[SonOfDarkSkies]

Actually, it is also strange to hear of a hydro plant going down.

Hydro systems are extremely simple...the water flows through the turbine, spins the blades on the generator...and voila, power.

There is something the authorities are not telling us about this outage. I would guess that someone took out some part of the distribution system attached to the dam...either by explosives or cyber-warfare.

[SJSAMPLE]

Except for the Russian plant that blew up under pressure.

http://englishrussia.com/?p=4853

[uncbob]

Hydro systems are extremely simple...the water flows through the turbine, spins the blades on the generator...and voila, power

Intakes get clogged by trees -debris gets into the intakes etc--turbines blow out through poor maintenance ?????

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Have you ever seen sluice gates in a forested area after heavy rains? They are clogged with trees and brush, keeping them clear is not trivial. Probably a lot worse in the Amazon. Half of all fresh water discharged into the oceans comes from the Amazon.