It has been 21 years since a massive blackout put 50 million people from Detroit to New York in the dark.

It has been 20 years since a massive blackout put 50 million people from Detroit to New York in the dark.

It’s been 19 years since a major power outage put 50 million people from Detroit to New York in the dark.

It’s been 17 years since a major power outage put 50 million people from Detroit to New York in the dark.

Friday marks the 17th anniversary of the 2003 Northeast Blackout, which knocked out power to more than 50 million, including here in Metro Detroit. Local 4s Paula Tutman recalls the event:Oh my Gosh, it HAS been 17 years, hasnt it? When I stepped out of the livetruck and onto Woodward, I could see it wasn't a single street light, but the whole darned avenue. That's when we started hearing from the studio that there was a major blackout and NOBODY had power. I called the studio, and asked that question and was told that there might be people, "out there in pockets with power and we were talking to them."