The Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator--or ISO--currently runs that very power grid that failed. Spokesman Carl Dombek says operational improvements have diminished the likelihood of a repeat of 2003. For one, he says, they have control over how much power energy companies put on to the grid.
"We also have a huge amount of information--300,000 data points coming into our control room every four to six seconds...we can see circuit breakers at individual substations. So we know what's happening with our generators, with power lines, so we can make the adjustments literally in seconds," Dombek says.
Nevertheless, Dombek says maintaining the power grid continues to be a challenge for the Midwest ISO, and the cost of building new transmission lines continues to grow.