Power System Works to Save Allentown, Pa.-Area Residents from Blackout. From: Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News | Date: August 16, 2003 | COPYRIGHT 2003 Knight-Ridder/Tribune Business News. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan.  All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group.Copyright information

The Morning Call, Allentown, Pa. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

Aug. 16--Four minutes.

That's how long it took the mid-Atlantic power system to slam the door shut and safeguard millions of people from the worst power outage in U.S. history.

In the four minutes following 4:10 p.m. Thursday, circuit breakers instantly and automatically tripped in the mid-Atlantic power system, called the PJM, or Pennsylvania-(New) Jersey-Maryland Interconnec...