Blackout? What blackout? On Monday, New Orleans' electric utility, Entergy (ETR 2.91%), issued a joint statement along with SMG management company, which operates the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Turns out, the blackout that shut down Super Bowl XLVII for XXXIV minutes last night, shifting the game's momentum and nearly costing the Baltimore Ravens their victory, was only a "partial power loss."
As explained in their statement:
Shortly after the beginning of the second half of the Super Bowl in the Mercedes Benz Superdome, a piece of equipment that is designed to monitor electrical load sensed an abnormality in the system. Once the issue was detected, the sensing equipment operated as designed and opened a breaker, causing power to be partially cut to the Superdome in order to isolate the issue.
Backup generators kicked in immediately as designed. Entergy and SMG subsequently coordinated start up procedures, ensuring that full power was safely restored to the Superdome.
The fault-sensing equipment activated where the Superdome equipment intersects with Entergy's feed into the facility.
There were no additional issues detected.
So you see, there's really nothing to see here, much less talk about, much less criticize Entergy, SMG, or the City of New Orleans for. And in no wise should the parties at fault (pun intended) suffer any penalty for delay of game.
Meanwhile, the parties assure football fans: "Entergy and SMG will continue to investigate the root cause of the abnormality."
