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 [email protected]
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