NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The panel that runs Louisiana's Superdome approved spending up to $100,000 on Wednesday for a study of
possible enhancements to backup power systems that run escalators, toilets and essential operations during emergencies.
Dome manager Doug Thornton says the
emergency systems worked during the Super Bowl — when a problem traced
to a utility company's
equipment caused a partial power outage and suspension of the NFL
game for 34 minutes. But he said the current backup generator
system was designed to maintain generator power when the dome is
being evacuated, not accommodate fans staying through a temporary
outage.
In addition to emergency systems, Thornton said, the study would also include a comprehensive look at dome electrical and
mechanical systems and operating and maintenance procedures.
In an interview after Wednesday's meeting of
the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District, Thornton said the
enhancements
he envisions wouldn't avoid interruption of a game in the event of
an outage. It would be aimed at improving comfort and safety
during a temporary outage. "I'm talking specifically about
escalators, elevators, water pumps that are required to flush toilets
in the upper levels of the building, maybe a chiller for air
conditioning and possibly even a video screen or a message board
for messaging to the public," Thornton said.
Fans interviewed as they exited the dome on
the night of the outage described it as an annoyance, reporting
inconveniences
such as being unable to use credit cards at some concession
stands. But there were no reports of disturbances or other emergencies.
NFL officials have had praise for the city's successful hosting of
the game and said the outage would not affect the city's
chances of hosting the 2018 Super Bowl, which it's vying for.
There have so far been no indications that
equipment in the state-owned stadium was at fault. Officials with
Entergy Corp.,
the parent company of the utility that serves the dome, have said
the outage was caused by an electrical relay device it installed
specially to prevent a power failure at the stadium. But it's
unclear whether the device had a design flaw or a manufacturing
defect or if there was a problem in the way was set to trigger a
break in current in the event of a power surge or other electrical
problem.
Entergy and the management company that runs
the dome for the state, SMG, recently announced the hiring of
Utah-based forensic
engineer John Palmer to perform an independent analysis of the
outage. Thornton, an SMG vice president, told the board that
Entergy is bearing the full cost of that analysis. It is unclear
when Palmer will report.