News Staff
CTV.ca
August 15, 2004

The Great Blackout of 2003 provided a wake-up call on the fragility of North America’s electricity supply.

For some, it also provided an opportunity to start a family.

Awi and Tanya Sinha call their son Gabriel their blackout baby.

He was conceived on Aug. 14, 2003 — the night the lights went out for about 50 million people in Ontario and numerous U.S. states.

"It was such a unique night and such a special night for us," Tanya said.

But a year later, an opportunity for yet another unique and special night remains a possibility.

"Are we immune from blackouts now? No we are not. But we are in much better position to control the spread of blackout," Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty said earlier this week while unveiling a $125 million "nerve centre."

The Barrie facility will monitor Ontario’s 29,000 kilometres of transmission lines for problems. However, the 2003 blackout started in Ohio.

The "nerve centre" has been derided by some industry watchers as more PR than CPR for the electrical grid.

"They called it the nerve centre of Ontario’s power system. It’s not, what it is, is a glorified call centre," said Tom Adams of Energy Probe.

Ontario faces electrical problems on many fronts.

The McGuinty Liberals promised to phase out coal-fired power plants by 2007, but it isn’t clear yet what will replace their contribution to the province’s electrical supply.

One solution was to creation the Ontario Power Authority as the agency responsible for ensuring the province has enough electricity and to stimulate thinking about conservation.

Back in April, McGuinty told Ontarians they must reduce their power consumption by five per cent per year over the next three years or it will face a crisis.

One hope is that "smart meters" will encourage people to change their power consumption habits.

Using power at peak times will cost more. The government hopes this will get people in the habit of doing their laundry at night, as one example.

"You give people a tool, show them how to manage the power they use," said Bob Mitchell of Milton Hydro.

For the one-year anniversary of the blackout, the Sinhas are celebrating with the lights off — by choice.

With a report from CTV’s Amanda Lang