Hours without power disrupted MSU’s campus; investigation continues

The university’s main power source, the T.B. Simon Power Plant, lost power late afternoon on September 19. Power was restored early the next morning, shortly before 3 a.m., according to a social post from the MSU Department of Police and Public Safety (DPPS). 

The outage lasted less than 10 hours before power returned to the majority of campus. However, it took another week to restore steam and hot water across campus and some places are still recovering.

Dorms and dining halls

The impact on students drew the majority of concern. A press release on the day of the outage cautioned that the university’s Green Light phone system “may not be working.” DPPS deployed patrol officers for support. 

Dining halls closed early and food was tossed out due to improper refrigeration. University spokespeople have not released an estimate of how much food needed to be pitched.

After several days, on Sep. 23, the university set up mobile shower units for students who still did not have hot water, and transportation was available for students to go shower elsewhere, including the Hannah Community Center.

Plant Science Greenhouses

The research facilities narrowly missed significant impacts, according to Eric Runkle, a co-chair on the greenhouse user committee, thanks to mild fall overnight temperatures.

Steam was restored to the greenhouses after three nights.

Had the disruption happened during the cold nights that have happened in the weeks since, that lack of heat “could have been catastrophic,” Runkle told City Pulse.

Outages on this scale are so infrequent that the facilities do not have an established process for the heat going out. If it were to happen again, Runkle said it would come down to which experiments are the most critical. “There are over a hundred different sections in the greenhouse complex,” he said. “It could have really jeopardized research.”

Along with the moderate temperatures, Runkle said outdoor crop research is only beginning to transition indoors. “The greenhouses weren’t as occupied as they would have been in November, December and onwards.”

No one has reported an issue with ongoing experiments due to the disruption, he said.

MSU Veterinary Medical Center (VMC)

The outage left some software systems and equipment temporarily down, and the center remained closed until September 22. Emergency cases were deferred to other providers, and existing appointments were rescheduled.

The VMC has primary and specialized veterinary medical care for both small and large animals, either by individual appointments or via referral from other veterinary practitioners. 

Among the first on campus to get back online, including steam and hot water, the center “identified no significant lingering impacts” aside from a single piece of equipment, a VMC spokesperson said in a statement.

Ongoing Investigation

This type of campus-wide outage, including the loss of power and steam, is unprecedented in the university’s recent history, according to MSU Infrastructure Planning and Facilities spokesperson Erica Venton Evans. 

The power plant is regularly inspected, but as part of the post-event review, officials are evaluating whether additional inspections should be enforced. 

As for the specific cause of the outage, the investigation remains ongoing, but “it involved an electrical fault within the plant’s high-voltage power bus system.”

Evans did not provide a firm account of the outage’s impact, including the cost of emergency services, short-term restoration and permanent repairs, or a timeline on how long repairs would take. 

“The university’s focus remains on completing a thorough technical review, understanding all contributing factors, and identifying actions that can further improve system reliability and resilience.”