Zhang Pengfei