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ESB NETWORKS LTD
February/March 2014 • www.esb.ie/em
PERFORMANCE ENABLERS
The other factors that enabled our performance was our investment in refurbishing the networks over the past ten years, investment in smart networks including automation, our SCADA and Operations Management System and our very recent investment in a fleet management system which efficiently and safely guided our local and visiting crews directly to fault locations.
Additional staff were deployed in the two Distribution Control Centres and Dispatch Centres in Cork and Dublin as required during the storms. Full use was made of our SCADA system to restore supply to customers by operating devices remotely, from the control rooms, rather than dispatching Network Technicians to operate the devices locally, as would have been the case in previous storms.
During the peak of the storm, over the two-day period between December 26th to 28th a total of 2,113 network operations were carried out from the control rooms which included 393 operations of smart devices installed on pole tops on the Distribution System. This ability to operate the system from our control centres greatly enhanced the speed with which supply was restored to customers.
RESTORATION OF SUPPLY
A total of 742,753 customer interruptions were recorded over the course of the storms. Combining the benefits of our smart network with the military efficiency of o JL^ crews resulted in a very speedy restoration of supply to customers.
BREAKDOWN OF FAULTS BY CAUSE
The majority of outages were attributed to high winds with lightning and timber also accounting for significant numbers. An initial analysis indicates 60% of outages were attributable to wind with the remaining 40% divided between light-, ning and timber. Further analysis of fault causes will be carried out as part of a comprehensive storm review.
CUSTOMER AND MEDIA UPDATES
Of course, keeping our customers, stakeholders and media updated is critical. Extra staff were deployed in our Customer Contact Centre as required and our excellent call centre staff and automated systems managed up to 34,000 calls per day and we were on national media from early every day. Critically, the five Divisional Managers updated our customers hourly with local information through the very supportive local radio network in their Divisions and, of course, our more recent smart technologies, twitter and the unique free power check app. Were a big hit with customers. We had up to 45,000 power check app hits per day. In addition our specially designed emergency web site had 14,000 hits per day and the updates were copied by media and used for their articles.
The response from the public and media was very positive with many messages of thanks received and admiration expressed for the dedication and professionalism of our staff working in appalling conditions.
A preliminary update on the storm was provided to the DCENR on January 7th as requested in advance of a meeting of the National Co-ordination Group on Severe Weather.
The ESB Press Office handled all media queries and responses for the duration of all the storms. TV interviews were organised and ran on RTE, TV3 and Sky News. We constantly issued updates on Twitter @ESB Networks. A banner ad was posted on www.esb.ie and www.esbnetworks.ie and linked to our specially designed emergency website which carried all updates. This site had 14,000 hits per day.
We used recorded update announcement and theses were circulated online and used on the news bulletins on all local radio stations. The five ESB Networks Divisional Managers gave hourly updates also via interviews on all local radio. On December 31st and January 1st we aired an ad on all the local radio stations thanking the public for their patience during that period.
REACTION IN THE TWITTERSPHERE!
@ESBNetworks
Mighty work from ESB Networks. Power restored to more than 78,000 homes
Electricity restored to 30,000 homes so far today. ESB workers go from strength to strength, fair play to them
Power restored already! Great work given the circumstances massive outages everywhere
Thanks to all ESB Networks emergency crews.... Can't be much fun patching things up on a night like this!
Power restored in our rural area in less than an hour. High winds stormy and dangerous well done lads! Thanks
ESB Networks are doing a fantastic job updating customers through their various online channels, same throughout Xmas ESBN
CASE STUDY: ACHILL ISLAND
Just before lunch on Christmas Eve a lighting strike on the 38kV station on Achill Island resulted in a power outage to over 3,000 customers. The sole 5MVA transformer on the island had suffered a direct lighting strike and was damaged beyond repair. The local Castlebar area staff worked well into the night of Christmas Eve to restore supply to our customers from alternative 38kV stations in Newport and Bellacorrick. Achill Island is a very popular destination for New Year's Eve celebrations however, resulting in an increased electricity demand, which could not be met without the 38kV station on Achill being back in service.
All the H V Station team based in Castlebar volunteered to work over Christmas to carry out this major construction project. A suitable replacement transformer was sourced and HV station staff spent Christmas Eve carrying out preliminary tests to ensure its suitability.
Work on replacing the transformer started at 5am on St Stephen's Day. The replacement transformer was transported to Achill, the defective transformer was removed and the replacement transformer lifted into position. H V Station staff then worked throughout the weekend to install the transformer and associated equipment. Ballycoolin Supply Stores arranged for delivery of transformer oil to the site on December 29th. Following commissioning the replacement transformer was put on a 24-hour ‘soak’ test on December 30th and successfully put on full load the following afternoon, just in time for the New Year's Eve celebrations.
Well done to all staff who worked tirelessly over the Christmas period.
A TOTAL OF 742,753 CUSTOMER INTERRUPTIONS WERE RECORDED OVER THE COURSE OF THE STORMS.
