The ****trait of a Damaged "Olympic Host" -- China's Snow Storm Damages
Chenzhou Power Grid
--Micky's HO: It seems that the numerous "Lucky number 8" in China's
"Year of Olympics" did not bring the expected good fortune. --
China's Snow Storm Damages Chenzhou Power Grid
By Zhou Huiying
Central News Agency
Feb 07, 2008
http://en.epochtimes.com/news_images/2008-2-7-snow79484720.jpg
Snow sits near the skyline of the Lujiazui Financial District after a
heavy snow storm in Shanghai, China. (China Photos/Getty Images)
BEIJING£According to China's official news, the recent heavy snowstorm
has severely damaged the power grid of the Chenzhou City, Hunan Province
in southern China. As repair is made difficult by the storm, authorities
estimated that the power supply would not be restored in a short period
of time.
The local officials originally said power supply in Chenzhou could be
resumed before the Chinese New Year (February 7). However, according to
their re****ts, although the State Grid Cor****ation of China mobilized
3,000 technicians and people from six provinces including Henan and
Shandong to repair the power grid, it is extremely difficult to restore
the Chenzhou power grid since it has been destroyed by the snowstorm.
The low temperature as well as the continuous rain and snow have made
the situation even worse.
On February 4, at 9:00 p.m., a small ****tion of Chenzhou City briefly
regained electricity. But experts said that the power grid in Chenzhou
was hit so heavily that a large ****tion of it needs to be rebuilt, and
much engineering work is needed for restoration. As a result, Chenzhou's
500,000 residents are not expected to have power supply within a short
period of time, nor will those living in its surrounding areas including
Jiahe, Linwu, Anren and Guiyang counties and the vast rural areas around.
It has been re****ted that poles and grid towers along Chenzhou's
highways are still covered in thick ice. The closer to Chenzhou, the
thicker is the ice on the wire. Due to the heavy weight of the thick
ice, many towers have collapsed.
The remnants of the transmission line towers have become "glass towers":
Each wire is wrapped in thick ice, many as thick as an adult's wrist,
and shackle insulators have become icy balls.
An expert of China's Committee for Disaster Reduction stated that the
disaster in Chenzhou is a unique occurrence. He said that it has been
the most severe disaster for the South China region in history, and the
power grid across urban and rural areas was damaged most severely.
As of February 4, in Chenzhou as many as a thousand transmission line
towers of 110k volts and of 220k volts have been wasted due to
collapsing, deforming or potential danger. Almost all the city's
backbone power lines and sup****ting transmission network have stopped
working.
As the ice keeps melting, many deep-frozen grid towers are collapsing
one after another. Experts in construction of electrical units have come
from other parts of the country to help. According to them the
unprecedented ice disaster has completely destroyed Chenzhou's power
grid that had been built in past decades.
It is re****ted that since the power grid was destroyed in most part of
Chenzhou, traffic lights do not work during the daytime and vehicles are
jammed together. There are long lines of people waiting in front of the
few banks that can still operate with their own power generators.
Residents are buying as much coal and charcoal for heating as they can
find. At night, the city is completely in darkness.
Click here to read the original article in Chinese
Copyright 2000 - 2007 The Epoch USA Inc.
|
