The United States has over 450,000 miles of electrical lines running across it. While these electrical lines are almost always functional, blackouts can happen at any time — and some blackouts can span multiple counties and last for weeks on end. Let’s take a look at three of history’s worst blackouts and how they affected our country.

• 1965 Northeast Blackout. On Tuesday, November 9, 1965, a major blackout struck the Northeast United States after a tiny power surge occurred on a minor line, which shut down a major line originating from Northern Ontario. In just five minutes, over 30 million people in 8 different states were left completely without power for 13 hours. This blackout was so severe that it led to the creation of the Electric Power Research Institute to place additional electrical inspection regulations into place.
• 1977 New York City Blackout. On July 13th, 1977, the Big Apple saw its worst blackout ever when a substation was struck by a bolt of lightning. Neighborhoods from Bushwick to Crown Heights lost power for around 16 hours until power was restored. Large-scale rioting and looting ensued as restoration was delayed. By the time power came back online, around 4,500 looters were arrested, and 550 police officers were injured.
• 1982 West Coast Blackout. On December 22nd, 1982, high winds knocked a key transmission line out of commission outside of the town of Tracy, California. About 2 million people lost power, going without electricity for hours. The blackout stretched from San Francisco to Las Vegas, Nevada, and is considered one of the worst blackouts the West Coast has ever experienced.

An electrical emergency can strike at any time. If you’re in need of emergency electrical services, your first call should be to the team at A-1 Electric. Give our team of independent electrical inspectors and professionals a call and receive service in 24 hours or less!