DETROIT — The largest power blackout in United States history closed down a major portion of the northeastern United States as well as part of Canada late Thursday afternoon, Aug. 14, 2003, at approximately 4:10 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). Power was gradually restored over the weekend. Officials stated that it could take at least until this morning, Monday, Aug. 18, before power could be brought back to full capacity in all the affected areas.
The blackout impacted eight states stretching from Connecticut to southeastern Michigan (including the headquarters of The News). The states that were affected included parts of Connecticut, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Vermont. A portion of the province of Ontario in Canada also lost power. Major cities that lost power included Cleveland, Detroit, New York, and Toronto.