Campus & community, Campus news

Progress reported on campus power-grid repairs

By Public Affairs

Progress continued Friday on repairs to the campus power grid, as UC Berkeley continues its steady climb back to normal operations after Monday’s big power outage.

Generators hooked up Thursday brought electricity to Alumni House, Dwinelle Annex and the Haas Pavilion, including Recreational Sports Facility locker rooms, among the last pockets on campus still dark.

Friday saw good progress on electrical repairs, and it was hoped that all facilities running on generators could be returned to the regular power grid sometime next week. The work of bringing each facility back will be scheduled in advance with its occupants.

Campus officials have confirmed that damage done by the theft of copper grounding wire from the university’s electrical system was the direct cause of Monday’s outage. The investigation in to whether the damage done by the theft was directly or indirectly responsible for the ensuing fire in an electrical vault adjacent to California Hall continues.