Officials Continue To Investigate Superdome Power Outage
NEW ORLEANS (WJZ) -- While the spotlight shines on the Ravens' hometown celebration, experts continue to look for answers in New Orleans about what exactly triggered the Super Dome power outage.
Alex DeMetrick reports how it happened is better understood than why it happened.
It may have been a strange twilight on the field of the Superdome, but it was full dark in the concourse in the half of the stadium that lost power.
"There were no safety issues at any point in time. The dome personnel did an outstanding job," said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.
It's a job that started as soon as the lights went out. It took 34 minutes to repair.
The outage started at the power substation that feeds the Superdome on two pathways. The A pathway shut down.
"It sensed some abnormalities in their substation and it shunted the power to the Superdome," said Superdome executive Doug Thornton.
But why it tripped is unknown and getting power back wasn't as simple as throwing a single switch.
"It's a complicated system. There's scoring equipment, telephone switches, coaches' headseats...all of those things get affected," Thornton said.
But eventually light and fortune shone on the Ravens after a post-blackout push by the 49ers.
That late run out of the dark by San Francisco became a late night bit.
"We're 28-6 and the lights go out? You don't find that suspicious?" said David Letterman.
"Believe me, don't get me started. My dad is a big conspiracy theorist so that's the last thing we should talk about," Flacco said.
The power outage came after a million dollar upgrade to the Superdome's electric system.
