DATE=08/15/03

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=U-S BLACKOUT (S UPDATE)

NUMBER=2-306535

BYLINE=JIM MALONE

DATELINE=WASHINGTON

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: Power is slowly coming back in eight states and part of Canada affected by the largest blackout in North American history. National correspondent Jim Malone reports now some tough questions are being asked about how it all happened.

TEXT: New York City struggled to return to normal without subways while residents of Detroit and Cleveland were told to boil their water for the next few days.

President Bush says the power disruption should serve as a 'wake-up' call to fix the nation's aging power grid deliver system.

New York Governor George Pataki says he wants the federal government to find out why the power outage came so fast and affected so many.

/// PATAKI ACT ///

I think the people of western New York and the people of New York State also have a right to know what went wrong. Where did this happen? Why did this happen and why did the safeguards that were supposed to have been put in place after the '65 blackout and after the '77 blackouts not work?

/// END ACT ///

Power officials say they don't know when electrical power will be fully restored and they are urging customers to cut back on air conditioning over the next few days. (Signed)

NEB/JBM/PT/FC