So simple yet so devastating

I worked for a company who built power stations, not little things, massive ones powering the National Grid.

“Richard, we have a problem in Warwickshire. One of the generators keeps cutting out. Every morning. 850 Megawatts. Go and find out what’s happening.”

So there I was early next morning.

I sat and watched. No problem.

Day two. I watched as a cleaner went along dusting the gauges.

‘Bang’. Sirens going, red lights flashing. The generator stopped. 850 megawatts down.

So simple! One of the gauges had a cutout on it.

Static from the cleaner’s cloth had activated it.

Job solved.