认识电力(5)

Perhaps, we notice electricity most when we don't have any. On July 13th, 1977, New York City experienced a blackout.

For twenty-five hours, New Yorkers were without lights or elevators or alarms. Lightning had knocked out power lines north of the city, and the utility company's backup equipment malfunctioned.

It takes a lot to keep the electricity working, not just in machinery, but in manpower and it, it costs a lot of money to maintain these systems. The utilities have to maintain their lines.

In the United States, 98 percent of homes and businesses receive power from a vast electrical system that is woven together with a web of power lines, a grid. These power lines are naked live wires carrying half a million volts.

It's up to the linemen to inspect and repair every part of the grid, usually without shutting down the power. Yeah, Bill, I was going to start making a gradual left turn and start heading over towards the line.

One of the most daring techniques is used on very high voltage tension lines. It's pretty dangerous I feel because you're mixing aviation with, with electricity.

One, you're depending on the helicopter everything mechanical to go right. If it goes wrong, you're going to drop out of the sky like a rock.

If the lineman makes a mistake, you're going to vaporize. These linemen and pilots work for Agrotors Incorporated.

One of the few companies that attempts these high wire acts, Agrotors has the best safety record in the business. It's dangerous work that only a handful of people in the world are qualified to do.

One of them is Spider Lockhart. Because I'm going to put the hood over top of my helmet. The dress required for the job is a lightweight suit of armor made of stainless steel thread. And we have a strap on the inside that ties to the pants making it an electrical connection between the pants and the jacket. Electricity follows the path of least resistance.