Media Advisory: 20 Year Anniversary of the Northeast Blackout

TORONTO, Aug. 8, 2023 /CNW/ - On August 14, 2003 a blackout across the northeast left more than 50 million people across eight U.S. states and most of Ontario without power.

The Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) is the provincial agency that operates Ontario's power grid in real-time, and led the system restoration efforts from its operations control centre.

As Reliability Co-ordinator for the province, the IESO oversees grid compliance with North American and provincial grid standards; is responsible for taking steps to prevent or mitigate system emergencies in day-ahead or real-time operations; and regularly conducts large-scale integrated emergency exercises and drills to test plans and maintain preparedness.

Notes to Editors and Reporters:

The IESO has multiple spokespeople available to discuss the sequence of events and experience of working in the control room on Aug. 14, the day of the blackout, through Aug. 22, nine days later when the state of emergency was lifted; the subsequent steps that were implemented to enhance reliability across North America; and how the IESO manages the day-to-day and ongoing reliability of Ontario's electricity grid in 2023.

Resources:

• IESO Backgrounder - 2003 Northeast Blackout (PDF)
• Outage Map: 2003 Northeast Blackout (PDF)
• Ontario's Electricity Demand Graph: 2003 Northeast Blackout (PDF)
• B-roll of the IESO Control Centre (On Request)

SOURCE Independent Electricity System Operator

IESO Media Relations, 416-506-2823, [email protected]