Software bug contributed to blackout(not virus related)

The Register ^ | 2/12/04 | snooker

[_Jim]

The truth is finally coming out about the day NYC went dark.

The 'truth'?

This is over-simplification which does no more than obscure a whole SERIES of events that took place that day AND does not explain WHY many other interconnected parts of the grid stayed UP that day ...

[_Jim]

However, they were in further jeopardy because they did not know that they were operating without alarms,

They had PLENTY of input from other sources, including MISO that day ... this is some sort of 'cop out' that does not bely just what went on IMO.

'Alarms' are meant to 'call attention' to various parameters that might otherwise go undetected for a bit by the operator's eyeballs looking at various quantitative 'readings' on a panel or CRT screen -

- an 'alarm' is like a dashboard 'oil light' or temperature light that comes on and *draws* attention to itself ...

[_Jim]

OK ... Our world is now controlled by the computers.

MAN is still in-the-loop; this is an account that is only concentrating on a small part of the picture that day ...

[MetalHeadConservative35]

ya know..i dunno about everyone else..but i had fun on the blackout...barbecue chicken...acoustic guitar session and watch the stars i havent seen in a very long time

[_Jim]

The blackout occurred at a time when the Blaster computer worm was wreaking havoc across the Internet. The timing triggered some speculation that the virus may have played a role in the outage

I still think it played apart; it acted to generate additional traffic on the internet that day - and I think that contributed to some of the instrumentation problems (getting data into) the control room from parts/areas of the First Energy system ...

[_Jim]

Does this dovetail with your power dogma?

It doesn't explain why the control room ops weren't seeing real-time data; this 'bug' was apparently found in alarm code ...

[CJ Wolf]

wow, someone is having a change of heart on this black out thingy. Not sure if it was you or not.

[_Jim]

wow, someone is having a change of heart on this black out thingy.

Please elaborate; we'd all like to hear your basis for this ...

[CJ Wolf]

Sorry _Jim, I just seem to remember a certian freeper who had considered this theory crazy or something like that. I can't remember if it was you or not, but in anyrate. I'm not about to go digging in past threads for it.

Cheers. Just ignore me.

[_Jim]

a certian freeper who had considered this theory crazy or something like that.

I think I've been one of the few (there are others) that have proposed rational, scientific and observation-based reasons for the NE Blackout of 2003 ...

In fact, I think I'm the only one to have posted links to one of the better, more comprehensive links that had both wire reports/news stories archived plus technical/industry 'white papers' on the power industry and the like:

Resources for Understanding the Blackout of 2003 -

www.pserc.wisc.edu/Resources.htm

[Robert357]

OK ... Our world is now controlled by the computers. Now about California's blackouts... those were caused by a bad Governor....

Thanks for the heads up.

Well said, although, I would also provide some of the blame to environmental obstructionists, to air quality regulatory agencies, to various "not in my consituents' backyard" politicians, and finally to a totally inept California-ISO."

Gosh, I didn't blame the "evil power companies." I wonder why.

[lelio]

A link to GE's XA/21 management platform.

Not being familiar with the industry it looks like GE / Harris made XA/21 but now I can't find links since 1998 on Harris's website about supporting it. Was Harris spun off from GE?

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

The internet or the Free Republic systems seem to almost be in a meltdown today.

Every one must be pounding the latest Kerry thread!

[swarthyguy]

Pong. So now its not a tree limb but a code error.

[Robert357]

Yes, Drudge is way slow, as is FR. Some businesses I do work with I have had to make CD's for them and have somebody pick up elctronic documents to be reviewed for getting out to clients on Friday. That has been very weird, have other firms send sneaker-net runners. Something is quite strange.

I am suspecting that there is a new virus or that the recent microsoft vulnerability has caused corporate IT guys to make critical system modifications that have screwed up a lot of systems.

[snopercod]

Let's ask the guy who actually worked there.

[thackney]

"blackout" ping

[GOP_1900AD]

I wonder if the developer who wrote the code was a regular GE employee or an outside consultant? I wonder what sorts of background checks GE does on outside consultants?