GTRA has generators for outages

The power outage that shut down Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport also slightly affected Columbus’ (Miss.) Golden Triangle Regional Airport. It also reinforced why GTRA has an extensive generator system designed to keep the airport running for days due to outages. The 11-hour outage, from Sunday into early Monday, canceled two GTRA inbound flights from Atlanta and one outbound flight to Atlanta. It impacted more than 100 passengers in both directions. Some 25 passengers spent the night either at the airport or local motel before flying out Monday. GTRA staff greeted them with cookies and refreshments. GTRA has a bank of generators capable of running most airport computers, terminal equipment and lighting, control tower and runway and taxiway lights. Generators are checked regularly. It also has some portable generators than can be moved where most needed. GTRA keeps three 500-gallon tanks of diesel on hand to fuel those generators for days. (Source: Daily Times Leader 12/19/17)