Document omooJDX0rLkq4zjv2JNEjGj8r

-< . July 25, 1972 SU*JECT| MEWS BBQtDCASTS t TUB LICITY f eat u r in g l ead c abl e s h eat h ______________f a iic r e TO THE KEieZXS QT THE USXD IKWETRIES ASSOCIATION, XHC. Secant failures of slactrical cables In the Haw York City area wars discussed on news Broadcasts by both K8C and CBS yastarday evening. & piece of lead sheathed cable was displayed by the science editor and the lead was blamed for the ultimate failure. Our Hr. Oonnel A. Baker investigated this report and a copy of bis aeno concerning the natter Is attached. It is apparent that sometimes what is not said Is * significant as "hat is said. Con Edison omitted the fact that the failing cables were flow 10 to 40 years old, and have given such good service that any new cable will also be lead sheathed! Sincerely, JTSilm Attachawnt h-fJerome r. Smith Secretary 4 Manager /S \ s i i s i i. i r.1- toi j e h o ms ixm moHi donaa. a . um 7 ?' I r i Subject! Telecast* of July 34 having to do with explanation of oahls failure* fc on Consolidated Edison lines, In Uilch la ad sheathing Mtsrisl was cltod as 5-4. ths culprit dus to corrosion by salt ussd for snow control. Z discussed this at aoe* length with WLilian XonowsU, Staff Cable Engineer ^4 for Consolidated Edison, 4 Irvin? rises, Vow York, Maw York. Ths apokasaen said that thay hslpsd put together tha talscasta and that tha Information had bssn claarsd with tha Con Ed Public Halations Department. Be did agrsa that ths brsakdown in lsad cabin Is caussd by scIsturn, salt, and othar chanicals found In undarground tuiuval conduits, thus causing short cir cuits and failura of cabins. Tha on* point not aantioned in ths talscasta, according to Nr. Zonowski, was that thass cabins wars free 30 to 40 years old. B* statad that this was ths vary raason that load Shaath waa ussd -- its* raputation and anglnaarlng raliabillty for long Ilfs. It is lapoasibls to inspect idles and idles of conduit cabla for dafact without s o bm apacific syaptca of troubl*. Tha aga oadsaion fro* ths tslscaats was intsntlonsl bsesusa ths gsnaral public would not undarstand tha tachnical problems isvolvsd and would only accuas tha ccespany of poor nalntanancs, a charge already Bad* by aosa. -1 Tha anginaar stated that lead shaath cabla Is 'still tha bast* and being ussd exclusively by his coapany in undarground systaa*. Sines tha introduction in recant years, however, of tha polyvinyls, this cabls is further Jacketed with ths plastic material and corrosion from sows types of sdnsral ettedc Is additionally lessened. 0&- CM i la July 2J, 1*73 i i SL. *1 i- N 3465.01