Welcome to Tesla Motors Club
Discuss Tesla's Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, Cybertruck, Roadster and More.
Register

Tesla plant shut down temporarily due to downed high voltage power line

This site may earn commission on affiliate links.
sweet, thanks.

also from the one link it sounds like the line was brought down ON TOP of the factory though thats not exactly clear. dunno if that implies there might be some damage

I don't think there are any major power lines that run above the factory, that would be very unusual. I think it just means that there was no power going into the factory because the lines were down somewhere else.
 
So some of the news stories included this photo:
teslamain.PNG


So I opened up Google maps to look for an area next to the factory which had similar shipping containers, and striping on the parking lot and found this:
powerl1.png


You can see a power transmission tower, and the shadow of said tower including shadow of power lines heading towards the factory buildings.
It looks like the power lines terminate in some sort of distribution yard next to the factory and then conduits go into the various buildings.
So, I suspect that the lines didn't literally land right on the roof of a factory building, but rather fell onto the property next to the buildings.

power2.png
 
From a youtube factory drone flyover ( Tesla Factory by Drone in 4K - YouTube ) with power line routing shown in orange:
drone1.png


- - - Updated - - -

Even more specifically matching the original photo:
attachment.php?attachmentid=90545&d=1439577764.png


power3.png


Perhaps, ironically, I think the big yellow box next to the building might be a diesel backup generator.

I am assuming that they probably don't have enough battery storage and backup generators to actually run the whole factory when the grid power is down.
 
Wow, good research. Looks like this is exactly the place.


From a youtube factory drone flyover ( Tesla Factory by Drone in 4K - YouTube ) with power line routing shown in orange:
View attachment 90547

- - - Updated - - -

Even more specifically matching the original photo:
attachment.php?attachmentid=90545&d=1439577764.png


View attachment 90548

Perhaps, ironically, I think the big yellow box next to the building might be a diesel backup generator.

I am assuming that they probably don't have enough battery storage and backup generators to actually run the whole factory when the grid power is down.
 
TEG ought to be working for the CIA analyzing spy photos.

Hopefully Tesla will have a "make-up" shift scheduled (or lengthen a few day's shifts) so this doesn't hurt their quarterly numbers.

If they were building some Asia or Euro cars now - they won't get delivered by 9/30 anyway. So, it depends on what was on the line going through. Could be a general mix of US and Euro that "could" make it by 9/30.
 
If they were building some Asia or Euro cars now - they won't get delivered by 9/30 anyway. So, it depends on what was on the line going through. Could be a general mix of US and Euro that "could" make it by 9/30.

True, but a day lost is a day lost, regardless of when the cars are delivered. Tesla's at a point where they need to start putting up big production numbers. Thus far they've been unable to do that.
 
I wonder if they have power restored yet.

Nope. I just stopped there to charge my Roadster and no power on the property. They're hoping it will be back on shortly. But the place is pretty deserted in comparison to how it usually is on a Saturday.

So I begged a charge over at the Fairmont San Jose, even though it's supposed to just be for guests.