2/6/01

CONTACT: Lisa Trei, News Service (650) 725-0224;

e-mail lisatrei@stanford.edu

PG&E line failure causes brief campus power outage

A 90-minute power outage caused by a Pacific Gas & Electric transmission line failure affected Stanford's central campus Tuesday afternoon.

Power was lost at about 3:07 p.m. and restored to most of campus by 4:30 p.m., according to Larry Gibbs, associate vice provost for environmental health and safety.

The university has its own cogeneration power plant that prevents it from being affected by rolling power blackouts that have recently occurred in northern California. But, Gibbs said, "Cogen's transmission to campus is partially dependent on a PG&E transmission line that failed."

No major incidents were reported as a result of the power outage, Gibbs said.

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-By Lisa Trei-