OK, all you downtown workers, COME HOME NOW!

Just saw this, regarding the power problem. We’ll start watching traffic early just in case. Seattle City Light is having a media briefing at 1:30 pm. Here’s the news release SCL sent literally a minute after we originally published this:

Seattle City Light is asking its Downtown Seattle customers to reduce their energy usage today to avoid service interruptions while urgent repairs are made to damaged equipment.

Two banks of transformers at the Union Street Substation failed Friday morning while regular maintenance was underway on two other banks of transformers. The Downtown area is supported by a redundant underground network to increase reliability, but the loss of four transformer banks lowered the substation’s energy delivery capacity below the potential demand from the customers it serves. Such a situation could cause widespread outages Downtown.

Energy use is expected to be high today due to the potentially record-breaking temperatures. Repairs are underway, however, it’s anticipated that it will take the remainder of Friday to complete.

Help in reducing energy use is being sought from all customers in Downtown. Customers are asked to reduce their air conditioning use and to turn off any unnecessary machines, appliances, lights or other electrical equipment.

A press conference is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. at the Union Substation located at Union and Western.

11 Replies to "OK, all you downtown workers, COME HOME NOW!"

  • WSB August 15, 2008 (2:05 pm)

    No real good way to pop this into the post itself but a West Seattleite just sent us a message via Twitter that the air conditioning’s been cut by half at their workplace and they’re “melting.” Send us your update, westseattleblog on Twitter, or good ol’fashioned e-mail:
    editor@westseattleblog.com

  • WSB August 15, 2008 (2:22 pm)

    Got a note from Sarah, who says:
    >>Not too newsworthy, but the crumpet shop at First & Pike (entrance to market) is closed because of the heat. And for once, my office building does not feel like a giant refrigerator :-) <<

  • Tonya August 15, 2008 (2:39 pm)

    I am in One Union right now and they announced they were turning the lights off and to please not use anything that required power that you didn’t absolutely need.

    The turned the air down a bit but it’s still nice and cool.

  • JanS August 15, 2008 (2:44 pm)

    hehe..I just e-mailed my daughter and said that she should tell her boss to close the office. It’s almost 3pm anyway, might as well…

  • HighlandParkster August 15, 2008 (2:51 pm)

    Seattle City Light doesn’t understand two things 1) how electricity works 2) what “urgent” means. It continually amazes me that Jorge Carrasco (the guy that runs the place –into the ground) STILL has a job after the windstorm that blew City Light down for a week! Now, no electricity on the deadliest, hottest day of the year to the Downtown tourist, retail, and business core? Heck of a job, Jorge!

  • elh August 15, 2008 (3:20 pm)

    I work downtown on 3rd and we turned off the lights to the rooms we arent using, unless we need them. and we never have our air cranked anyway so it’s pleasant in here :) I just stepped outside the office and it’s not as hot as i thought it would be.

  • Scott August 15, 2008 (4:05 pm)

    Seattle City Light doesn’t understand two things 1) how electricity works…

    Is it a series of tubes?

  • paul August 15, 2008 (5:16 pm)

    hum, glad we live and work in west seattle! Although our ac is running because its just darn hot in our shop….

  • Bob August 15, 2008 (6:00 pm)

    Scott asks:

    Is it a series of tubes?

    Scott,

    It’s a series of bars. Metal bars.

  • JH August 15, 2008 (6:13 pm)

    I guess I was the only smart one to leave work from downtown early to play hooky. I missed all this excitement, though my office was boiling this morning anyway at 7th/Pike. I didn’t think the AC was working then!

  • booger August 16, 2008 (8:44 pm)

    Air Conditioning? Who needs air conditioning? The temperature is perfect!!

    And yes, I work in One Union Square, and would my office close due to the electrical issues to ease the electrical useage in Seattle? Nooooo.

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