A “Mini Katrina” in Northern New Mexico

From a Subscriber:

Hi Catherine,

I trust you are well. I’m still enjoying and very much impressed by your weekly Solari Reports, guests, and the Solari blog. Your perception, level head and lack of drama is a gift to all of us. I’m emailing you because I think a very serious, news worthy issue is going pretty much unnoticed. It does not seem like the country is aware that we’re experiencing our own little “mini Katrina” out here in Northern New Mexico.

While my own home has been quite comfortable with 2 wood-burning stoves, one with a couple huge pots of hot water for hygiene, as of Sunday, we happened to be included in the first 8% to have our gas supply restored. The official cause being “rolling blackouts” in Texas last week, much of our area is now into our 6th day with no natural gas. Much of New Mexico was completely cut off from the grid on Thursday and we’re experiencing record low temps. Re-lighting did not begin until late Sunday. We’re now watching another snow storm moves in. The National Guard has been deployed and technicians have been brought in from other states to help re-light every single household, one-by-one. Thankfully our local officials put out the word yesterday that home-owners (in spite of being told by New Mexico Gas and the Governor NOT to) may re-light without being penalized.

If anyone would have told me a week ago how weird things would get, I don’t know if I would have believed it.

Northern New Mexicans Wake Up To Sixth Day With No Heat

http://www.KOB.com/article/stories/S1963132.shtml?cat=500

Live local radio broadcasting with listeners calling in to contribute can be heard at www.ktao.com.

An amazing thing happening is that community members are working together and through the radio to coordinate and expedite the Re-lighting. Out of town crews are having a difficult time finding homeowners still without gas, so what is happening is that as the relief arrives in neighborhoods, residents call into the radio station to let their neighbors know that they need to be on the lookout and be ready to assist the relief. A caller just let listeners know that NM Gas is allegedly now owned by a company out of Michigan. Community members are truly coming together disseminate information since we are getting very little information from the leaders who have obviously not had an emergency plan in place.

I just think most of your subscribers would understand the seriousness of this matter and what it means for the whole country and our power grid system.

From…

“Staying Warm in New Mexico