3 ms·

> Generally, North American designs result in fewer customer interruptions. I suspect this is offset greatly by the differences in infra, where EU uses buried

> Generally, North American designs result in fewer customer interruptions. I suspect this is offset greatly by the differences in infra, where EU uses buried cables instead of US style utility poles.

ricardobeat 8y ago
Second that. In many years living in Europe I’ve seen a blackout only once (and got reimbursed for the inconvenience!).
- jnurmine 8y ago
  They do happen in Europe too. I actually expect something like at most one blackout per year. I remember few years back an insane thunderstorm caused an "equipment failure" in the electrical infrastructure, and it manifested as a blackout. The blackout was somehow local and my mobile phone worked OK (though I could not charge it). Generally any blackouts have been short, from tens of seconds to half an hour or so. No spectacular blue lights with aliens swarming in from the resulting dimensional rift. It did raise thoughts of how highly vulnerable a modern society is to loss of electricity. I mean, what if the lights went out and did not come back? (The Long Dark reference is intentional) Were an EMP or something take place and fry electrical devices for good from a large ares, things would go bad and fast. The system impact would be massive. There would be: no computers, no cars, no cell phones, no TV, no fridges or freezers. No digital clocks. No electrical heating. No lights. No deliveries to shops. No subway, no trains. No card payments. And so on. Eventually people would be out and rioting and stealing to feed their starving kids once a week or so had passed and any cupboard storages of canned beans and the like had been exhausted.
kalleboo 8y ago
It also goes on to say "European systems need more switches and other gear to maintain the same level of reliability" so European utilities probably just spend their way to better reliability (burying power lines is one way to do that)

ricardobeat 8y ago

Second that. In many years living in Europe I’ve seen a blackout only once (and got reimbursed for the inconvenience!).

jnurmine 8y ago
They do happen in Europe too. I actually expect something like at most one blackout per year. I remember few years back an insane thunderstorm caused an "equipment failure" in the electrical infrastructure, and it manifested as a blackout. The blackout was somehow local and my mobile phone worked OK (though I could not charge it). Generally any blackouts have been short, from tens of seconds to half an hour or so. No spectacular blue lights with aliens swarming in from the resulting dimensional rift. It did raise thoughts of how highly vulnerable a modern society is to loss of electricity. I mean, what if the lights went out and did not come back? (The Long Dark reference is intentional) Were an EMP or something take place and fry electrical devices for good from a large ares, things would go bad and fast. The system impact would be massive. There would be: no computers, no cars, no cell phones, no TV, no fridges or freezers. No digital clocks. No electrical heating. No lights. No deliveries to shops. No subway, no trains. No card payments. And so on. Eventually people would be out and rioting and stealing to feed their starving kids once a week or so had passed and any cupboard storages of canned beans and the like had been exhausted.

kalleboo 8y ago

It also goes on to say "European systems need more switches and other gear to maintain the same level of reliability" so European utilities probably just spend their way to better reliability (burying power lines is one way to do that)