07/11/24 PUC Open Meeting - Beryl Restoration Briefing

Click here for the full 07/11/24 PUC Open Meeting Summary

HURRICANE BERYL

Project No. 56793 – Issues related to the Disaster Resulting from Hurricane Beryl. (Discussion and possible action including receiving updates from utility service providers on the extent of infrastructure damage and estimated restoration timelines and announcing that the Commission will exercise discretion in the enforcement of certain rules to help utilities maintain focus on restoration efforts.)

Chad Burnett, AEP Texas, Beryl Restoration Efforts

• Chad Burnett provided an update on AEP Texas's storm recovery efforts and preparations for Hurricane Beryl.
• AEP Texas has significant coastal exposure from Brownsville to Bay City El Campo area.
• Hurricane drills are conducted annually to prepare staff for hurricane season.
• On July 3, Level One Incident Command System was initiated in line with FEMA guidelines, anticipating Beryl's landfall.
• Preparations included alerting the commission and community leaders and coordinating with emergency operations centers.
• Weather projections changed multiple times, affecting preparation strategies.
• AEP Texas secured 4500 resources and 1200 crews from various states.
• By Monday's landfall, 35,000 customers lost power, mainly in Bay City, Palacios, and El Campo.
• 94% of customers had power restored by the morning of the report.
• Chad emphasized the resilience of modern design standards in new infrastructure.
• Collaborative efforts among crews and overcoming communication challenges were highlighted.
• A successful restoration example in El Campo was shared, where critical infrastructure was restored promptly.
• The community expressed appreciation for the line workers' efforts, including arranging a lunch on National Line Worker Appreciation Day.
• Overall, Chad commended the team for their dedication and efforts in storm recovery.

Commissioner's Questions to Chad Burnet, AEP Texas

• 94% of customers have been restored; over 2000 customers remain without power.
• Expected restoration for 95% of customers by the end of the day.
• Resiliency plan will include information on pole types and damage.
• New standards involve larger poles and closer spacing.
• Mutual assistance involved many partners beyond AEP during the storm.
• Procedures for mutual assistance include coordination, safety, and logistics.
• Successful preparation included inventory buildup ahead of hurricane season.
• Coordination with water districts and other critical facilities was effective.
• Updated lists of critical facilities maintained by community affairs managers.
• Importance of understanding the location of fallen trees for vegetation management.
• Need to learn from other states like Florida for improved resiliency.
• Discussion on the effectiveness of hardened infrastructures in reducing restoration time and costs.

 Stacy Whitehurst, TNMP, Beryl Restoration Efforts

• Stacy Whitehurst, VP of Regulatory Affairs for TNMP, discussed efforts in preparedness and restoration post-Hurricane Beryl.
• TNMP conducted a hurricane drill in May and subscribes to an advanced weather analytics service.
• Received early notifications about the disturbance that became Hurricane Beryl and monitored its development closely.
• Participated in early situational calls with the Texas Department of Energy Management and activated emergency operations plan.
• Deployed additional crews, including transmission and distribution line crews and vegetation management crews, in anticipation of the hurricane.
• Hurricane Beryl's path affected TNMP's service territory, resulting in significant power outages and infrastructure damage.
• Peak customer outage reached approximately 116,000 customers; most power restored by Wednesday following the hurricane.
• Detailed mobilization of resources including internal linemen, contract linemen, mutual assistance linemen, and vegetation management workers.
• Emphasized the extensive damage caused by fallen and uprooted trees.
• Current customer outages are approximately 57,000; efforts to clear vegetation for repair work continue.
• TNMP is using drones to assist in damage surveys and has added additional vegetation management resources.
• Restoration efforts are ongoing 24/7 with crews working in 16-hour shifts.
• Communication through social media, website updates, and new email address for outage reporting due to phone service issues.
• Coordination with retail electric providers regarding disconnections and service orders.
• Efforts to generate billing and usage data, including providing estimated data where actual data isn't available.
• Aim to restore bulk of customers by the weekend, with some areas possibly extending into next week.
• Continuous real-time discussion and needs assessment with field supervisors.
• Gratitude expressed towards TNMP employees and mutual assistance partners

Commissioner's Questions to Stacy Whitehurst, AEP Texas

• Crews are specialized and need specific types of crews for different issues.
• Assessment phase is critical to determine the appropriate crew needed.
• There is frustration as linemen often need to wait for vegetation management to clear paths.
• Assessment time was usual, but vegetation was more abundant and impactful than expected.
• Extreme weather has caused more trees to fall into service areas.
• Understanding the time needed for vegetation management is challenging.

• Asked about the current restoration status.
• Inquired about the remaining customers without service and timelines for restoration.
• Queried the factors preventing restoration until next week.

• 75% of customers are restored.
• 30,000 customers remain without service.
• Efforts are in place to restore the majority by this weekend, some might remain until next weekend.
• Challenges include extensive damage on primary distribution systems and the need for line spotters to avoid hitting natural gas lines and telephone cables.
• Communication with customers about delays is ongoing.
• No mobile generation; awaiting final roles for deployment.
• Material supply is well-managed; working with integrated material supplier Irby for continuous deliveries and stock increase during critical seasons.
• Certain materials, like transformers, are difficult to procure quickly.

Additional Points

• Commissioners interested in data on utilities with mobile DG.
• Water and wastewater customers are prioritized in emergencies.
• Challenges in material procurement during critical times affect restoration efforts.

Eliecer Viamontes, Entergy, Beryl Restoration Efforts

• Acknowledged and thanked customers for their understanding during Hurricane Beryl.
• At the peak of the storm, 252,000 customers were without power, reduced to 105,000 in three days.
• No injuries occurred during the response efforts.
• Emphasized safety as a core value at Entergy.
• Prepared for the storm by activating emergency plans and storm command center prior to Hurricane Beryl's landfall.
• Experienced severe weather impact with winds up to 85 mph and a tornado near Jasper.
• Damages included 385 poles, 190 transformers, 2000 spans of wire, 44 substations, and loss of seven out of eight major transmission ties.
• No generation facilities were forced out of operation.
• Manually balanced a 60 Hz frequency to avoid a load shed event in the Woodlands and Conroe areas.
• Restoration goal was set to restore 50% of power by the end of the previous day and surpassed to 60%.
• Workforce of over 2400 involved in restoration efforts.
• Continuous customer communication through various channels including calls, texts, app alerts, website updates, and social media.
• Emphasized the importance of hardening the grid to reduce the extent and duration of outages.
• Stressed the need to enhance the transmission system and manage risks from down trees and flying vegetation.
• Highlighted the critical role of local generation in maintaining system reliability and stability.
• Commended the efforts of Entergy Texas employees and expressed commitment to continue restoring power.

Commissioner's Questions to Eliecer Viamontes, Entergy

• No damage reported in any generating facilities, including Orange County.
• 60% of customers have been restored, 105,000 still without power. Goal to reach 75% by Friday and over 90% by end of the week.
• Restoration efforts might have minimal carryover, aimed to be essentially restored by Sunday night.
• Information about estimated restoration times was posted online the previous night to help customers make decisions.
• Significant transmission system damage mainly due to vegetation, with half a dozen out of 25,000 transmission structures impacted.
• Initial resources for restoration were predominantly Entergy employees and contractors familiar with the system, improving efficiency.
• Unexpected sustained storm winds inland, with the most damage occurring in densely vegetated areas combining with densely populated service areas.
• Ellie Viamontes' Florida power and light experience is seen as beneficial and will be personally involved in the process.

Jason Ryan, CenterPoint, Beryl Restoration Efforts

• Jason Ryan provided an update on the restoration status at CenterPoint Energy during emergency operations.
• CenterPoint Energy serves almost 3 million homes and businesses in the Houston area.
• Acknowledgment of the ongoing work required to restore power and support the community.
• Recognition of National Line Workers Appreciation Day and the efforts of line workers.
• Temporary halt on processing disconnection requests from retail electric providers, to be assessed going forward.
• Detailed discussion of the recent storm’s unique characteristics and its impact on CenterPoint's service territory.
• Preparations included comprehensive training and requesting mutual assistance crews early on; total workforce increased to about 12,000.
• Deployment of temporary emergency generation to critical facilities and limited material issues noted.
• Damage primarily to the distribution system; minimal damage to transmission systems and substations.
• Extensive damage assessment conducted using various methods including on-foot inspection, helicopters, and drones.
• Establishment of staging sites for crews, including logistics and briefings.
• Over 50% of outages restored within two days; aiming for about 80% restoration by the end of the weekend.
• Communication efforts included media interviews, social media updates, and encouraging customers to sign up for power alert services.
• A continuous improvement approach with after-action reviews already underway.
• Jason Ryan closed by addressing the customers still without power and emphasized the ongoing efforts to restore service.

Commissioner's Questions to Jason Ryan, CenterPoint

• Importance of effective communication to rebuild trust post-storm.
• Need for community engagement through town halls or direct communication.
• Statistics on power outages with over 50% still affected, extending into the next week.
• Challenges in power restoration due to infrastructure rebuilds and debris removal.
• Coordination with the commissioner's office for community outreach.
• Assessment of equipment and material readiness, including diesel fuel for emergency generation.
• Plan for communication with customers experiencing extended outages.
• Details on mobile generation units available and their deployment strategy.
• Coordination with mutual assistance partners for additional generation resources.
• Safety of linemen and prolonged work shifts in extreme conditions highlighted.
• Detailed geographic areas affected by prolonged outages.
• Discussion on vegetation management vs. linemen resources for future storms.
• Proposal to improve real-time communication with customers about restoration processes.
• Recognition of efforts from line workers and emergency operations center staff.
• Suggestion for comprehensive review of different types of weather events affecting Texas and the need for structured planning.