CL&P Emergency Preparedness and Response Briefing
Friday, July 19, 2013, 1:30 p.m.
CL&P prepared for extreme heat today, anticipated severe weather tomorrow
Operational Status: Monitoring
Emergency Event Level: To Be Determined
OVERVIEW (red = new information since yesterday’s Briefing)
· Today’s extreme heat continues to increase demand on the state’s electric system; news outlets are reporting this month may be the hottest July in Connecticut’s history
· CL&P has made significant investments in strengthening its system infrastructure and remains well-prepared for the heat wave; however, the long-term stress of heat wave conditions may result in minor system impacts
· ISO-New England, the regional electric system operator, is asking consumers to voluntarily conserve electricity between noon and 8 p.m. through the end of the week as a precautionary measure to help keep electricity supply and demand in balance
· On the sixth consecutive day of the heat wave, the temperature could reach the 100-degree mark. Isolated showers could occur between 2 and 11 p.m. Tomorrow, potentially severe thunderstorms, frequent lightening, hail, heavy isolated downpours and damaging wind gusts up to 55 mph are expected between late morning and 8 p.m.
· Preparations are also being made to respond to the anticipated severe weather tomorrow across Connecticut, as a cold front moves in
SYSTEM STATUS
· We continue to monitor weather conditions
· The system remains stable, with no transmission or substation issues, and all critical equipment is in service
· There are currently fewer than 100 customers without power across the state
· Since the heat wave began Sunday, CL&P has restored about 21,000 customers associated with approximately 520 outages
· Electric loads remain near record-breaking; today’s expected loads are:
o 27,850 MW in New England; the record was 28,130 MW on August 2, 2006
o 7,250 MW for all electric utilities in Connecticut; the record for Connecticut was 7,479 MW on August 3, 2006
· Yesterday, CL&P’s peak load was estimated at 5,538 MW, likely surpassing its all-time peak load of 5,516 MW in 2011. Although still unconfirmed, the peak load record may again be broken today, if projections hold
PLANNING
· CL&P continues to operate in accordance with its heat wave preparedness procedure
· 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
· We are currently planning for a Level One event to address any system impacts from anticipated severe weather tomorrow; a Level One event, according to CL&P’s Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan, includes fewer than 400 locations requiring repairs
· All CL&P employees with storm assignments have been notified to be on standby through the weekend; supervisors and managers are also prepared to support sister companies through New England, if needed
LOGISTICS
· Storerooms are well-stocked with materials
· 100 percent of CL&P lineworkers have been placed on call (110 crews; 220 workers)
· 105 outside crews (210 workers) have been secured for assistance Saturday and Sunday, if needed
· Tree contractors are currently available to assist in restoration work, if needed
· Patrollers, wires down guards and storm room staff are expected to be in place or available by mid-day tomorrow
· A “gateway” will be set up at CL&P’s Berlin headquarters Saturday to prepare outside crews for a safe restoration according to CL&P standards
OPERATIONS
· CL&P’s operational status for the heat wave 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 10 a.m. today; the next operations call is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. tomorrow
· The next weather update and preparedness call is scheduled for 1 p.m. today
· Essential staff will be available in CL&P’s Emergency Operations Center tomorrow morning
PUBLIC INFORMATION
· We will be reaching out to key stakeholders, including emergency management, regulatory and municipal officials, with information about our preparedness and planning details this afternoon
· CL&P continues to encourage customers to voluntarily conserve electricity, offering information about energy conservation in the media, through social media and on cl-p.com
· 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
· 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 helpful information:
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