CL&P Emergency Preparedness and Response Briefing
Wednesday, July 17, 2013, 2:15 p.m.
CL&P continues to meet demand for electricity on Day 4 of the heat wave
Operational Status: Monitoring
Emergency Event Level: To Be Determined
OVERVIEW (red = new information since yesterday’s Briefing)
· Demand on the electric system continues to rise; however, we prepare every day for severe weather, and have made significant investments in strengthening our system infrastructure
· CL&P is encouraging customers to voluntarily conserve electricity, offering information about energy conservation in the media and on cl-p.com
· ISO-New England, the regional system operator, has initiated a Capacity Deficiency alert for New England. ISO-NE is asking customers to “voluntarily conserve electricity as a prudent precautionary measure to help keep supply and demand in balance during this heat wave.”
· The National Weather Service has issued a Heat Advisory for most of the state for today. Heat index values of ~100 degrees F are forecasted. An Excessive Heat Watch has been issued for Thursday, which means that dangerously hot temperatures are expected. A thunderstorm threat will be increasing through the rest of the week
· According to the Albany National Weather service, Connecticut last experienced a seven-day heat wave during this same week in 1991
SYSTEM STATUS
· There are currently 977 customers without power, mostly in the central part of the state
· We continue to monitor weather conditions
· The system is stable, with no transmission or substation issues, and all critical equipment is in service
· High electric loads are forecasted again today in New England: 27,000 MW. The New England record was 28,130 MW on August 2, 2006. The forecasted load for Connecticut today is 7,000 MW. The Connecticut record was 7,479 MW on August 3, 2006. Thursday is expected to bring higher loads
PLANNING
· CL&P is operating in accordance with its heat wave preparedness procedure
· We’re forecasting increasingly higher electrical loads, and the long-term stress may result in minor system impacts. We have planned extra staffing to address those potential impacts
· CL&P lineworkers are ready to respond to any power emergencies
· Tree contractors are currently available to assist in restoration work, if needed
· Several NU employees have experienced what appear to be heat-related illnesses so far this week. Employees and all others affected by the heat are reminded to stay safe by drinking plenty of fluids, maintaining a well-balanced diet, and following recommended work/rest cycles; a new Heat Stress Advisory Message was sent to CL&P management on July 17 for distribution to employees
LOGISTICS
· Storerooms are well-stocked with materials
OPERATIONS
· CL&P’s operational status is continuing in MONITORING mode. Conditions exist that could present a potential risk to the electrical system in time, but currently pose no immediate threat
· All substations and critical system components have been inspected; all nonessential work has been postponed; the transmission and distribution systems are in normal configuration
· During this heat wave, CL&P is not performing residential disconnections for nonpayment
· There was an Operations/Emergency Preparedness conference call at 1 p.m. today
· The CL&P Emergency Operations Center is not scheduled to open at this time
PUBLIC INFORMATION
· Positive media coverage of CL&P’s dedicated lineworkers, covered head to toe in protective gear despite the heat, will be on evening news TV channels WFSB (3), WTNH (8) and FOXCT (61).
- For cooling center information and resources, customers may call 211 or visit www.211ct.org/disaster/cooling_centers.asp . Customers may also visit the Connecticut Dept. of Public Health at http://www.ct.gov/dph/cwp/view.asp?a=3115&q=480536 for tips to cope with extreme heat. To report an outage, call 800-286-2000 or visit www.cl-p.com
- CL&P issued a news release on July 16 to the media to provide information about CL&P’s readiness to meet the demand for electricity, and what customers can do to save energy and keep cool
- Energy-efficiency information is available on www.cl-p.com: http://www.cl-p.com/Home/SaveEnergy/Energy_Efficiency_with_Enoch/?MenuID=4294986341
- Customer reminders, in the event of outages, include: safety around downed wires and proper generator use. For safety tips, go to www.cl-p.com
- For restoration updates:
o Visit the Storm Center at www.cl-p.com
o Follow us on Twitter @CTLightandPower
o Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/ctlightandpower
o Text the word “outage,” followed by a space and your zip code to 24612