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NYPA transformer fire: No injuries or power service disruptions

by jmaloni

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Wed, Mar 19th 2014 11:35 pm

Harry Francois, Western New York regional manager of the Niagara Power Project, released this statement Wednesday night on the extinguished transformer fire:

A transformer fire at the New York Power Authority's Niagara Hydroelectric Power Plant was extinguished at approximately 8:20 p.m. Wednesday. There were no injuries or power service disruptions to the plant's customers and no impact - environmental or otherwise - on the surrounding communities.

The fire occurred at 7:10 p.m. in one of the 13 step-up transformers at the Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant, the hydroelectric project's main generating facility.

NYPA immediately activated the plant's emergency management response plan in accordance with its standard operating procedures. The plant's automatic water deluge system activated as designed.

We're grateful to the first-responder organizations that helped to extinguish the fire: the Upper Mountain Fire Co., Lewiston Fire Co. No. 1, Niagara Active Hose Co., Sanborn Fire Co. and the Niagara Falls Air Base Emergency Response Unit.

The cause of the fire, which was contained to a single transformer, is under investigation and a damage assessment is underway.

Transformers take electricity generated at a power plant and step up the voltage so that the power can be distributed over high-voltage power lines.

The Niagara plant remains in service.

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