FirstEnergy to blame for US blackout, say reports

Utilities in Ohio – chiefly FirstEnergy – were at fault for the US blackout in August, conclude separate reports from a US-Canadian task force and Michigan regulators. But the midwest system operator does not escape blame. By Joe Marsh

An independent US-Canadian task force set up to determine how and why the August14 US blackout took place has laid the blame largely on Ohio utility FirstEnergy.It also attributes some responsibility to the midwest independent system operator(Miso), which coordinates power transmission in the region. A separate reportby Michigan regulators earlier in November also put most of the blame on FirstEnergy,but also criticised Ohio-based American Electric Power (AEP).

The November 19 interim report