FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

EQUIPMENT FAILURE RESULTS IN OUTAGE

ALAMEDA, Calif., January 24, 2007 - Electric service to approximately 60 central Alameda customers was interrupted today due to the failure of distribution system equipment.
 
An overhead connecting line to a utility-pole-mounted transformer overheated, causing the wire‚s surrounding insulation to smoke.  At 7:09 a.m., the Alameda Fire Department was summoned to Lincoln Avenue near its intersection with St. Charles Street to deal with the immediate problem.
 
Power to the area was cut at 10:52 a.m., allowing Alameda Power & Telecom crews to replace the connection with 20 minutes.
 
Alameda‚s electrical system is subject to its heaviest annual loads during the winter months, and strain on the connection may have triggered the event.
 
The outage affected residential and business customers generally along Lincoln Avenue from Bay Street to Chapin Street and on St. Charles Street from Pacific Avenue to Santa Clara Avenue.
 
Alameda Power & Telecom is investigating the incident.

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