Industry: Providing Blackout Lights

For manufacturers of auxiliary power generators, the effect of last month’s blackout in the Northeast has been a surge of orders. While utility executives have been explaining their failure in Federal Power Commission hearings, the equipment salesmen have been busy answering inquiries and filling orders. They are likely to become still busier as a result of last week’s blackout in western Texas, New Mexico, and northern Mexico (see THE NATION).

Even before the blackouts, sales of stand-by generators to utilities had been rising—but gradually. Now, says Admiral Albert G. Mumma, executive vice president of Worthington Corp., a producer of auxiliary generators: “The immediate market for peak power has nearly doubled in importance.” For one thing, the Federal Aviation Authority is urging airports, whose lack of standby power in the Northeast blackout shocked everyone, to put in emergency systems for landing lights and radar. Moreover, the Northeast blackout taught utilities the value of auxiliary units not only for partial power when a big generator conks out but for the vital push needed to get it started again. Utilities also find auxiliaries valuable for peak-load periods when their big steam generators often cannot fully meet the demand for power.

Obvious Value. The biggest beneficiaries of the sales surge are the makers of jet turbines, which are a compact source for stand-by power, particularly for such large needs as those of cities and airports. Manufacturers have been finding increasing nonaviation uses for jet engines (including shipboard power, heating plants and railroad trains), are eagerly exploiting the power market. The jets’ value has become obvious: Holyoke, Mass., switched on its Pratt & Whitney stand-by jet when the blackout hit, two minutes later had full power. Hartford, Conn., also stayed aglow with emergency jet power. A week after the blackout, New Jersey’s Public Service Electric & Gas Co. began using an eight-jet system that provides 121,000 kw. for peak loads and emergency power.

Manufacturers of smaller generators for hospitals, schools and radio stations are also enjoying hefty orders. Cummins Engine Co. expects sales of its diesel-powered generators in November and December to climb 25% above last year. Caterpillar Tractor Co. has received a rush of orders for its 13 diesel-powered models. Since the blackout, Westinghouse has sold to utilities about 40 gas-driven turbines to use as starters for their big generators. And for the homeowner afraid of the dark, Studebaker Corp.’s Onan division sells a suitcase-sized, 500-watt generator that is powered by home-heating oil. It is large enough to power a few lights and a radio, costs $269.