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Show POWER FAILS AS LIGHTNING KNOCKS OUT GENERATOR; REA USED Equipment Repairs Necessary Before Normal Service Can Be Resumed, Power Officials Report r The serenity of Wednesday afternoon was abruptly shattered by a bolt of lightning that struck the plant of the Uintah Power and Light company in Uintah canyon, shooting out two generators and leaving Roosevelt, Roose-velt, Ft. Duchesne, Myton and Duchesne without electricity. The incident which occurred at -2:25 p. m. halted all business activity dependent on electrical power in the four towns. At 6:00 p. m. the Uintah Power company tied into the Rural Electrification line, and shortly thereafter a unit of the REA system went out. As darkness settled down Roosevelt took on the appearance appear-ance of a deserted town. Here and there candle light flickered through the windows in the residential res-idential district, but along Main Street the blackness was heavy. A report from the Uintah Power company immediately aftqg the power failure was to the effect that the company's two generators, which furnish power for the entire system, suffered suf-fered major damage. One generator gener-ator was shot through so completely com-pletely that several days will be required before it can be placed in working order. REPAIRMEN from Salt Lake were rushed into the Basin Wedj nesday afternoon and started immediately to make necessary repairs on the second generator which was found to have been not too seriously impaired. Power Pow-er company officials reported Friday morning that it would be ready for use momentarily. The one generator plus supplemental sup-plemental power from the REA should carry the load necessary to meet normal needs, the power office indicated. However, some of the heavier power users may have to cut down until the badly damaged generator can be repaired and returned to service, ser-vice, the office cautioned. Regular users of REA power, today were complaining that during the late evening, electricity elec-tricity is not sufficient for them to perform their usual farm chores. Dairymen who use electric elec-tric milkers showed particular concern over the low evening voltage. Explaining the sudden drop in the available power which takes place around 6:00 p. m., Uintah Power and Light company officials stated that the . peak load on their system, and presumably on the REA chain occurs between the hours of 6 p. m. and 9 p. m. During these three hours power demands exceed ex-ceed all other periods of the day. No prediction has been made as to when the Uinteh Power and Light system would return to normal. |