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Feature Article

Preparing Your Electrical System for


Disaster Recovery

usinesses are under increasing pressure to maximize


profits and minimize downtime.
Therefore, it is extremely important to have a contingency plan
for continued operations in the
event of a natural disaster or
emergency. The response and
actions taken during the first
2448 hours of a disaster are
critical in determining whether
or not a business fully recovers.
As many as 50% of businesses
close down following a disaster,
according to the latest research.1
While natural disasters cannot
be prevented, having a detailed
emergency recovery plan can
limit the financial and personal
havoc they can cause. A good
starting point is to address the
following key areas:
Ensure electrical equipment
is
properly
maintained.
Identify the electrical
equipment that is critical
to operations.
Be aware of the most current natural disaster recovery codes and standards.

Know the effects of water


damage to electrical
equipment.
Develop a safety plan that
incorporates emergency
procedures.
Develop an electrical
emergency action plan.
The National Fire Protection
Association (NFPA) and the U.S.
Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA) provide
guidelines to develop disaster
recovery, emergency response,
and safety plans. This paper will
incorporate those guidelines to
help in the creation of both
short- and long-term restoration
plans. The number one priority
for both plans is to safely restore
power.

Contingency planning for


continued business operations is
a multi-faceted risk management
function. While natural disasters
cannot be avoided, their impact
may be somewhat lessened if
businesses are better prepared.
This paper identifies preplanning exercises companies
can complete to help restore
electrical distribution and control
equipment efficiently and safely.

Author
Chad Kennedy
manager, industry standards,
Schneider Electric, Hopkins,
S.C.,USA
chad.kennedy@schneiderelectric.com

Natural Disaster Definition


and Statistics
Natural disasters can be broken
down into four categories, as
shown in Table 1. Each type of
disaster has a unique severity
level.

Table 1
Types of Natural Disasters
Category
Geophysical
Meteorological
Hydrological
Climatological

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Type of disaster
Earthquake, tsunami, volcanic eruption
Storm, lightning
Flood, mass movement
Extreme temperature, drought, forest fire

September 2014 67

Figure 1
in natures path, the impact of natural
disasters on sociey has become greater.
250
Figure 1 illustrates U.S. natural disasters
for the past 30 years. In some cases, the
200
increasing numbers can be attributed to
150
better technology to identify natural disasters.
However, climate changes are consid37
100
ered
to have a significant impact on natu8
50
ral
disaster
occurrences. For additional
51
information
on specific locations, U.S.
2
Federal Emergency Management Agency
1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010
(FEMA) publishes disaster and emergency
Geophysical events
Meteorological events
Hydrological events
Climatological events
(Earthquake, tsunami,
(Storm)
(Flood, mass movement)
(Extreme temperature,
declaration by year and state.
volcanic eruption)
drought, forest fire)
Natural disasters can damage electrical
distribution
equipment in several ways:
Natural disasters in the U.S., 19802011 (number of events, annual
fire,
vibration,
water, etc. In the U.S., the
totals 19802010 versus first six months 2011). Source: 2011 Munich
most
frequently
occurring events involve
Re. NatCatSERVICE.
water in the form of hurricanes and
storms, with subsequent flooding. Since
water and electricity do not mix, restoring power
Since the early 1990s, total economic losses from
to water-damaged equipment can be a dangerous
natural disasters in the United States have averaged
undertaking.
tens of billions of dollars per year.2 These disasters
cause death and injury, property damage, business
interruptions or downtime and loss of revenue. As an
example, in May 2010, Nashville, Tenn., experienced
Relevant Codes and Standards
an unprecedented flood, killing more than 30 people
and devastating property with more than US$2 bilNFPA 1600 is the overarching standard and primary
lion of damage. Two years later, some businesses had
document on disaster recovery, emergency managejust re-opened.
ment and business continuity. For workplace safety
Whether attributed to climate change, cyclical
and planning, OSHA references NFPA 70E: Standard
weather patterns or simply infrastructure being built
for Electrical Safety in the Workplace. In the 2013 ediition, NFPA 70B: Recommended Practice
for Electrical Equipment Maintenance
includes a chapter on electrical disasTable 2
ter recovery. In addition, the National
3
Electrical
Manufacturers Association
NEMA Guidelines for Water-Damaged Equipment
(NEMA)
has
published Evaluating
Must be replaced
May be reconditioned
Water-Damaged Electrical Equipment
Miniature and molded-case circuit
and Evaluating Fire- and Heat-Damaged
Switchboards
breakers
Electrical Equipment.
300

First Six Months 2011


98 Events

Multi-metering equipment

Switchgear

Safety switches

Iron-frame low-voltage circuit


breakers

Load centers

Medium-voltage circuit breakers

Electrical panel interiors

Low-voltage bolted pressure


switches

Dry-type transformers

Medium-voltage switches

Busway

Motor control centers

All solid-state components

Panel boards

All electromechanical relays,


contractors, starters, etc.

Liquid-filled transformers

Solid-state motor starters

Cast-resin transformers

Adjustable speed drives

Three Steps to Electrical Disaster


Recovery Planning
1. Knowledge of Electrical System As
part of an electrical disaster recovery plan,
businesses should:
Have a current single-line drawing of
their electrical distribution system.
Identify which electrical equipment is critical to the electrical
infrastructure.

Programmable logic controllers

68 Iron & Steel Technology

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Understand which equipment must be replaced


and that which can be reconditioned, as shown
in Table 2.
Electrical equipment that has been exposed to water
can be extremely dangerous if re-energized without
proper reconditioning or replacement. Assessing the
damage goes beyond visual indications of water.
Moisture and weather exposure can affect the equipments integrity. Water can be contaminated with
sewage, chemicals, salt, debris and other substances.
These contaminants may cause loss of dielectric spacing and can be a hazard upon re-energization. It is
also possible that foreign debris remain inside the
circuit breaker or switch enclosure.
It is important that restoration activities are performed by qualified personnel as defined by OSHA
and NFPA. Hiring outside contractors to assist or
perform electrical work does not relieve the facility
owner (host employer) from being liable for safe work
practices. NFPA 70E states that known hazards must
be communicated to the contracted worker(s).
Whether the equipment is to be replaced or reconditioned, all services should be performed by qualified personnel familiar with the equipments operation and construction. It is important to note that
the ability to recondition equipment will vary; it may
include the repair or replacement of internal components. Reconditioned equipment should be tested per
the manufacturers recommendations and American
National Standards Institute (ANSI)/Institute of
Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standards prior to re-energization.
2. Develop (or Update) an Electrical Safe Work
Practices Policy An electrical safe work practices
(ESWP) policy is a written document created by the
employer that covers all areas of the companys electrical safety practices. While having a safety policy
has been a requirement of NFPA for several revision
cycles, the 2012 edition further refines the requirements for developing and auditing the policy. The
ESWP policy is not a one-size-fits-all policy to cover a
company in multiple locations. For example, voltage,
energy level, circuit conditions and hazard levels are
different in each facility. The policy should identify
detailed information specific to that location. This
may include the location of the safety policy for
employee (or contractor) access, who is the on-site
authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) for decisions, etc.
Developing and auditing an ESWP policy is critical
to business continuity and disaster recovery. Since creating a comprehensive program may seem overwhelming, it may be helpful to use the following guidelines
to get started.

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1. Facility Includes company policies and systems regarding:


Equipment maintenance.
Tools .
Testing .
Repairs.
Clearance limits.
Safe working conditions.
2. Personnel Focuses on actual work practices
and addresses:
Qualified and unqualified personnel .
Proper care and use of personal protective
equipment (PPE).
Job preparedness.
Training and continuing education.
3. Procedures References on-the-job procedures and includes (but is not limited to):
Performing energized work.
De-energizing and re-energizing.
Lockout/tagout.
Job planning.
Arc flash hazard analysis.
Equipment labeling.
Reporting safety concerns.
Recordkeeping.
The employer must verify on a regular basis that
each worker is complying with the safety-related
work practices required by NFPA 70E. Managers and
supervisors must strictly adhere to the ESWP, attend
electrical safety training classes, and ensure that
all employees practice safe work practices every day.
Finally, should a natural disaster strike, employers and
employees should be familiar with emergency procedures and work practices.
3. Electrical Emergency Action Plan The purpose
of the electrical emergency action plan (EEAP) is to
understand the electrical assets, critical operational
infrastructure, risks, and short- and long-term power
restoration execution plans. Some of the benefits
include:
Reduced time to restore short- and long-term
power quickly and safely.
Reduced uncertainties when a disaster occurs.
Increased understanding of electrical assets,
available emergency services and availability of
replacements.
Knowing the immediate financial implications
when a disaster occurs.
NFPA 1600 provides a framework for a site-wide
disaster recovery program regardless of the risk type.
Although it does not include specific guidelines for
any particular system or hazard, its provisions help
September 2014 69

users manage potential disasters by having a common


set of guidelines for managing all disaster recovery
plans for a facility. From an electrical system perspective, NFPA 70B should be the first step in the electrical
system recovery plan. NFPA 70B provides guidance on
incorporating information and data essential to the
electrical system recovery plan into the maintenance
program for that system. In recognition of this relationship between maintenance and disaster recovery,
NFPA 70B introduced a disaster recovery chapter
in the 2013 edition which helps users determine
potential catastrophic events and categorize potential
impacts to the system. Up until then, electrical disaster recovery planning was based on experiences of the
individual or team who had electrical responsibilities.
One purpose of this paper is to provide guidelines on
developing an electrical emergency action plan and
provide examples of how such a plan saved or could
have saved facilities from excessive downtime.
Two real industry examples follow. Downtime, loss
of revenue and trouble could have been reduced from
a robust EEAP program. Note: Facility names will
remain anonymous.

Example 1: Transformer Disaster Recovery


Industrial Facility
Background Transformers are considered by corporate risk managers and insurers as the most critical
equipment in facilities because of the large quantity
of oil in contact with high-voltage elements. Service
entrance transformers are essential to operations.
Many facilities would experience downtime or lack
of productivity if the service entrance transformer is
being serviced or a disaster hindered its performance.
Furthermore, transformers can be custom-designed
for utilities and facilities, which makes finding a
replacement or spare parts complicated, especially in
an emergency.
A manufacturing facility that produced more than
US$1 million per day in product was struck by lightning. The strike started a fire in a 25-MVA transformer and caused extensive electrical equipment damage.
The fire was not contained in time and spread to the
adjacent transformer, resulting in complete power
loss. The main power transformer was specially rated
and the municipal power company did not have any
spares. The facility lacked an EEAP and the necessary
standby sources and equipment to quickly recover
from this event. The facility team began damage
assessments, secured an available temporary transformer, coordinated logistics and financial approvals
and hired an experienced electrical disaster recovery
team. The loss of electrical power lasted 23 days.

70 Iron & Steel Technology

Lessons Learned
1. An EEAP should provide details to understand
immediate actions, the sequence of engagement with recovery teams, spares available at
the facility or on the primary or secondary
market, and the financial impact to communicate to senior management.
2. To restore power as quickly as possible, identify critical electrical assets, the nearest available spares, rates and terms for both short- and
long-term requirements. For example, temporary 25-MVA transformers are hard to find
and, once located, lease for approximately
US$35,000 per month (excluding delivery
charges). In addition, lead times on new
replacement equipment can take months.
3. Outside resources may be required to help
manage power restoration, should another
disaster occur. Partner with organizations that
have the qualifications, resources and experience to handle the job. Items such as prenegotiated commercial terms and conditions,
defined scope of work, equipment pricing,
lead times, availability, and service agreements
streamline the power restoration process.

Example 2: Generator Disaster Recovery


Commercial Building With Businesses and
Data Center
Background On 12 May 2010, Nashville, Tenn.,
received a record 13 inches of rain, which caused
a devastating flood. Thirty people were killed and
damages exceeded US$2 billion. Also known as
Music City USA, Nashville is a key tourist area for
music lovers around the world. Due to its proximity
to the Cumberland River, downtown Nashville was
hit hard and floodwaters damaged many commercial
buildings. This example focuses on only one class A
commercial high-rise in downtown Nashville which
housed multiple businesses and a data center.
What Happened? The following timeline of events
depicts how the flooding affected downtown Nashville.
Times shown serve as general guidelines.
Sunday, 2 May
9 p.m. 
Municipal power was no longer able
to serve power to downtown Nashville.
The commercial building automatically
switched to emergency power and served
only vital data center operations. Teams
were deployed to the site to closely monitor data center and weather conditions.
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Figure 2
Monday, 3 May
12 a.m. 
Metropolitan police ordered a mandatory evacuation in downtown, which
left data center operations and security
vulnerable.
4:30 a.m. 
Selected personnel were allowed back
into downtown to perform key operations, including refueling of generators. Although rain had stopped, the
Cumberland River was steadily rising.
10 a.m. 
A decision was made to start soft
shutdown actions, but it was too late.
Generators flooded, which began a
31-hour data center outage. Through a
key relationship, a temporary generator
was located 20 miles south of the city.
Tuesday, 4 May
4:30 p.m. The data center was brought back on-line.
Wednesday, 5 May
Still with no lights, air conditioning or restroom
facilities, a 24-hour staff rotation was set up to monitor
the data center and the condition of the temporary
generator. The water level was still too high to assess
damage to the buildings generator.
Thursday, 6 May
The buildings generator was drained, and the damage was assessed. Spare parts were not immediately
available. Five days later, the generator was repaired
and power switched back to the building generator.
However, the temporary generator was retained as a
backup for a few additional weeks.
Thursday, 13 May
Nashville Electric Services (NES) restored power to
downtown Nashville, and the building switched from
generator to municipal power.
Lessons Learned Three key lessons were learned
from the aftermath of this historical flood.
1. Determine Priorities: The EEAP plan must
have a clear definition of what constitutes an
emergency and when to execute the EEAP.
In this case, only three hours were available
before a mandatory evacuation order was
issued. Prioritizing critical functions is essential to efficiently and safety restoring power.
2. Emergency Service Contracts: Searching for
temporary equipment after a disaster occurs
slows down the power restoration process
and can be very expensive. The EEAP should
include emergency service contracts to guarantee disaster recovery team response time,
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Key Learning
3 hours before
mandatory evacuation
EAP Priorities
31 hours of data
center downtime
Emergency
Service Contracts
5 days to bring back
building generator
Critical Spare
Parts
Event impact and electrical emergency action plan areas.

critical equipment pricing, lead times, and a


deployment strategy with details on setting up
and operating a command center to meet an
organizations needs.
3. Critical Spare Parts: Having a current singleline electrical diagram of the power distribution system is crucial to efficiently restoring
power. Use the drawing to pinpoint the electrical equipment critical to business operations.
Identify the equipments critical spare parts
availability, pricing and lead times for custommade parts.
In some cases, EEAP programs should be approved
by customers and facility management companies.
Why? Consider this example: A customer leases multiple floors (one floor being a data center) from a
large building management company. The customers
IT manager may have no control over the equipment
feeding power to office space and data center. In
this type of situation, clear roles and responsibilities,
work scopes and agreed-upon emergency actions are
vital to a long-term relationship between the building
owner and the customer.

Developing an Electrical Emergency Action


Plan
The development of an EEAP may seem overwhelming. Below is a step-by-step guide to help customers be
prepared in the event of an emergency.
September 2014 71

1. Define the Criteria of an Emergency


Lighting strikes on service entrance transformers and flooding of backup generators clearly
indicate operational states of emergency. Are
the tripping of circuit breakers or power quality issues considered emergencies? When productivity is impacted, it can be confusing as to
when a state of emergency should be declared.
The EEAP should clearly define what constitutes an electrical emergency.
2. Identify Electrical Equipment Critical to
Business Operations On the single-line diagram, trace the power from the incoming utility source to every piece of electrical equipment
feeding critical business operations. Perform
an analysis on each of these critical assets to
include availability in the market, lead times,
and a plan of action if and when the equipment is no longer functional. For most critical
assets, it is necessary to understand the costs
of temporary rentals, logistics, contacts, and
testing requirements for both temporary and
permanent power restoration. For example, a
special transformers spare parts may not be
available in the primary market, i.e., the local
electric municipality. Therefore, it is a good
practice to determine available suppliers, and
acquire budgetary pricing and lead times on
the secondary market.
3. Selection of Outside Vendors and PreNegotiated Commercial Terms and Conditions
In the aftermath of a disaster, it may be
too late to negotiate pricing or lead times
for the required resources to restore electrical power. Without pre-negotiated emergency
service contracts, companies may suffer from
overpricing and insufficient support. In addition to pre-negotiated normal and emergency
rates, due diligence should include estimated
response time and procedures for large-scale
project coordination (see step 4). The selected
vendor(s) should have the depth and experience to handle major disasters.
4. Define Internal and External Responsibilities
The EEAP should clearly define who has
responsibility for what in restoring power
to the facility. It should also have details
on the customers responsibilities, such as
providing electrical one-line diagrams, energization procedures, and coordination and
communication activities between multiple

vendors through a central contact. Third-party


vendor(s) should also provide a clear procedure on how they will approach an emergency
at a facility, including assessing damage, mobilizing resources, appointing a project manager
and establishing a command center.
5. Define the Equipment and Service Scope
This section will further define the equipment
and associated work scope. For example, an
electrical distribution service company can
define the equipment scope to be from the
utility service entrance (13.8 kV) to low-voltage switchgear (480 V). The associated work
scopes include equipment installation and
commissioning in both temporary and permanent scenarios.
6. Emergency Contract Terms Emergency
contracts should be written for a specific
time period, with an expiration date. It is also
recommended to add expiration dates to the
EEAP plan for self-auditing purposes. A suggested best practice is to audit the EEAP when
the ESWP is being audited, which is every
three years according to NFPA 70E 2012.
7. Contact Information This section of the
EEAP should include the latest contact information for anyone (internal or external) who
has a defined responsibility in restoring power
due to an emergency.

Conclusion
When a natural disaster strikes, its impact on individuals, communities and businesses can be devastating.
Restoring electrical power is a crucial part of the
recovery process. Regardless of the industry or facility type, having a detailed ESWP and EEAP can help
recovery efforts. Multiple standards exist from OSHA,
NFPA and NEMA to serve as a guide for businesses
to help them understand and develop a contingency
plan in the event of an emergency or natural disaster.

References
1. ServePro, http://www.servpro.com/ready.
2. Managing the Escalating Risks of Natural Catastrophes in the
United States, Lloyds Insurance Report, October 2011.
3. Evaluating Water-Damanged Electrical Equipment, National
Electrical Manufacturers Association, 2011.
F

To nominate this paper for the AIST Hunt-Kelly Outstanding Paper Award, visit AIST.org/huntkelly.
This paper was presented at AISTech 2013 The Iron & Steel Technology Conference and Exposition, Pittsburgh, Pa., and published in the Conference Proceedings.

72 Iron & Steel Technology

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