When
the power went out after the half time show at the Super Bowl, it was
easy to jokingly place the blame on Beyonce’s lit-up song and dance
routine complete with holographs. And while it’s possible that her
powerful performance caused the power to go out, putting the grid on
overload just like when too many appliances run in the same room at
once, experts predict that it’s unlikely.
Though
the cause of the blackout at the Super Bowl is still being
investigated, many believe it has to do with a piece of equipment
failing and thereby causing a short circuit, which in turn lead to a
circuit breaker opening and disconnecting power to a part of the stadium
circuits.
The
Superdome’s energy provider, Entergy, quickly released a statement
during the Super Bowl blackout saying that it was still servicing the
area and that the problem was related to an electricity abnormality.
Later, both the Superdome and Entergy issued a joint statement revealing
that the equipment that monitored electrical load “sensed an
abnormality in the system” (Source).
Once the irregularity was detected, the circuit breaker, as is
standard, opened a breaker to cut power to part of the Superdome – this
is meant to prevent fires caused by overheated wires.
Though
Entergy cannot reveal how much electricity was being used at the time
of the blackout during the Super Bowl, what we do know is that prior to
the event, Entergy agreed to donate carbon credits to offset the carbon
emissions from the high-energy use. Including NFL hotels, the Morial
Convention Center, and the Superdome during the week of the game, an
anticipated 3.8 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions were expected
to be produced. So while you’re cheering on your favorite team and
chowing down on chips next year during the Super Bowl, take a moment to
remember exactly how much energy is being used so the game can go on.
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