Article

2003-04-25 Iraq

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Posted by Steve White 2003-04-25 01:29 am|| || Front Page|| [7 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 I'm still confused at the extent of the damage and how long it's taking to restore power. We all saw the lights blazing night after night during the bombing and were fully aware the civilian infrastructure was not targetted. I have to think most of this damage was willful sabotage by Saddam and Co. in a desperate bid to keep the public afraid of and angry at the Coalition.

Posted by Dar 2003-04-25 09:22:01|| 2003-04-25 09:22:01|| Front Page Top

#2 apparently the plants are largely intact - the problems are in the distribution lines and substations. Which could have been the victims of air power (directed most likely at other targets) ground fighting, Baathist sabotage, or looting. when you have power you cant just send it down a line if that line is not intact, or you can fry stuff. Also if a power station is turned off you need some power to turn it back on - to run all the equipment inside the power station - so bringing back a downed system is not simple - IIUC this was the case after the big east coast blackout in '65, and was extensively discussed in the context of the Y2K bug. Apparently its been aggravated by looting of the small diesel generators that would have been used to kick start large power plants and of spare parts to repair the substations and lines, by interruption in the supply of oil and Nat. Gas to Baghdad to fuel the plants, and by the difficulties in getting power system employees back to work.

Posted by liberalhawk 2003-04-25 09:53:13|| 2003-04-25 09:53:13|| Front Page Top

#3 Baghdad needs 1200 megawatts and is getting 300.... Tallahassee FL a city of 150,000 uses nearly 1000 megawatts. Per capita energy consumption is still pretty low there.

My understanding is that Baghdads base load generator is gas powered and they're waiting on getting the pipeline north of the city back in working order.

Posted by Shipman 2003-04-25 11:35:21|| 2003-04-25 11:35:21|| Front Page Top

#4 UNICEF reports schools open in north, parts of Basra - calls for schools to reopen quickly elsewhere. US official says Baghdad schools may not reopen till September.

Posted by liberalhawk 2003-04-25 11:38:11|| 2003-04-25 11:38:11|| Front Page Top

#5 My wife worked for one of the rural electric cooperatives here in the West some 20 years ago. Transformers, used to step down high-voltage feeder lines to the voltage used in homes and shops, are extremely vulnerable to damage. Anti-aircraft fire, ground fire, even fire from a handful of AK-47's can damage one beyond the ability to repair it, and it has to be replaced. Another problem is that the oil usually found in transformers as a coolant is not good stuff to have leak out, especially large step-down transformers at transformer yards. Not only does Garner have to rebuild the power grid, but also clean up a large environmental mess that's probably spread throughout Baghdad.

Posted by Old Patriot 2003-04-25 12:12:55|| 2003-04-25 12:12:55|| Front Page Top

#6 Also complicating affairs is the lack of reliable grid maps which were classified by Bathists. This place wasn't wired to "code", and is in many ways worse than a hillbilly trailer park without zoning.

Posted by Capsu78 2003-04-25 12:27:53|| 2003-04-25 12:27:53|| Front Page Top

#7 Isn't most of the power transmission and distribution French? I hope that our engineers are looking into converting alot of that stuff into other national brands. Old Patriot is right. Transformers are extremely vulnerable to damage, especially high voltage units. They are oil filled for insulation and cooling. Broken insulators, dirt, moisture, lack of maintenance and loss of oil will kill these units, which are critical to the integrity of the system. Most of these big units should have backups, but flying bullets and debris could easily take out a substation.

Posted by Alaska Paul 2003-04-25 13:48:06|| 2003-04-25 13:48:06|| Front Page Top

#8 Leaking Transformers? PCB's mixing with DU? A humanitarian crisis of mega proportions! Call George Galloway! Oh sorry.

Posted by john 2003-04-25 15:08:03|| 2003-04-25 15:08:03|| Front Page Top

#9 My solution: Clappers.
Big ones

Posted by tu3031 2003-04-25 15:17:56|| 2003-04-25 15:17:56|| Front Page Top

#10 PCB's,known carcinagin.
Transfomers containing PCB's have been banned in the U.S.for over 20years.Absolutly no reaction with DU,STFU d-ass.

Posted by Anonymous 2003-04-26 09:25:42|| 2003-04-26 09:25:42|| Front Page Top

09:25 Anonymous
07:51 Bulldog
07:30 Bulldog
01:47 Bomb-a-rama
01:45 Bomb-a-rama
23:57 PD
23:55 tbn
22:00 Alaska Paul
21:40 Ned
21:26 mojo
21:21 tu3031
21:21 mojo
21:11 tu3031
21:07 tu3031
20:38 Alaska Paul
20:36 Alaska Paul
20:35 Ptah
20:14 Frank G
20:11 john
19:57 john
19:27 Porps
19:02 Tom
17:42 Querent
17:39 Baba Yaga