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#134273 10/30/02 04:20 PM
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 7,520
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pauluk Offline OP
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Bad weather swept across Britain last weekend, taking out overhead lines to many areas on Sunday morning.

Some people are still without power:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2373523.stm

#134274 10/30/02 04:27 PM
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 382
H
Member
I was reading somewhere on the BBC that some foreign owned PoCos in the south were bringing over French electricians to help restore service. I take it therefore that standards on the supply side must be reasonably similar both sides of the channel.

#134275 10/31/02 02:15 AM
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 8,443
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This is not good, using foreign labour to correct a local problem, if this was done in NZ,(using Oz workers) there would be a riot amongst us Electrical Technicians and Line Mechanics, we are employed by our Company, and we should have the majority vote.
How do the equivalent people in the UK, feel?
But, is it not too convenient for Power companies to enact the "Act of God" clause,
when something like this happens?.

#134276 10/31/02 08:43 AM
Joined: Sep 2002
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C-H Offline
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Trumpy, are you saying that people should be left without power just because there is not enough local electricians available? Do you think the same reasoning should be applied to fire fighters and the like as well?

Next time it will be the Brits doing work in France or Spain or wherever.

[This message has been edited by C-H (edited 10-31-2002).]

#134277 11/02/02 12:23 AM
Joined: Jul 2002
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C-H, I do not agree with your logic.
I am a Senior Fire-Fighter, here in NZ,
Fire safety is paramount, Electricity supply is not, sorry to say it,but it is not.

#134278 11/02/02 05:15 AM
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pauluk Offline OP
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Yes, I heard about French engineers helping out in the south of England on the BBC TV news too. As C-H said it's not uncommon for our British engineers to go to other countries when needed.

There might be some in the industry who don't like it, but I don't have a problem with it. I just see it as a logical approach to two neighboring countries helping each other out when the need arises.

Hutch,
There are some differences in the arrangaments on opposite sides of the Channel. I had a link to an interesting document comparing systems (I think Bjarney sent it to me); I'll see if I can find it later.



[This message has been edited by pauluk (edited 11-02-2002).]

#134279 11/02/02 04:58 PM
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 7,520
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pauluk Offline OP
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Not one of BJ's links I was thinking of after all.

I've posted these links before, but these PDF documents from the IEConsult website in France give an interesting insight into some of the differences between national distribution systems:

Earthing Systems in LV

Earthing Systems Worldwide & Evolution

MV Distribution Networks

#134280 11/02/02 06:22 PM
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 134
D
Member
Hi Paul
You've got some of S&S's finest from up here working for 24/7 too!
I believe they are in midlands.
Hope you get the juice back soon.

#134281 11/03/02 04:26 AM
Joined: Aug 2001
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pauluk Offline OP
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We're getting there thanks! I think the TXU Energi area (former Eastern Electricity region) was quite badly hit all round.

Here's an update on the problems: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2390649.stm


[This message has been edited by pauluk (edited 11-03-2002).]

#134282 11/04/02 05:56 PM
Joined: Aug 2001
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pauluk Offline OP
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According to this morning's local news, the last remaining homes in this region were reconnected yesterday (Sunday), making it a full week they've been without electricity.

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