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What Was the Mysterious, Explosion-Like Light Coming From a Russian Power Plant?

Feb. 7, 2012 12:24pm Liz Klimas

Here’s the scene: You’re driving along listening to John Lennon’s “Imagine” enjoying your routine commute when a huge flash brightens up the darkened sky ahead of you. That’s just what some Russian commuters caught sight of recently.

Check out this video of the Russian power plant just outside of St. Petersburg lighting up the sky:

The flashes at the plant, which is operated by Lenenergo according to Now Public, last for five impressive seconds. Here is a sequence of screenshots before, during and after the incident:

Russian Power Plant Blast Brightens Dark Sky

Is anyone else amazed at 1) the calm/lack of reaction by the car’s driver (perhaps it was the soundtrack) and 2) how long it took for cars to start breaking in stunned amazement?

Here’s the blast from another angle:

RT reports that no one was hurt in the event, which was caused by a “technical malfunction” and resulted in a temporary blackout in the area. The blast of light appears to be caused by an explosion but sources have not confirmed this.

Update: Tony, a Blaze reader who has been in the industry for 20 years, suggests the blast could be from the malfunction of a power transformer, or other piece of high-voltage equipment.

[H/T GeekOSystem]

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Comments (151)

Ballzonya
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 1:11pm
I love the soundtrack in the first vid…

Hey guys, it’s “Lennon,” not “Lenin!”

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- abbygirl1994
  Posted on February 7, 2012 at 1:33pm
  My as well have been Lenin!
  
  Report this comment
- Ballzonya
  Posted on February 7, 2012 at 1:44pm
  @Abby, you’re ruining the joke. Get outta my thread commie.
  
  Report this comment
- DD313
  Posted on February 7, 2012 at 1:52pm
  Actually, John Lennon had some conservative tendencies. In “Revolution” he clearly stated: “But when you talk about destruction; don’t you know you can count me out.” He also said: “But if you go carrying pictures of Chairman Mao, you ain’t gonna go making it with anyone, anyhow.”
  
  Report this comment
- Ballzonya
  Posted on February 7, 2012 at 2:02pm
  I don’t believe half these conservatives who claim to dislike liberal musicians/artists/actors. Seriously, if they only liked conservative artists, who would be left? Pretty much no one. Nobody good, anyway.
  
  Report this comment
- RagingJudge
  Posted on February 7, 2012 at 3:31pm
  @DD13 That’s because he’s a progressive, not a revolutionary. He wanted socialism to come slowly and peacefully. There’s nothing conservative about that statement.
  
  While I don’t restrict myself from listening to liberal artists, I’m finding them and their liberal message-ridden art to be more and more displeaseing nowadays. Originally the Beatles were my favorite group. Then I overlistened and started disliking them. Then I woke up and realized they’re commies, and lost respect for them. On the other hand, I’m finding myself more able to appreciate art with a positive, truthful message. Things I didn’t like I like because of the message, and things I already liked I love even more because of the message. To each his own though.
  
  Report this comment
M13
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 1:11pm
It was Debbie Wasserman Schultz getting her **** permed again.

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- dhb1ibo
  Posted on February 7, 2012 at 1:55pm
  That looked a little bigger than a perm, probably another left wing lobotomy.
  
  Report this comment
- USACommoner
  Posted on February 7, 2012 at 3:07pm
  OMG, stop it!! You’re killing me!!!
  
  Report this comment
- Phreqguru
  Posted on February 9, 2012 at 2:40pm
  My first thought too.
  
  Report this comment
ThePostman
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 1:10pm
This happens at electrical substations all the time. Has nothing to do with nuclear power. Although nuclear power is extremely more dangerous than government officials would have us believe. The recent DC eathquake was one diode failure away from a repeat of Fukushima. Their generators also failed, but the elctrical grid around them stayed on. If the grid had failed, it too would have been a Chernobyl-sized disaster, evacuating everyone from Baltimore to DC and beyond. SO much for green energy, lol. You can clean up the beach, you can’t clean up radiation. You just live in it and get cancer. you can’t evacuate away from it either, if you are in a population center. If the wind had blown from the north during Fukushima, Tokyo would no longer exist. The radiation from a nuclear disaster is thousands of times worse than a nuclear bomb. A bomb leaves the place radioactive for a few decades, a nuclear plant accident leaves the place radioactive for a thousand years.

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- mullet
  Posted on February 7, 2012 at 1:37pm
  Ya…
  
  Report this comment
- SgtB
  Posted on February 7, 2012 at 2:26pm
  And the people who heed your words so seriously are also the ones who keep us from developing thorium reactors that have and infinitesimally small chance of runaway melt down and have the added benefit of using our current nuclear waste as a fuel source. So thanks for the sensationalism on the subject. You are really helping out the situation, not.
  
  To me it looked and sounded like a transformer shorted and arced out. Happens all the time to the pole mounted transformers in my area come May or June when a tornado rips them from their perch.
  
  Report this comment
- objectivetruth
  Posted on February 7, 2012 at 3:27pm
  The dc earthquake was actually centered in louisa.Both of our plants were shut down for inspection which is normal for most earth quakes.This was a stronger than normal earthquake for here.Yet there wasn’t the panic you describe.Your panic reaction is one of the reasons we can’t use more nuculear generated power.Hate to tell you this but all sources of power and electricity have the potential for problems.Stop using scare tactics or being the victim of them.Educate yourself.Nuculear actually has a better track record than many other types of energy production.the reason you and many others don’t see that, is that when diasters happen[as they inevitably will]nuculear produces a more long term type situation.The fact that there are fewer accidents diasters seems lost amongst you.Disbelieve me look up other energy production versus nuculear.You will soon see nuculear is actually safer.
  
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- conservativeagent
  Posted on February 7, 2012 at 3:29pm
  Missed the news on the Tsunami in DC. Hmmm one can only hope though.
  
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- MS Patriot
  Posted on February 8, 2012 at 12:57am
  I have seen a similar flash from a substation that blew. On a rainy night you could see the lights from miles away.
  
  Report this comment
- Tomr
  Posted on February 8, 2012 at 9:23am
  I think your brain is “one diode failure away from a repeat of Fukushima.”
  
  Report this comment
moreteaplease
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 1:05pm
That defiantly looked like something shorting out like a transformer in a sub station or something.

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- tirepitstop
  Posted on February 7, 2012 at 1:50pm
  I agree, when transformers blow, the take a while to burn out, that is exactly what this was. They short out, (white flashes), burn out, (the black smoke)
  
  Report this comment
- Thevoice
  Posted on February 7, 2012 at 2:23pm
  Exactly …And knowing the Russians they would still be using older models full of pcps ..
  
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pfarm
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 1:02pm
Gamma burst?

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- Todd P
  Posted on February 7, 2012 at 1:44pm
  …that’s how The Incredible HULK got his start!!!
  
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P8riot
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 1:02pm
as if the russians would ever admit anyone was hurt let alone that they screwed up on anything…

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BonnieBlueFlag
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 1:02pm
http://bigjournalism.com/jjmnolte/2012/02/07/beck-site-attacks-sarah-palin-over-trig-article-writer-calls-palin-supporter-whore/

Blaze: Fire this jerk aka Eddie Scarrey

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- Ballzonya
  Posted on February 7, 2012 at 1:17pm
  Thanks for that link. Wow, Glenn…I knew you were full of crap but it’s a whole other thing to see it written out by the people whose side you claim to support! NICE.
  
  Report this comment
- skitrees
  Posted on February 7, 2012 at 3:24pm
  I agree fire him. But I also think the link you provided is full of factual errors and extremely biased opinions. We gotta quit inner fighting. This should be Breitbart vs Beck, this should be freedom vs tyranny.
  
  Report this comment
bondroid
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 1:01pm
On the bottom video, there was a huge plume of smoke that began billowing upward on the lower right where the light took place. That’s NOT an explosion??? Then what was it???

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- bondroid
  Posted on February 7, 2012 at 1:08pm
  Or the smoke could possibly be coming from the exhaust stack on a piece of machinery. Could be either one. There… I answered my own post. : )
  
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- Gary Fishaholic
  Posted on February 7, 2012 at 1:13pm
  Pretty sure it was a transformer blowing up.
  
  Report this comment
broper
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 12:55pm
Often a pinpoint of light to the eye is greatly enlarged at night, as both your eyes’ irises and the camera aperture are wide open gathering as much light as possible. So the driver certainly noticed the flash but it might not have been quite as dramatic during the day. The pulsing flashes tend to suggest an electrical short circuit and the resulting blackout adds more evidence to that possiblity. Even a distant lightning discharge, at night,can be bright enough to fill the sky with a flash.

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2Smart2BaLib
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 12:49pm
Being a Christian I am very happy that no one was killed or hurt in the explosion.

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- lukerw
  Posted on February 7, 2012 at 12:58pm
  It’s Russia — They only know what the Government desires!
  
  Report this comment
- GMP
  Posted on February 7, 2012 at 1:13pm
  Being an athiest, I’m going to file suit against theblaze.com for allowing the word “Christian” on it’s comments section. I’m going to hire a high profile lawyer to make a mockery of the American justice system, then I’m going to brag about it on Twitter and YouTube about how proud I am of what I’m doing.
  
  Just kidding; I’m glad no one was hurt too.
  
  Report this comment
GoodStuff
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 12:49pm
People still listen to the Beatles?

Commie garbage.

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- romadave
  Posted on February 7, 2012 at 1:12pm
  Sure, Imagine was hippie commie garbage, but the counterweight to your point is the song Revolution.
  
  Revolution is a hippie coming to his senses when he realize the commies are calling for violence.
  
  And then there is Tax Man, where the hippie finally burns his commie membership card because he realizes it means ‘that’s one for you 19 for me, cause I’m the taxman.’
  
  Those commies are always making gross generalizations, don’t be like them.
  
  Report this comment
- Gonzo
  Posted on February 7, 2012 at 1:12pm
  The early stuff is good.
  
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- 2Smart2BaLib
  Posted on February 7, 2012 at 2:54pm
  awesome reply “romadave”
  The hippie commie beatle grew up and realized communism/socialism is bad
  and change their songs to reflect their new found Conservatism
  
  thats pretty much what happened to me – In my early 20′s I was an ignorant DemocRAT
  then I married, bought a house had kids and started to question why they tax me so much and what they are doing with my hard earned $$$
  
  I woke up real quick and just like the Beatles and discovered Conservative values are best for my family
  
  Report this comment
Stoic one
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 12:49pm
I HOPE this was electrical in nature; rather than a haywire nuclear reaction.

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TH30PH1LUS
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 12:47pm
The Rusky is calm because his all-powerful socialist nanny government has every detail of his life under control. What’s to panic about? Go back to sleep, lulled by the Atheist anthem “Imagine”….

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Charles
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 12:46pm
Editor: Drivers would possibly “brake”, but hopefully not “break’. #Outcome based education.

Why would the drivers brake just because they’re amazed? Possibly to cause an accident? “Wow! Look at that bright flash! Lets see if I can get people to start plowing their cars into one another and add fatalities to the amazement” o_O

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- TSUNAMI-22
  Posted on February 7, 2012 at 12:51pm
  Why would they stop? How about flash blindness.
  
  I’d stop too…..until I could see again.
  
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- mcmeador
  Posted on February 7, 2012 at 9:09pm
  Since when do people NOT react stupidly to things going on around them while they’re driving? I can guarantee you people would start slamming on their brakes and running into people if that happened where I live. Just because it doesn’t make sense doesn’t mean it wouldn’t happen.
  
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Gary_K
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 12:45pm
A transformer or transformers went kapow…light show.

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- ZaphodsPlanet
  Posted on February 7, 2012 at 12:56pm
  Couldn’t see that in the first video… but the second looks totally like a transformer going pop.
  
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- Desert Dog
  Posted on February 7, 2012 at 12:57pm
  You are right. I retired from a power plant and that exactly what a transformer or line connecter fail looks like.
  
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Harry Assenback
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 12:40pm
Clearly they were testing a Flux Capacitor.

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Gonzo
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 12:38pm
Maybe it was one of the missing Soviet nukes.

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- Harry Assenback
  Posted on February 7, 2012 at 12:58pm
  I told you not to eat that Burrito Gonzo……..
  
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- Gonzo
  Posted on February 7, 2012 at 1:04pm
  I told YOU not to strike that match Harry!
  
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- Harry Assenback
  Posted on February 7, 2012 at 1:15pm
  Nice one!
  
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RightUnite
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 12:37pm
Yikes! Whatever it was didn’t look good!

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Honest Abe
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 12:37pm
I agree it looks like an arc flash. A transformer could have blown or a large dead short circuit.

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- Charles
  Posted on February 7, 2012 at 12:48pm
  Thats what happened. Big arc flash. No mystery. Go to youtube and search arc flash. Very impressive!
  
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- The Jewish Avenger
  Posted on February 7, 2012 at 12:57pm
  I agree the disappation was too quick to be anything but an arc flash, the clouds/haze(?) just added to the volume of it.
  
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Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 12:37pm
Phoenix had a massive power transfer plant detonate in a storm a few years back; from what video pictures I can recall of from the event, that looks like what happened here. Most likely an accident.

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- Charles
  Posted on February 7, 2012 at 12:41pm
  Unless a power plant is made of high explosives it could not detonate.
  
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One Man Progressive Wrecking Crew
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 12:36pm
Looks like a Blue Arc, only a huge one. For those who’ve never seen one, it happens most often when electric power lines get weighed down with ice and snap…at night they light up pretty good, like that only not as powerful as this explosion, although they happen when substations blow up too.

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elihu
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 12:35pm
Whoa! I wonder what kind of a fabricated story we’ll get fed about this?!

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Brushjumper
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 12:35pm
Iran has begun to NUKE Russia – Oh MY…..

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KickinBack
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 12:33pm
“Is anyone else amazed at 1) the calm/lack of reaction by the car’s driver (perhaps it was the soundtrack) and 2) how long it took for cars to start breaking in stunned amazement?”

3) What is with people and filming out their windshield while driving? Unless of course, it’s a police cruiser.

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- Jim
  Posted on February 7, 2012 at 12:48pm
  I had the same thought about your #3 point… What kind of individual has a camera on record on their dash…
  
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- TNYJ
  Posted on February 7, 2012 at 2:52pm
  Your 3rd question was my 1st question.
  
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- KickinBack
  Posted on February 7, 2012 at 5:36pm
  Questions 1 and 2 I’m quoting the article’s author. I’m just adding a #3.
  
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Buck Shane
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 12:31pm
It looked electrical. An explosion would be a one time flash – unless there was more than one.

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- Obama Snake Oil Co
  Posted on February 7, 2012 at 12:37pm
  A transformer overloaded.
  
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