But even more dangerous, in the opinion of Johnston, dilapidated infrastructure is owned by private companies: oil and gas pipelines can suddenly explode, poles power lines, worn out - collapse. "The communications infrastructure is much less secure than it was 20 years ago, though the clients had paid more than half a trillion dollars for its modernization," - says the article.
American Society of Civil Engineers (American Society of Civil Engineers) put the U.S. infrastructure "poor" and urges that the repair and maintenance of $ 2.2 trillion.
For its part, the author reminds the massive power outage in the U.S. and Canada in 2003 caused damage to six billion dollars and caused the deaths of six people. "New megaotklyucheniya likely: now hundreds of local power grids are connected to three major power grids, which are more vulnerable," - says the author. Additionally monopolistic corporations have cut tens of thousands of ordinary workers who were engaged in the operation of power grids.
"Under the guise of deregulation, monopoly, supplying us with electricity, water, gasoline and natural gas, as well as access to the Internet, save for private infrastructure - is what keeps the modern way of life and economic activity" - warns the author. According to him, sharply cut expenditure, given that huge profits - up to 55%of the value of the assets, "8 times more than the average in the enterprise."
Save on infrastructure and private owners of railway viaducts, dams, hydropower stations and pipelines. Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Transportation permits to operate certain pipelines, although rusted pipes up to 70%.
The author tells the remarkable story: "Thousands of people could die if the two boys who were playing in the woods with a cigarette lighter, not a staged accident explosion before the flow of gasoline had time to reach the city." It was in Bellingheme, Washington, in 1999. Because of the bursting of Shell gasoline got into the river, which flows under the bridge and past the prisons and nursing homes.
In the cities there is an additional danger: the explosion of the gas can ignite the fuel in the tanks of vehicles or fuel oil in the tanks used for heating. "Heat wave height of 5-6 floors penetrate the window", causing a fire in the premises, warns Vince Dunn, former chief fire inspector in New York.
For their part, employees of gas companies claim that management to reduce staff, while increasing the salaries of top managers, "no one to do the job."
"Neglect for equipment too dangerous for life" - the author writes. Spouses of Nevada Veyskhaar heard from repairman "for anything we do not care. Just wait until the break, and only then fix it," as the company saves on operating costs. Meanwhile, the failure on the part Veyskhaarov was fraught with fire and a large forest fire.
"The estimates are not reduced because the utility companies allegedly did not have enough money. While consumer associations fade, and states are cutting the budget for the inspection scope housing, housing prices in many cases seriously outpace inflation," - says the article.
Pacific Gas & Electric raised tariffs to fund the replacement of poles. "But instead of 46 thousand columns per year are replaced by about 3 thousand in the last column of this rate will last until 2778," - the author writes.
Whether in the field competition, neglecting infrastructure would bankrupt any company. But to save the monopolies on inspections and repairs can be beneficial, says the author. In the event of a major accident can quickly raise utility rates. "And people will support it, provided that it is not aware of having thrown money repairing the salary of top managers," - says the article.
"Ironically utility rates set by the government, which allows companies to include in their rates the cost of insurance for compensation for the bombing of the pipeline, for example," - the author writes. This means that people have to pay, but the danger for them is only growing.
Source: The Daily Beast
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