Outage prompts effort to hike Atlanta airport's backup power

Atlanta airport officials are looking to boost its backup power in the wake of the power outage that crippled the world's busiest airport last month.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport General Manager Roosevelt Council told the city council transportation committee Wednesday that he wants to determine if it's possible to physically separate the main and redundant power systems.

Council says he wants to set up a system of emergency generators powerful enough to keep concourses operating. He says the airport has a say in facility maintenance, but Georgia Power is responsible for design.

The nation's air-travel system was snarled after an underground blaze knocked out electricity in December for around 11 hours.

Council says he expects associated costs would be included in the fiscal year 2019 budget request.

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Information from: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, http://www.ajc.com