Support The Moscow Times!

St. Petersburg Blackout Explained

Commuters waiting on a subway platform in St. Petersburg on Friday, Aug. 20, during the city's blackout. Dmitry Lovetsky

An hour-long blackout that hit seven of St. Petersburg’s 18 districts during the Friday evening rush was probably caused by a worn-out control cable at the Vostochnaya power station, Kommersant said Monday.

No official explanation for the incident was announced as of Monday, but an investigator told the newspaper that the cable, whose service life was due to expire in 2011, was likely to blame.

This summer’s record heat wave likely contributed to the cable’s deterioration, the investigator said.


Read more