Show Experts Predict Power Blackout Quietly submerged beneath today's blatant and critical problems of population over-population water and air pollution dissipating dissipating dissipating dis dis- resources et al aI a most vital industry imperceptibly imperceptibly imperceptibly imper imper- verges on total break break- down If during the next three months the wrong blend of comes together anywhere in m this country or Canada experts predict a massive massive massive mas mas- sive power failure ACCORDING to a study in inthe inthe inthe the current Pageant Magazine the nations nation's electric power consumption consumption consumption con con- doubled in the last decade with the avalanche of nearly two dozen luxury appliances appliances appliances ap ap- on the market Grimly Grim Grim- ly in this same period our reserve capacity has shrunk in half Consider the enormous drain on the faltering electric supply when the millions of air conditioners in homes and businesses are switched on this June one unit gulps more electricity in a summer than the average cooking range does in a year Power manufacturers manufacturers manu manu- fa fear great difficulty in in coping with the drain The Federal Power Commission Commission Commission Com Com- mission feels that any utility forced to operate without at least ten per cent more electrIcity electricity electricity elec elec- on tap than it would be called on to deliver at its highest peak demand is running far too close clos to the wind for its own or its customers customers' customers customers' customers customers' cus cus- good and m may y be actively courting blackouts Yet between the Alleghenies and the alone there are at this moment no fewer than 14 companies in that precarious precarious precarious pre pre- carious position and at least four more farther west WHAT IS THE TilE industry going going going go go- ing to do about this impending blackout risk Pageant reports that the Public Service Electric Electric Electric Elec Elec- and Gas the Corporation seventh-largest seventh U. U S. S utility which operates in the New NewYork NewYork NewYork York metropolitan is area a noteworthy pacesetter in its preparedness It has a computer computer computer com com- puter center at its Newark headquarters that keeps around- around the-clock the watch over the power supply and fluctuations in demand demand demand de de- de- de mand to head off shutdowns If they see a crisis moving in on its reserves it will use a voltage drop which actually dilutes the electricity 3 per per- cent Homeowners and industry industry industry indus indus- try may be asked to cut back backon on power consumption where- where ever possible Public Service did this last summer on a couple of edgy occasions and the response was effective Should further measures be necessary a block plan may be employed where segments of a community will be shut shutdown shutdown shutdown down in rotation for varying periods of time While this may be a great inconvenience for some in hot weather a alost alost alost lost generator could cascade into a to per per- |