Cold weather triggers massive electricity blackout across Europe
The News - International|November 5, 2006
The German energy company RWE said the blackouts were caused by surging electricity demand Saturday evening due to a plunge in temperatures to the freezing point. Insufficient electricity supply first triggered blackouts in parts of western Germany, particularly in Cologne, and then across France as the French electricity company EDF tried to fulfill the surging demand but could not.
The German energy company RWE said the blackouts were caused by surging electricity demand Saturday evening due to a plunge in temperatures to the freezing point. Insufficient electricity supply first triggered blackouts in parts of western Germany, particularly in Cologne, and then across France as the French electricity company EDF tried to fulfill the surging demand but could not.
PARIS: A surge in electricity demand in Germany due to cold weather triggered massive blackouts across western Europe on Saturday, including to about a tenth of France, electricity operators said.
"About five million consumers lost" power in the blackout, said a spokesman for the French electricity transmission company RTE.
"Similar cuts took place in all western European countries," he added.
The German energy company RWE said the blackouts were caused by surging electricity demand Saturday evening due to a plunge in temperatures to the freezing point.
Insufficient electricity supply first triggered blackouts in parts of western Germany, particularly in Cologne, and then across France as the French electricity company EDF tried …
... more [truncated due to possible copyright]PARIS: A surge in electricity demand in Germany due to cold weather triggered massive blackouts across western Europe on Saturday, including to about a tenth of France, electricity operators said.
"About five million consumers lost" power in the blackout, said a spokesman for the French electricity transmission company RTE.
"Similar cuts took place in all western European countries," he added.
The German energy company RWE said the blackouts were caused by surging electricity demand Saturday evening due to a plunge in temperatures to the freezing point.
Insufficient electricity supply first triggered blackouts in parts of western Germany, particularly in Cologne, and then across France as the French electricity company EDF tried to fulfill the surging demand but could not.
Electricity was then knocked out in parts of Paris and its suburbs, as well as numerous other areas of France.
The blackout hit France around 2100 GMT, with service restored in most places between one-half and one hour later, said RTE.
The blackout also disrupted the country's high speed trains, causing delays on a dozen lines, the SNCF train company said.
Various parts of Italy were also affected, particularly the northwestern Piedmont area, which lost electricity for around 30 minutes, a news agency said citing emergency services.