Tornado Recovery and Relationships

Tornado Recovery and Relationships

Tina Gaines

Director of Engineering

October 14, 2014

Comprehensive State Energy Plan Public Meeting

May 22, 2011 Tornado strikes Joplin at 5:41 p.m. Storm path

►6 miles long, at it’s most intense; 22 miles total►Up to 3/4 mile wide

EF-5 Rating by NWS►Winds in excess of 200 mph

20,000 customers without power

Major Structures

St. John’s HospitalJoplin Schools►Numerous schools

destroyed/damagedHome DepotWal-MartAcademy

EDE Facility Damage

Restoration Process Assessment of damage

►Critical services● Freeman Hospital● Water systems● Fiber/communications

►Restore main corridors►Redesign system►Build in from outer edges►Identify customers not returning to service

Empire requested assistance from the Midwest Mutual Assistance Group on May 23rd

Main Feeders Restored to:►Hospitals ● Freeman Hospital Power Restored Before

Sunrise● Engineered and Constructed Alternate Circuit

►Major Water & Sewer Services●Water Intake – Restored Before Sunrise●Water Treatment - Restored Within 24 Hours●Water Wells – Restored Within 72 Hours

Critical Infrastructure Critical Infrastructure RestorationRestoration

Mutual Assistance RelationshipsEmpire has participated in the Midwest Mutual Assistance Group for many years►Attend Regional Mutual Assistance meetings►Develop relationships with those you will work with in times of need►Participate on Mutual Assistance calls►Becoming more complicated post-Hurricane Sandy (pre-event mobilization and resource acquisition, NRE)

Mutual Assistance

Determine Needs►Number of Distribution and Transmission

Crews Required►Specialty Equipment

● Backyard Machines● Vac-tron vacuum truck● Pole Loaders

►Materials● Crossarms● Pole Hardware

Midwest Mutual Assistance GroupHeld Call at 8:00am May 23rd►Who has crews available?►What types of crews?►What type of equipment?►Where are they deploying from?

Determination was that KCPL could provide the required crews the fastest. They were on system May 23rd.

Restoration ProcessProcure manpower►542 personnel on system

●145 Empire linemen●243 Mutual assistance/contract FTE

• 120 KCPL• 25 City Utilities

●114 Vegetation●40 Other

Restoration Process

Procure material►Vendors notified Sunday evening

● Irby, Bell Pole & Lumber, Frontier, ABB ►EDE Stores/Irby

● Mobile storeroom at Sub 59● 12 material/pole staging areas● 24-hour operation

• Pole drops at night to avoid traffic• Material pulled & ready at 7 a.m.

►ABB● Transformers began arriving

1 day after order (normal 3 wks)

Material Relationships

IRBY Alliance – est. 2006►23 additional employees (material handlers,

drivers, Inside Sales, and Operational staff) from 9 states.

►4 additional transportation vehicles►$11M of inventory was processed to Empire in

the first 21 days.  Bell Pole Alliance PPI/ABB Transformer Alliance

►Began extended hours, 7 days/week schedule

Material Challenges Difficulties in transporting material

►Need waivers or executive orders to extend operating hours for drivers.

►Need to expedite permits for overweight or overlength loads.● This problem has contributed to delayed

restoration in other storm recoveries.►These need to span all states for material or

sending/receiving mutual assistance crews to/from other states.

►Need ways to fast track crews through on toll roads. Many hours can be lost enroute getting trucks through toll booths.

Unique ChallengesLack of cellular or switched network

communications for several daysTraffic caused by volunteers and

onlookersPresidential visit►Roads Closed►Access to service center cut offCoordination with City, FEMA,

SEMA

Lessons Learned Formalize alternate show-up plans in case

of lack of communications Coordinate frequently with City and FEMA

to stay in tune and decrease delays Improve employee identification Improve non-company vehicle

identification, but don’t use magnetic company logo vehicle markers

Long Term Recovery Built infrastructure using most up-to-date

reliability practices, more sectionalization Rebuilt Sub 59 located at 26th and Pearl Sited and built substation to support load

and growth in new Mercy Hospital location and surrounding area►Purchased land for new substation directly under

existing Transmission line.►Encountered resistance from nearby neighbors►Special Use Permit passed in 5/4 vote of Joplin City

Council► If not passed, could have delayed ability to serve

new hospital from two substations

Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you

Questions?

Tina GainesEmpire District Electric CompanyDirector of Engineeringtgaines@empiredistrict.com417-625-6121