Moscow Stricken By Power Outages

Widespread Blackouts Caused By Fire And Explosion At Substation

(AP)  Electricity outages hit large sections of the Russian capital and nearby regions Wednesday, forcing many subway lines and trolleybuses to halt service while frustrated pedestrians tried to flag down taxis on traffic-jammed streets.

The outages stemmed from a fire and explosion at a substation, said Magarita Nagoga, a spokeswoman for Unified Electricity Systems, the country's power grid. The problems began late Tuesday and workers tried to repair the damaged equipment, but were unable to get them into full operation before electricity demands hit their peak Wednesday morning amid an early summer heatwave.

"We primarily believe that the main reason is that the equipment is worn out," Nagoga said, noting that the substation was built in 1963.

The substation problem caused a cascade effect into other parts of the grid. UES reported the spread had stopped by about 1 p.m. Wednesday, news agencies said, but it was unclear when full service would be restored. Subways were being put back into service by about 3 p.m., some four hours after they stopped.

Ministry of Emergency Situations spokesman Viktor Beltsov said the outages hit wide areas of Moscow's south. The problems extended as far as the Tula region, about 120 miles south of Moscow, Energy Minister Viktor Khristenko told the lower house of parliament.

The Interfax news agency reported an explosion at a chemical factory in the Tula region that resulted from the power outage, sending nitric oxide into the air. Emergency officials were advising residents to stay indoors and shut their windows, the agency reported.