February 11th, 2011
Though this blog is a bit overdue, the infrastructure of our Nation continues to crumble and decay. While costing us time and money, the crumbling infrastructure also continues to claim innocent lives – as I have blogged herein several times before. I have to wonder, are our government officials now also waiting to give these infrastructure efforts and jobs to workers from Asia as well? What is the reason for the delay? Furthermore, if such efforts of rebuilding our infrastructure had been continually underway, the latest economic depression would surely have not been as severe to many of our domestic industries as it was. However, to effect this effort, maybe we need to repeal the Eleventh (11th) Amendment to the U.S. Federal Constitution to hold our governments responsible for the neglect of our infrastructure. (http://adamvernontrotter.blogspot.com/2011/02/repeal-eleventh-11th-amendment-to-us.html)
Adam Trotter, P.E. / AVT
See also:
5 people dead after Allentown explosion
http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/local&id=7950028
Gas Leak Forces Evacuation Of 30 Homes
http://www.wfmz.com/lehighvalleynews/26649001/detail.html
Massive Water Main Break Ices D.C. Beltway In Md.
http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2011/01/24/water-main-break-closes-capital-beltway-in-md/
Water Main Break On Route 1 In Saugus
http://boston.cbslocal.com/2011/02/04/overworked-crews-respond-to-a-water-main-break/
Showing posts with label Utility Monopolies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Utility Monopolies. Show all posts
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Natural Gas Main Explosion Today in Philadelphia
January 18th, 2011
As reported on Channel 5 News in NYC, there was a natural gas main explosion this evening in the Tacony section of Philadelphia, PA. No doubt, as these systems are in most of the rest of the country, I’m sure the reason for the explosion will be attributed to an antiquated gas main system and/or components. As of the time of the report, it appears that the explosion likely killed at least one individual.
I don’t know how many times I need to suggest such until the governments of our land ever seem to care or listen:
REBUILD THE NATION’S INFRASTRUCTURE!!!!
One has to wonder how many more innocent lives will be lost as a result of our aging and crumbling infrastructure systems before our inept governments become inclined to do anything about the miserable state of our infrastructure systems.
Adam Vernon Trotter, P.E. / AVT
As reported on Channel 5 News in NYC, there was a natural gas main explosion this evening in the Tacony section of Philadelphia, PA. No doubt, as these systems are in most of the rest of the country, I’m sure the reason for the explosion will be attributed to an antiquated gas main system and/or components. As of the time of the report, it appears that the explosion likely killed at least one individual.
I don’t know how many times I need to suggest such until the governments of our land ever seem to care or listen:
REBUILD THE NATION’S INFRASTRUCTURE!!!!
One has to wonder how many more innocent lives will be lost as a result of our aging and crumbling infrastructure systems before our inept governments become inclined to do anything about the miserable state of our infrastructure systems.
Adam Vernon Trotter, P.E. / AVT
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Hottest Day Ever Recorded in Downtown L.A. 113 Degrees Fahrenheit Leaves Many Without Electricity in Sweltering Heat.
September 29th, 2010
Yesterday reportedly witnessed the highest temperature ever recorded in Downtown Los Angeles since temperatures have been recorded dating back to 1877. Today, it was widely reported that approximately 25,000 homes in the greater Los Angeles area are without electrical power as a result of the excessive heat of yesterday (including many of which in LA-DWP and SoCal Edison territories). I have not heard any reported or specific reasons for the excessive number of power outages. Also, I have yet to actually research the matter for specific reasons for the outages. However, I assume that the outages are due to the antiquated electrical power grid being over-taxed and faulty component failures.
Nevertheless, I wonder if the electrical grid is similar the municipal water systems that repeatedly fail throughout our nation. As with the water systems and water companies, we have small government-sanctioned monopolies which have been in business for a long time. Apparently, even though these monopolies have been getting paid for their efforts, they typically appear to have decided against making any significant capital upgrades or overall system improvements until the existing systems experience catastrophic failures.
Are we to suppose that the aging electrical grid of our nation is subject this same infrastructure logic as well? That is, where we have many government-blessed monopolies that prefer to pocket their earnings with minimal reinvestment shown to the electrical transmission system grid from which they make their earnings? Even if these sanctioned monopolies only maintain these systems and do not actually own them, why is it that they are typically immediately able to cover the costs of repairing catastrophic system failures but appear unable to proactively invest in the infrastructure to prevent catastrophic failures? I suspect because the utility companies would rather wait until a system fails before replacing any antiquated relics in the systems and claim that such makes better economic sense to do so. I, of course, would disagree with any such claimed economic sense that waits until a catastrophic failure to perform system upgrades.
I would counter with the following economic sense:
Maybe its time to rid the nation of these often-times ineffectual yet sanctioned monopolies that are blessed with special treatment from our governments and replace them with a better system. Maybe more competition (or something) is needed to ensure our utility systems are more rugged and operating regardless of the occasional catastrophic weather occurrences. As a result of the utility monopolies’ self-centered and short-sighted quest for profits, maybe the firms we know as our electrical and water companies (as with many other utilities) are, in fact, the true relics and antiques that require replacement; as the paradigms of these firms are what appear to actually impede utility system upgrades necessary to withstand any weather conditions to which the systems are subjected.
Adam Trotter / AVT
Yesterday reportedly witnessed the highest temperature ever recorded in Downtown Los Angeles since temperatures have been recorded dating back to 1877. Today, it was widely reported that approximately 25,000 homes in the greater Los Angeles area are without electrical power as a result of the excessive heat of yesterday (including many of which in LA-DWP and SoCal Edison territories). I have not heard any reported or specific reasons for the excessive number of power outages. Also, I have yet to actually research the matter for specific reasons for the outages. However, I assume that the outages are due to the antiquated electrical power grid being over-taxed and faulty component failures.
Nevertheless, I wonder if the electrical grid is similar the municipal water systems that repeatedly fail throughout our nation. As with the water systems and water companies, we have small government-sanctioned monopolies which have been in business for a long time. Apparently, even though these monopolies have been getting paid for their efforts, they typically appear to have decided against making any significant capital upgrades or overall system improvements until the existing systems experience catastrophic failures.
Are we to suppose that the aging electrical grid of our nation is subject this same infrastructure logic as well? That is, where we have many government-blessed monopolies that prefer to pocket their earnings with minimal reinvestment shown to the electrical transmission system grid from which they make their earnings? Even if these sanctioned monopolies only maintain these systems and do not actually own them, why is it that they are typically immediately able to cover the costs of repairing catastrophic system failures but appear unable to proactively invest in the infrastructure to prevent catastrophic failures? I suspect because the utility companies would rather wait until a system fails before replacing any antiquated relics in the systems and claim that such makes better economic sense to do so. I, of course, would disagree with any such claimed economic sense that waits until a catastrophic failure to perform system upgrades.
I would counter with the following economic sense:
Maybe its time to rid the nation of these often-times ineffectual yet sanctioned monopolies that are blessed with special treatment from our governments and replace them with a better system. Maybe more competition (or something) is needed to ensure our utility systems are more rugged and operating regardless of the occasional catastrophic weather occurrences. As a result of the utility monopolies’ self-centered and short-sighted quest for profits, maybe the firms we know as our electrical and water companies (as with many other utilities) are, in fact, the true relics and antiques that require replacement; as the paradigms of these firms are what appear to actually impede utility system upgrades necessary to withstand any weather conditions to which the systems are subjected.
Adam Trotter / AVT
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