Amtrak NEC Power Failure Report Released

[PRR 60]

The long awaited report on the Amtrak NEC power failure was released this afternoon. The report finds the initiating cause to the unexpected behaviour of a four year old digital device . The device caused the Richmond Static Frequency Converter, Amtrak's largest single source of power, to be limited to half of rated capacity. This limiting of power input to the system resulted in a system overload, voltage instability, and final collapse of the Amtrak grid. I should also not that the report praises the actions of the Amtrak power dispatchers who's quick actions prevented serious damage to the system and the remarkably fast recovery of the system in the absence of a formal "black start" procedure.

An article on the report from the New York Times is HERE.