The large rain down doth rain

[hrj]

We've been having power blackouts regularly all morning at work, but since we have several layers of emergency backups/generators they haven't lasted more than a few minutes of effective non-functionality. (The emergency batteries kept the safety lighting on at all times and then the on-site generators kicked in. And now that my computer is laptop-based rather than tower-based, I don't even risk crashes.) Of course, every time the power goes out and the generators kick in, the folks in the production areas have to go running around to reset all manner of switches and settings and to verify that all the essential equipment is operating as required. Fortunately, we have SOPs and checklists for these circumstances. (One of my investigations a year or so back was for an unusual case: the city power flickered off so briefly that it didn't trigger the generators or even come to anyone's visual notice ... but a few essential fermenter pumps shut off and didn't automatically restart. So nobody noticed until the operating parameters started going wonga.) We have a fascinating power situation since the site draws off both the Berkeley and Oakland grids and each major production building has a separate emergency generator.

I guess I'll find out next week if we get any investigations falling out of this storm.