[uep]

I've seen the same green flashes of transformers blowing during serious hurricanes. Hello Florida, 2004, where I had the pleasure of seeing this during 3 different hurricanes. There were no tectonic plates shifting. The clouds were illuminated; it looked like flashes of green lightning from my front row seats. Though it's not as though I saw a green lightning arc.

Where I was, power was generally restored within 24 hours. I don't believe this would be possible if every substation were blowing. I believe people refer to the transformers on the telephone poles failing.