Extensive Disaster Planning at Electric & Gas Utilities Means Lights Will Stay On

electricity in restaurant

WASHINGTON -

Commercial and industrial businesses can rest assured that the current pandemic poses no real threat to our utilities, as disaster planning has been key to electric and gas utilities in recent years, writes Forbes. Beginning a decade ago, the utility and energy industries evolved detailed pandemic plans, which include putting off maintenance and routine activities until the worst of the pandemic has passed, restricting site access to essential personnel, and being able to run on a skeleton crew as more and more people become ill.

One possible outcome of the current situation is that the US electric industry may require essential staff to live onsite at power plants and control centers if the outbreak worsens; bedding, food and other supplies are being stockpiled, Reuters reported. The Great River Energy cooperative, for example, has had a plan to sequester essential staff in place since the H1N1 bird flu crisis in 2009. The cooperative, which runs 10 power plants in Minnesota, says its disaster planning ensured it has enough cots, blankets and other necessities on site to keep staff healthy.

Electricity providers are now taking part in twice-weekly phone calls with officials at the DOE, the Department of Homeland Security, and other agencies, according to the Los Angeles Times. By planning for a variety of worst case scenarios, “I have confidence that the sector will be prepared to respond no matter how this evolves,” says Scott Aaronson, VP of security and preparedness for the Edison Electric Institute.

Related News

power lines

France hopes to keep Brussels sweet with new electricity pricing scheme

PARIS - France has unveiled a new electricity pricing mechanism, hoping to defuse months of tension over energy subsidies with Brussels and its neighbors.

The strain has included a Franco-German fight over the reform of the bloc's electricity market, with Germany accusing France of wanting to subsidize its industry via artificially low energy prices, while Paris maintained it should have the right to make the most of its relatively cheap nuclear energy. That fight has now been settled.

On Tuesday, the French government presented a new mechanism — complex, and still-to-be-detailed — to bring the average price of electricity closer to €70…

READ MORE
nuclear plant

NRC Makes Available Turkey Point Renewal Application

READ MORE

pak china flags

Chinese govt rejects the allegations against CPEC Power Producers

READ MORE

florida power crews at work

FPL stages massive response to Irma but power may not be back for days or weeks

READ MORE

wind turbines pincher creek

Alberta is a powerhouse for both green energy and fossil fuels

READ MORE