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Tornado Recovery and Relationships

Learn about the comprehensive restoration process post-tornado, mutual assistance relationships, material challenges, and unique recovery lessons. Discover how Empire District Electric Company overcame obstacles and built for long-term recovery and growth in Joplin, Missouri.

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Tornado Recovery and Relationships

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  1. Tornado Recovery and Relationships October 14, 2014 Comprehensive State Energy Plan Public Meeting Tina Gaines Director of Engineering

  2. 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

  3. Major Structures • St. John’s Hospital • Joplin Schools • Numerous schools destroyed/damaged • Home Depot • Wal-Mart • Academy

  4. EDE Facility Damage

  5. 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

  6. Critical Infrastructure Restoration • 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

  7. Mutual Assistance Relationships Empire 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)

  8. 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

  9. Midwest Mutual Assistance Group • Held 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.

  10. Restoration Process • Procure manpower • 542 personnel on system • 145 Empire linemen • 243 Mutual assistance/contract FTE • 120 KCPL • 25 City Utilities • 114 Vegetation • 40 Other

  11. 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)

  12. 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

  13. 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.

  14. Unique Challenges • Lack of cellular or switched network communications for several days • Traffic caused by volunteers and onlookers • Presidential visit • Roads Closed • Access to service center cut off • Coordination with City, FEMA, SEMA

  15. 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

  16. 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

  17. Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you Questions? Tina Gaines Empire District Electric Company Director of Engineering tgaines@empiredistrict.com 417-625-6121

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