How We Plan For and Prepare To Deal With an Outage

When a large number of outages occur, there are many logistical details that must be worked out both before power restoration can begin and while it is being carried out. CWLP has a detailed emergency response plan in place for dealing with these logistical concerns and prioritizing restoration work. After outage events, utility officials review and, if necessary, modify the plan based on lessons learned from each event.

Power restoration logistical planning begins as soon as the utility becomes aware of impending extreme weather. Staffing at the utility's Dispatch Center is increased to handle incoming phone calls and line crews are placed on alert. When an outage occurs, crews begin damage assessment as soon as it is safe to do so. Depending on the severity of the damage and how widespread it is, this process can take anywhere from several hours to several days, and often continues after power restoration work is well underway.

Again, depending on the severity of the damage, another early step in the logistical process might involve issuing a request for assistance (mutual aid) from other utilities. During this same time, staff members are working with suppliers to obtain poles, wire and whatever other materials will be needed to repair or replace damaged equipment. As with the damage assessment, this process is typically ongoing throughout the restoration period.