Published March 26, 2006 ~ By David F. Ashton
 
In an effort to isolate the problem, a PGE engineer opens a massive switch at the Johnson Creek Substation just as a power serge comes through the system. The result is this massive arc. No one was injured. Photo by David F. Ashton
 Standing outside the fence at the massive Portland General Electric (PGE) electric power sub-station on SE Johnson Creek Blvd., at Flavel Drive., one can hear a loud, deep, resonant hum as the giant electric transformers pass electricity to homes and businesses throughout East Portland.
Throughout the afternoon of March 19, there was a quite different sound. Every few minutes, a low toned, resounding “thuang” noise growls from the power station transformers. “That‚Äôs the sound of a ‚Äòhit‚Äô somewhere in the system,” a PGE worker, who asked not to be identified by name, tells us. He says this means something, somewhere is shorting out Portland‚Äôs east side main, high-voltage power system.
  
A PGE Crew members uses test equipment, trying to locate the problem on the power grid that shut down Precision Cast Parts on March 19. Photo by David F. Ashton
In homes and businesses, from inner SE Portland to western Gresham, this “power anomaly” — as the electrical works describe it ‚Äì happens repeatedly, from early afternoon through the early evening hours. The lighting go brown, appliances groan to a stop, then the power goes completely out for a few minutes.
These repeated blackouts, followed by a power surge as the juice came back resulted in blown surge-protectors, but no real damage, at our home office. Because it is a Sunday afternoon, homeowners found the on-off-on power cycle more of an annoyance than anything else.
Cost to Precision Cast Parts: $1 million
We drive the few blocks to the Johnson Creek Substation late in the afternoon to learn more. Shortly after arriving, we meet two men who identify themselves to PGE crew as the Johnson Creek Precision Cast Parts (PCP) Information Technology and Plant Engineering managers.
“Our entire, nationwide computer network is down,” complains the PCP IT manager. “Every time we reset our network, another power glitch shuts us down. We‚Äôre a seven-day-a-week business.” The PGE crew listens sympathetically. But until they isolate the “fault”, they tell the computer manager, they can‚Äôt predict when it will be repaired.
Another “thowang” emanates from the substation. It seems the events are coming more frequently now; each one sounding louder.
“We‚Äôre working to catch up on orders,” says the PCP plant engineer, “and that means we‚Äôre scheduled to turn out as much as $1 million worth of parts today. We‚Äôve had to shut down the plant. This is serious, costly problem.”
Arcs and sparks
“Thowang” ‚Äì again, the power grid takes a “hit”, as the PGE workers call the event.
“We‚Äôve ridden the lines from Sellwood to Gresham and everything looks good,” crackles a report to the two-way radio of a PGE crew member standing near us. “The Midway Substation is OK. So is Sellwood. We‚Äôre looking at the Gresham end.”
A PGE worker disarms the inner electric fence at the power substation. He releases an immense, chest-high lever. The lever is hooked to a thick pipe that travels upward, operating a gigantic power switch located high atop the power station.
At 6:22 p.m., he pulls the switch ‚Äì “thwang” another power hit ‚Äì and the switch contacts arc with a blinding blue light that lasts for at least five seconds. The air crackles loudly as a colossal amount of current jumps from one open switch contact to another. We try to take a photo, but it takes six seconds for our camera to fire up; we catch a shot the final surge, as the switch contacts explode in an orange fireball. Molten metal showers the area, filling the air with a sent of both ozone and an electrical fire. The blast was so loud, it attracted onlookers from blocks around.
The workers are visibly shaken. But they, and the bystanders, are unharmed. “We took inner SE Portland off the grid from this side, just as we took a ‚Äòhit”,” he explains. “But their power is on; they‚Äôre getting electricity from the other end of the grid.” We‚Äôre comforted to learn PGE has built redundant fail-safe systems into our power grid.
Isolating the problem
As the smoke clears, evening is falling. We notice the mighty transformers are now nominally humming. They’re taking no more hits.
About 6:30 p.m., PGE crews isolate the problem ‚Äì a “jumper” power regulation device at SE 190th Ave. and Powell Blvd., Ariana White, PGE Communications Specialist, tells us. It was failing intermittently throughout the afternoon, she added, but the problem wasn‚Äôt identified until it completely failed.
“While we repaired the jumper power regulator,” White says, “we had to temporarily turn off service to some customers, resulting in phased outages from 6 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. Those without power for periods of time, during the repairs, numbered¬†8,000 to 10,000.”
?ì 2006 David F. Ashton – East PDX News
Published March 24, 2006 ~ By David F. Ashton
 
Leaders from all of the neighborhoods that border 82nd Avenue of Roses gather for the event. Photo by David F. Ashton
A light mist in the air didn‚Äôt stop 100 neighbors, business people and rose lovers from attending the Royal Rosarians‚Äô official recognition of 82nd Ave. being renamed “The Avenue of Roses” on March 22.
Joann Superstore Ribbon Cutting
Flanked by the Royal Rosarians, neighbors and chamber members, Portland City Commissioner Sam Adams and East Portland Chamber of Commerce president Greg Zuffrea cut the ribbon signaling the opening of the new Joann Superstore at Eastport Plaza. Photo by David F. Ashton
The dedication was held at Eastport Plaza, in conjunction with the ribbon-cutting of the new Joann Superstore opening there. At the store opening, Portland City Commissioner Sam Adams quipped, “My mom has been hoping for a new Joann‚Äôs here for so long, I gave her the manager‚Äôs number to call to find out when it would open.”
Adams continued, “This is a great company; you will be a success here. Thank you for your investment, and the jobs you are bringing to SE Portland.”
“We are pleased to be here,” Kevin Kneeshaw, Joann Regional Team Leader responded, “helping with the revitalization of the area. I did the easy part, siting the store here. But we have a great staff who got this store together to the community. As the store grows, we‚Äôll hire even more than our current 54 coworkers.”
 
 
Members of the East Portland Chamber of Commerce (www.eastportlandchamber.com), including president Greg Zuffrea, were on hand. The Chamber’s Holly Moss handed off the giant Golden scissors to Sam Adams and Zuffrea, photos were taken ‚Äì and the ribbon cut ‚Äì signaling the opening of this great new store.
Another rose in East Portland grows
At the Royal Rosarian‚Äôs official ceremony dedicating 82nd Ave. as the “Avenue of Roses” on March 22, Eastport Plaza manager Ken Turner, Portland City Commissioner Sam Adams, Marilyn Schultz, Royal Gardener of the Royal Rosarians plant the rose “We Salute You” as Eileen Curtis, Portland Rose Society, is ready to perform the official watering. Photo by David F. Ashton
The rose planting ceremony, presided over by Harvey Collier, Lord High Sheriff of the Rosarians, gave many their first opportunity to witness the dignified service.
“At the express command of Queen Caitlin,” Collier intoned, “it is our duty to present and plant this official rose today for the official dedication of 82nd Avenue being renamed the Avenue of Roses; and on behalf of Joann Superstore, and their decision to plant their business here on the newly named Avenue of Roses.”
Royal Rosarian Chaplain and Scribe, John Creegan, told the gathering that the groups official planting ceremonies pay tribute to “a particularly honorable place or event. We plant this rose in recognition of the men and women that have caused 82nd Avenue to be named the ‚ÄòAvenue of Roses‚Äô. We plant this rose as a living testimonial of the truth and honor, which is the sworn duty of our sir knights and dames to uphold.”
Marilyn Schultz, Royal Gardener of the organization, added, as she set the rose in the prepared soil, “By this planting, we show the high regard with which the Royal Rosarians hold for good works. We are planting the rose, ‚ÄòWe Salute You‚Äô, named in honor of the firefighters and police who lost their lives on 9/11.”
Eileen Curtis, Portland Rose Society, administering the Official Watering, said, “As I water the rose, let it be the start of many, many new rose gardens of that will bloom along 82nd Avenue of Roses.”
John Creegan, Royal Chaplain and Scribe gave the invocation. “They shall rejoice and blossom as a rose. The heavens shall declare the glory of God, and the ferment show His handiwork. In the presence of Him who created the flora of the world, and spread it out as a glorious carpet across the world, and in the presence of these Royal Rosarians and their friends we ask His blessing upon this queen of flowers, and this spot from which it shall spring forth in ever increasing beauty, fragrance and purity.”
Lord High Sheriff Collier ended the ceremony adding, “Around the world, Portland is known as the Rose Capitol of America. Around the globe goes our phrase, ‚ÄòFor you a rose, in Portland grows.‚Äô May a rose ever grow in your garden, and may a rose grow, forever, in your hearts.”
?ì 2006 David F. Ashton – East PDX News
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