The only thing major blackouts have in common is that customers suffer. Author: Betsy Kling Updated: 10:57 PM EST February 19, 2021 CLEVELAND — Funny thing about electricity: We all need it, but nobody understands it. Nearly every facet of our life relies upon power that we as consumer have no control over. Moving at about 1,000 miles per second, electricity moves from power plants through high voltage transmission lines that feed a network of stations that then distribute it to individual customers. Operators in control rooms across the country are constantly monitoring the flow to ensure it stays balanced. If there is a service interruption or fault, an operator can redirect power around the problem area quickly to keep the system online.