For a utility company, being able to restore power quickly and safely to customers after a storm causes outages is really about what happens before the storm hits.  Storm recovery practices have evolved over the years, and it’s clear that at AVANGRID, investing in preparation before a storm, speeds restoration for customers after.

Year -round system investments are the best prevention:  AVANGRID companies maintain regular tree trimming schedules. Keeping trees and limbs from falling onto lines and poles in high winds and driving rain is the most effective way to prevent outages during a storm.  Additional investments in more durable “treewire”, taller, stronger utility poles and automation functions that can remotely reroute power on circuits following an outage, keep outage numbers down.

Smarter tools: The installation of “Smart Meters” is perhaps one of the most significant evolutionary steps in modern utility management.  By receiving signals from meters, companies know where the outages are, and how many customers are impacted, allowing them to respond with the proper numbers of crews to address the scope of the outage.

Put people where you need them- ahead of time: In many companies, line crews never used to travel out of their home service districts, we now plan before storms to position crews where they are most going to be needed based on weather forecasts.  We secure the availability of contract crews ahead of time. We have a formal storm logistics planning function responsible for food and lodging to maximize line workers’ time in the field. Lineworkers work a strict 17 hours with seven hours of rest to ensure safety.

Practice, Practice, Practice: Avangrid electric and gas companies conduct drills, after-action reporting and year-round training to ensure we are always learning from one storm or event to another. We communicate with County and local Emergency Management Agency officials so that we understand local priorities during a storm when roads must be cleared, and critical facilities restored first.

AVANGRID companies strive to provide safe, reliable power all the time. But we know that it is most important to customers to have service restored quickly after a storm.  So, we plan for it. Every day.