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OFFICIAL BLOG OF NIAGARA FALLS TOURISM |
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THE NIGHT THE LIGHTS WENT OUT IN NIAGARA
By
2008-11-10 10:49:17
|  | 5 comments Latest by michael carter 07/13/09 08:55:09 EDT |
If you’re 42 years of age and born in July of 1966 there’s a chance you might have been conceived as a result of what happened here in Niagara on November 9th. I can remember that day clearly because all the lights in the city went out at 5:16 pm. I was showing a few folks how to turn the lights on the falls when everything went dead. Boy, I thought I was in trouble. I soon learned it wasn’t me. It was because of a major power failure at the Sir Adam Beck No.2 power plant in Queenston. It was a cold November evening, not like what we’re getting now, and power for heating, lighting and cooking was at its max.
When a maintenance employee incorrectly set a protective relay on one of the transmission lines a chain reaction occurred and cut off power effecting 25 million people and 80,000 square miles in Ontario and the Northeast United States were left without electricity for 12 hours. Later it’s reported the birth rate in these areas soared in July of 1966!
Today, Ontario Power Generation (I still think of it as Ontario Hydro) is digging another tunnel, ”Big Becky” under Niagara to divert more water from above the falls to the generating plants at Queenston. Once completed in 2010 the 14.4 metre, 10.4 kilometre tunnel will deliver enough water from above the falls to power a city of 160,000 people. For you techies, that’s 1.6 billion kilowatt hours. Just in time for our hybrids! Anyone else remember the black out? What were you doing (be careful) when it happened?
Comments
Tom Taylor
I remember that night well. Here in NJ the moon was a funny looking full orange color and the tv went all to snow. I remember looking outside and saw darkness in the North direction. We still could get Philadelphia tv station but not very clear. The news there talked about the blackout. It was something new for me to be watching tv from Philly instead of New York. If it was in 66 I was 12 yrs old so I guess I was home not having a job yet.
george bailey
Tom, Thanks for your comments. george
Lubov Preis
How do they put the lights in Niagara Falls
George
Lubov, There are 21 large lights that light up the falls all-year round from the Canadian side of the border. The lights are found on a tower opposite the American Falls
michael carter
Dear George, I grew up next door to a Tom Taylor in Box Hill Melbourne Australia, he moved to Niagara Canadian Side } in late 1950s and started a very successful refrigeration repair business, his sister Helen went with him -- His parents Bill Taylor and Mildred nee Lush remained in Melbourne. George I wonder if anyone over there remembers Tom { He'd be 80 now } or what became of him, he always drove Cadillacs and sent photos of them to Australia. We love you blokes over there and thank you for the protection and love you give us Aussies -- Go Yanks !! Mick Carter
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Photos by George Bailey...
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