Who Remembers The Power Outage During The Superbowl In 2013? San Francisco 49ers Fans Do!!!
Anyone who watches sports, particularly the NFL and the Super Bowl, remembers what happened in 2013 when the Superdome lost power shortly after halftime of the 49ers-Ravens game. San Francisco 49ers fans to this day will tell you that’s why their team lost!
But what happened? And what have the folks in charge done to make sure the venue is safe and ready to host another Super Bowl this February?
What Caused the 2013 Super Bowl Power Outage?
Human error was blamed for the outage in 2013. An electrical relay device that opens and closes circuits sensed an abnormality in the electrical flow. The sensing equipment operated as programmed and opened a breaker, causing the power to be partially cut to isolate the issue, according to a statement from Entergy New Orleans and the Superdome operator.
Why Was Human Error Blamed?
If higher settings were applied to the unit when it was installed, the equipment would not have disconnected from the power source, according to an executive at the equipment manufacturer.
How Is the Superdome Preparing for the 2025 Super Bowl?
Upgrades to the Electrical System
As part of a $535 million, five-year renovation, the Superdome tasked All Star Electric of Metairie, Louisiana, to upgrade the venue’s electrical system. The upgrade included four Caterpillar C18 standby diesel generator sets, which provide backup power for the building’s essential life safety equipment, including lighting, HVAC systems, and fire alarms.
Purpose of the Standby Power System
“The standby system is mainly for emergency egress, to evacuate patrons who are here to see a Saints game, a concert, or any event,” said Todd Desselles, vice president of operations for All Star Electric. “If there’s a loss of power, the standby generators are activated in order to help people safely exit the building.”
Why Is Reliable Standby Power Necessary?
The Superdome has a dedicated electrical feed from the utility provider. While the utility power is reliable, there have been instances where utility power fails.
“You have to have these systems in place in case power does happen to fail,” Desselles said. “And things do fail, as we’ve seen in the past.”
Power outages not only cost companies money and reputation, but safety is a key component. People remember when things go wrong, so having reliable standby power is the key to a business or venue such as the Caesars Superdome. Keeping the public safe is paramount, and lost revenue is a secondary but significant factor.
Generator Source Supports Reliable Power Solutions for Stadiums
Generator Source not only supplies standby generators to combat emergency power outages, but our team also services and maintains units at large stadiums like this. Our teams have played vital roles for championship teams and have given operators peace of mind as electrical grids become more and more unreliable.
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