Preparing for Electrical Power Interruptions

Pre-planning reduces business interruption risks.

A blackout is a momentary or identify each major component with prolonged loss of power. A blackout a unique name. In addition to can result in lost or corrupted data, showing the equipment identifier on Hartford Steam Boiler failures of process control the drawing, a permanent equipment One State Street equipment, and loss of products or label should be mounted onto the P.O. Box 5024 services. A brownout is a significant component itself. This greatly Hartford, CT 06102-5024 voltage reduction which results in reduces the possibility of operating Tel: (800) 472-1866 www.hsb.com similar problems. Both of these the wrong piece of equipment during conditions can be considered power an outage. June 2012 interruptions or outages. A power interruption can happen for any Critical Loads number of reasons and at any time of the day or year. Planning for this Once the design of the system is well event, which will happen sooner or documented and understood, it is later, is key. What can you do to important to identify critical loads prepare for a power interruption? that will require power in the event of a power outage. Typically, standby Know Your System generation cannot be provided for all of the facility’s loads, so decisions The first step is to become need to be made as to what thoroughly familiar with the equipment is absolutely essential electrical system in your facility. during the outage. Once identified, Some electrical systems can be these loads should be clearly marked complex, that’s why it’s important to on the one-line diagrams as being have updated electrical system “critical loads.” documentation available. If you do not have one-line diagrams that Depending on the importance of the accurately reflect the present critical loads and the possibility of configuration of your system, then being without power for a given step number one of your plan is to period of time, you may consider get them updated. installing an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) and a permanent An effective one-line diagram will standby generator (with auto-start) clearly show how the main to power certain equipment. It is components of the electrical system imperative that the running load of are connected, including redundant each critical circuit (measured in equipment and available spares. amperes) be known so that you know Details on equipment ratings are what size generator(s) will be typically shown, and it is helpful to required. The kilowatt and voltage Hartford Steam Boiler Page 2/3 Electrical Power Interruptions

ratings of each generator needed accordance with all national and practice runs, will enable smooth and should be readily available prior to local electrical codes? Is your staff decisive response during an the outage to expedite your adequately trained to do this work? If extended outage and help avoid lost response. not, make arrangements with an data. experienced, reliable contractor to If portable generation is the best provide these services. Surge Protection alternative for your facility, but purchasing a standby unit is Once you know your critical circuits Probably the greatest cause of impractical, you may want to arrange and their corresponding generator damage to equipment from a power a rental agreement with a ratings, you should develop testing interruption is from the electrical dependable local vendor. Be sure to procedures to ensure that the surges that occur before, during and consider such things as how many generators can carry the critical after a power interruption. By generators they have in stock, how loads. The installed standby installing a surge protection device they will be delivered, what is the generators should be tested (SPD) on the incoming electrical guaranteed response time, and what quarterly under actual load service of a building, the damage service is included if a generator has conditions. If this is not practical, at caused by most externally generated problems. Also, find out where you the very least each generator should surges can be greatly reduced. rank on their list of priority be started and run for approximately Further protection is achieved if customers. When the outage 45 minutes each month. Make sure SPDs are installed on distribution happens, everyone will be looking for that generator testing meets all panels supplying critical or sensitive rental generators. requirements for state and federal loads, and locally at the equipment emissions regulations. Also make itself. This layering of SPDs You need to plan how each generator sure that each generator fuel tank is throughout a facility is known as a will be connected during the outage. full and that you know where and “Zone of Protection” approach, and is Is it practical to install manual how to get fuel during the course of the most effective way of protecting transfer switches near the critical the outage. Test your fuel for the your facility against electrical surges. panels ahead of time so they are presence of water and replace fuel available to easily transfer the load to that is more than one year old. Loss of Telephone Service the generators? Are spare cables, properly sized for the load, stored If your facility has computer loads or Telephone service interruptions with the generator(s) to ensure the communications systems that utilize affecting a significant geographical hook-up can be done quickly? Has a UPS to ride through short-term area usually do not result in property the rotation of three phase circuits (if outages, you should develop damage. However, if interruption of any) been pre-determined and procedures for having an orderly communications would affect your labeled to ensure proper connection shutdown. Typically, a UPS will business adversely, alternative of the generator to the critical loads? provide power for only a short period communications should be Do you have formal written of time (15-60 minutes) to allow you considered. procedures explaining how to to back-up system and data files, and connect each generator to its bring the systems down. Preparing emergency loads? Is the plan in for this scenario now, and performing

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Having well-written, easily closest to the supply source first. understood procedures that can be Then close circuit breakers or turn on followed without confusion will switches one at a time, working facilitate a quick response when an toward the load, until all of the outage occurs. Ensure that the equipment is energized and power is electrical systems documentation is restored. This procedure also should kept in a central location. The same be followed when connecting goes for the list of standby portable standby generators to generators, the loads to which they critical loads. Make sure the circuit will be connected, and the step-by- breakers and disconnect switches in step procedures on how to connect the circuit are open before the each portable generator. generator is started. Then slowly close one breaker or switch at a time, Procedures should include steps for working from the source (generator) disconnecting or turning off all loads to the load (equipment). (even the loads that are not running when the power is out), as well as Careful pre-planning is the key to specific steps for bringing loads back successfully reducing risk to your on line when power is restored. This business caused by a power will limit the exposure of the interruption. Take steps today to equipment to electrical surges and protect your business from the Power Outage Procedures may aid in controlling the facility’s adverse effects of power monthly electrical peak demand interruptions. So far, we have focused on actions charges during restoration. you can and should take before the power outage occurs. There is no Start by simply turning electrical doubt that proper planning in equipment to the OFF position. Next, advance will make your response to open circuit breakers or disconnect an outage that much more effective. switches to isolate equipment. Then, But what should you do when the when power is restored, close circuit outage occurs? breakers and disconnect switches

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