World News 29-09-2003 Italy`s Lights Go Out who: GRTN (national grid) chairman Andrea Bollino what: Says more cuts are ahead after nation spends day without power where: Italy when: Yesterday snippet: "Italians had to pasta the candles yesterday," quips The Sun`s Mike Darvill, "after a massive power cut hit 50million people. Only the island of Sardinia escaped the blackout, which began early and lasted hours." Many people will have their power deliberately cut off today, the chairman of the national grid GRTN tells The Financial Times. "Cuts are planned as a precautionary measure," says Andrea Bollino as Italian, French and Swiss electricity officials seek to lay the blame on one-another following what The FT calls a "unique combination of violent storms and human error". "With a quarter of domestic electricity production reliant on hydro-electric schemes, Italy has been hit hard by recent periods of sustained drought in southern Europe," explains Gethin Chamberlain in The Scotsman, "resulting in a spate of blackouts over the summer months." "It was the fourth major Western black-out in two months," notes The Telegraph, "following cuts in North America, parts of London and Scandinavia. Late yesterday some areas in southern Italy were still without power." [... more]

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