Deliberate Power Outages in Detroit

[Cainad (dec.)]

http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/story/23415960/what-is-the-cause-of-detroits-power-outage?autoStart=false&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=9295431

Story is over a week old, but other than the Fox Detroit site, the story doesn't seem to be on mainstream news at all.

Power was shut off to "send a strong message" to customers who weren't reducing their energy use fast enough. In 90-degree heat, without warning to anyone.

[Freeky]

He definitely looks the type to grin while talking about the people they trapped in elevators and so on.

[Q. G. Pennyworth]

I'm pretty sure most of the US studiously ignores Detroit like a homeless man on the subway.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Wow, that is INCREDIBLY not OK, at all.

[rong]

There may be a little bit more to the story - many large electric consumers negotiate a lower rate with their provider by agreeing to curtail their usage in certain situations. 

the mill I work for has a light tree in one of the control rooms - the light is controlled by the power company.

if it is green - we are free to use as much power as we please.
if the light turns yellow - we are supposed to be prepared to shut down as much equipment as possible.
if the light turns red - we are required (by contractual agreement) to shut down everything except, I think, the lights.]

In exchange for agreeing to these terms, we have a lowered $/kWh rate on our monthly bill.

similar circumstances may apply to the situation in Detroit

[Junkenstein]

I'm pretty sure most of the US studiously ignores Detroit like a homeless man on the subway.

That's largely the impression I get as well. I've posted a bunch of horrific shit about detroit over the past couple of years but people seem determined to make Robocop as close to reality as possible.

Rong, Is there actually much impact on the overall bill? I imagine many businesses just couldn't agree to such a situation, but I'm curious as to how much of an incentive exists.

Anyway, it's interesting that the power company feels able (and is able) to take this kind of measure. Bodes well for the future.