Electrical Safety and Disaster Management PDF

Electrical Safety and Disaster Management In Unit 7, you have studied about various accidents that can take place in a power distribution utility, and measures for accident prevention and protection. In this unit, we focus on t...

Electrical Safety and Disaster Management In Unit 7, you have studied about various accidents that can take place in a power distribution utility, and measures for accident prevention and protection. In this unit, we focus on the management of disasters due to natural calamities and human actions, which tend to disrupt the power distribution network. You know that our country is blessed by nature: The Indian peninsula has the magnificent Himalayas guarding its frontiers in the North and a long coastal line on the other three sides. The land has abundant rivers criss-crossing its length and breadth. The Himalayan range is an immense source of flora and fauna and provides perpetual water supply to major rivers in the North and North-Eastern part of the country. But many a times, the same bountiful nature turns its wrath on us and we face natural calamities of untold agony and suffering. The Eastern coast often brings high winds and tides and severe cyclones at times. The long coastal line supporting the fortunes of sea is pounded by tides, cyclones and even tsunamis, which take a heavy toll on human lives and infrastructure including the power sector. Every year, we witness devastating floods due to incessant rains in many parts of the country and severe droughts in others. The mountainous regions are prone to landslides and many parts are earthquake- prone. In addition, there are many human acts, e.g., terrorist attcks, strikes, etc., that can have a disastrous impact on the power distribution system. Electricity is the lifeline of the economy as well as of the society. Any disruption in the supply of electricity at any time not only causes loss to the economy, but also creates hardship to human beings, as every aspect of human life is connected with electricity. Disasters are situations of great calamity and can strike suddenly anytime and anywhere. As such, any disaster and natural calamity can impact the power sector and lead to disruption in generation, transmission and distribution of electricity. Therefore, disaster management needs special attention and it is extremely important for all power utilities to have a Disaster Management Plan. A well-designed plan can help them restore power supply in the affected areas in the shortest possible time. In this unit, we discuss various types of disasters, their impact on the power sector, the measures that should be taken for disaster preparedness and the features of a well-designed Disaster Management Plan. We also present some case studies in Appendixes 1 to 3 of this unit to share the experiences of various power distribution utilities in managing disasters. Disaster (from Greek, meaning "bad star") is a natural or man-made event, which brings sudden great misfortune and disruption in normal life including that of the power supply. It negatively affects life, property, livelihood or 84 industry often resulting in permanent changes to human societies, ecosystems and environment. Disasters manifest as hazards exacerbating vulnerable Disaster conditions and exceeding individuals' and communities' means to survive and Management thrive. We begin by understanding the impact of various types of disasters on power systems. Types of Disasters Disasters in the power sector can occur due to natural calamities as well as human acts. These include: earthquakes; floods; storms; cyclones; droughts; terrorist threats/attack and sabotage; bomb threats and bomb explosions; strikes; major equipment failure. Floods along with cyclones are climate-related natural disasters, on which we have but little control. We can only try to manage them and reduce their severity only to a certain extent. Landslides / avalanches mainly occur due to geo-technical instability aggravated by lubricating and infiltrating water. The impact of these disasters and their multiplier effects on economies, national development and severity of affected infrastructures need to be adequately quantified to provide financial justification for undertaking relief measures. Events like earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, cyclones etc. have been studied statistically and scientifically and their occurrence and intensities can be predicted with a certain degree of confidence. However, there is no certainty that these events would not exceed the predicted values based on past history and cause disaster. But, if various equipment and systems of power generating plant and transmission system are designed after site-specific studies, taking into account stipulations of the various codes / standards on the subjects, damage to plants and equipment can be greatly minimized. We now discuss each of these types of disaster and their impact on the power system. In this section, we focus on natural calamities. We also highlight the pre-disaster preparedness and post-disaster activities that should be undertaken by power utilities for managing disasters. 8.2.1 Earthquakes Earthquakes are one of the most dangerous and destructive forms of natural hazards. THEY STRIKE SUDDENLY WITH LITTLE WARNING. They may Fig. 8.1: Impact of Earthquakes occur at any time of day or on any day of the year. 85 Electrical Safety and Impact of Earthquakes Disaster Management Earthquakes can devastate an entire city or a region of hundreds of square kilometres. A large earthquake gives rise to a series of violent motions in the ground, which set in motion the structures (e.g., buildings, roads, towers, bridges, transmission lines, etc.) on the earth’s surface. Each type of structure responds differently, depending on the type of materials it is made up of. Buildings collapse like packs of cards. They get reduced to piles of rubble in seconds, killing and injuring their inhabitants. Since the power distribution network spreads over the entire area with conductors running on metallic structures, it is most prone to the effects of the earthquake. Moreover, sensitive equipment gets activated when shaken by an earthquake and immediately interrupts power supply from the power grid. Fire is another concern immediately following an earthquake because of severed electrical lines. Fig. 8.2: Cyclones are devastating 8.2.2 Cyclones Cyclones are among the most awesome events that nature can produce, and pose a major threat to lives and property in many parts of the world. A cyclone’s destructive work is done by the high wind, flood-producing rains, and associated storm surges. The cyclonic storm dominates the ocean surface and lower atmosphere over tens of thousands of square kilometres. A cyclone is a tropical storm in which the Devastating floods from extremely heavy rainfall often accompany tropical winds reach speeds of cyclones. more than 120 km/h. and blow in a large Impact of Cyclones spiral around a relatively calm centre Cyclones can lead to tremendous loss of life, property and infrastructure, or “eye.” Simply stated, cyclones are giant particularly, in the vulnerable human settlements. Their vulnerability is whirlwinds in which the determined by the exposure to the storms, the degree to which the houses air moves in a large, and other structures can be damaged, and the likelihood that secondary tightening spiral effects could occur. Safety is also compromised by the damage to or around a centre of extreme low pressure, destruction of public installations and facilities, such as water and electrical reaching maximum plants, hospitals, and police stations. The impact of cyclones on the power velocity in a circular utility is immediate interruption of supply from the power grid due to network band extending outward 30 to 50 km disruption by cyclonic winds. Fire is another concern immediately following a from the edge of the cyclone because of severed electrical lines. eye of the cyclone. Near the centre, winds 8.2.3 Floods may gust to more than 320 km/h. Floods caused by overflowing rivers result from heavy rains or from the melting of winter snow, or from both. Floods in rivers differ from flash floods in their extent and duration. Flash floods are of short duration in small streams, while floods in rivers take place in river systems whose tributaries may drain large geographic areas and encompass many independent river basins. Floods on large river systems may continue for periods ranging from a few hours to many days. Flood flows in large river systems are influenced primarily 86 by variations in the intensity, amount, and distribution of precipitation. The condition of the ground − amount of soil moisture, seasonal variations in Disaster vegetation, depth of snow cover, and imperviousness due to urbanization − Management directly affects runoff. Silting, soil conditions, absorption capacity of the watershed, and the capacity of streams to carry runoff have an effect on the extent of the flooding. Impact of Floods Floods are natural hazards that are not, in and of themselves, disasters, but they can transform a vulnerable situation into a disaster. The vulnerability of a human settlement is determined by its exposure to flooding. The primary effects are power failure, electrocution and short circuit due to water logging in flooded areas as well as around the substation grids. In Table 8.1, we summarise the impact of natural calamities on power utilities. Table 8.1: Impact of Natural Calamities on Power Distribution Utilities and Their Roles Calamity Primary impact Secondary impact Earthquake Structural collapse and Landslides; collisions; Fires; Injury and death. Tsunamis; Floods; Power failure. Cyclone / Destruction of human Mudslides; Storm settlements; Power failure. Death and injuries by drowning, Structural collapses; Flying objects. Flood Drowning Mudslides; Inundated farmlands; Epidemics; Washing away of irrigation Power failure; systems; Short circuits; Change in the course of Electrocution. rivers or streams. 8.2.4 Disaster Preparedness Measures A trigger mechanism must be established by the utility to initiate the action for mitigation of disaster, as soon as information is received about any calamity which is likely to occur or has occurred. An illustrative check list of who has to do what should be prepared by each organisation for each of its sections, in case of emergency. The rescue operation for any disaster has to start right from the warning received from the Intelligence, meteorological organisations or any other State / Central agency. The rescue operation should concentrate 87 Electrical Safety and on life safety as the prime objective followed by attending to the injured and Disaster Management stopping the disaster from spreading further. Utilities should undertake the following general disaster preparedness measures: developing a disaster preparedness plan to sequence the activities and responsibilities of each department; training for first aid and trauma and maintaining stocks of medical supplies; establishing emergency communication systems as well as messages to the public regarding matters of health, safety, and security. reviewing the location of critical facilities such as hospitals, important buildings, communications installations, and other structures; formation of teams for search and rescue operations and teams for disaster assessment; and preparing plans and equipment for alternative electric supply as necessary. The role of the utilities also includes creating public awareness, preparedness planning, economic mitigation, search and rescue activities, establishing the distribution network of relief, disaster assessment, structural surveys and bringing the power distribution to normal service level. The focus should be on education and planning of the utility personnel. Conducting Public Awareness Programmes on a regular basis is equally important. The people living in the surroundings can play a vital role in the event of a disaster. Utilities should make the general public aware about potential hazards likely to occur in project area. Emphasis may be laid on the following aspects: Fixing permanent notice boards at all suitable places in the area displaying information related to assisting agencies, important telephone numbers, etc. Taking help from local youth organisations, voluntary organisations, educational institutions for spreading awareness about the safely measures and rescue operations in the event of a disaster. In addition, some specific measures need to be taken for earthquakes, cyclones and floods. These are described below. Earthquake-preparedness activities: Identification of safe sites where people living in areas threatened by landslides in secondary tremors could be relocated. Reviewing and upgrading the structural soundness of facilities that are essential for the operation of disaster response, such as grids, buildings, 88 communications installations, etc.  Preparing plans for clearing streets on a priority basis to provide Disaster emergency access. Management Additional activities for cyclone and flood-preparedness: Developing early warning and evacuation procedures for people under threat. Dewatering pump and barrier walls in cable trenches to prevent the water from entering the substation. We now present the post-disaster activities to be undertaken if any of these natural calamities occur in an area. 8.2.5 Post-disaster Activities A number of lessons for post-disaster activities have been learnt from experience. The response should include activities outlined in the preparedness stage, but the initial emphasis during the post-disaster period should be on search and rescue of victims, providing emergency medical assistance and relief to survivors. An exercise has to be commenced in parallel to conduct damage and needs assessment and respond to the crisis. The various activities in response to a disaster should include: evacuation of affected people from the area; provision of temporary lodging in case staff is left in office; provision of short-term basic life amenities such as food and water to the disaster-affected people and the stranded office staff; exchange of information in terms of event description, its severity and action plan; field/site surveys, damage assessment; identification of resources needed and their deployment viz., technical experts, human resources, equipment, spare parts and other materials; early restoration of power supply; re-establishing communications to quickly get information to the public about what they should do and where they can go for services; making contact with remote areas; providing construction related materials for reconstruction of damaged infrastructure; repair and reconstruction of “lifelines” − electrical services; technical, material, and financial assistance for the repair and reconstruction of offices and systems; financial assistance to emergency operation teams to enable their participation in recovery efforts; and post event investigation and analysis and strategy for the future. 89 Electrical Safety and Specific post-disaster and emergency activities after cyclones and Disaster Management floods are: dewatering; water purification; and epidemiological (which relates to the origin, nature, pathology and prevention of epidemic diseases) surveillance. In the next section, we discuss the disasters stemming from human actions. But before studying further, you may like to consolidate the information presented so far. !" !# List the activities that utilities must undertake in preparing to handle the natural disasters most likely to occur in your area. ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………… Terrorist attacks, bomb threats and bomb explosions, and strikes are some of the disasters that have their origin in human acts. We discuss the potential threats and the measures needed to protect power utilities from such disasters. 8.3.1 Terrorism Of all the forms of disasters, terrorism happens to be the deadliest in terms of loss of life and damage to the property. Acts of terrorism have grown over a period of time. Power generation and transmission installations form the prime target for such terrorist groups. The basic infrastructure in power sector such as dams, generating stations, EHV substations, load dispatch centres, distribution stations are vital national assets and these need to be protected against acts of terrorism. The terrorism related security aspects should be dealt with by using advanced technology in the areas of surveillance and proper intelligence network. Protection Measures against Terrorist Attacks To protect against a terrorist attack, utilities should be prepared with the following measures: strong security arrangements at all entry points to the power stations/sub- stations/load dispatch centres; 90  information to District Administration for taking appropriate security Disaster measures; Management entry of only authorized persons into the complex; continuous internal security in force at all times; close watch on suspicious persons, unattended vehicles around the complex and transmission of information regarding this to the Security and Administration Divisions; and provision of modern communication and information systems with suitable back ups. 8.3.2 Bomb Explosions and Bomb Threats Bomb explosions in Generating stations/Sub-stations/Load dispatch Centres, etc. can lead to major emergency through disruption in power supply. In the event of bomb explosion or a bomb threat, special measures need to be adopted under the guidance of experts. Several steps can be taken to prevent emergency situations arising from bomb explosions. For example, metal detecting machines must be placed at important locations such as Power System Control / Consumer Care Centre / Corporate Office and Stores in addition to proper surveillance and intelligence gathering. Bomb Threats The basic steps to be carried out in the event of a bomb threat are as follows: A thorough search by the security and police agencies that are well versed in dealing with such situations. Putting sand bags around the object, in case a bomb is found or Fig. 8.3: Bombs Need suspected, to reduce the impact of damage in the event of an explosion. Special Attention Summoning the nearest police or army unit trained in bomb disposal. Transmission of information immediately to Security and Administration Divisions of the utility 8.3.3 Security Measures Physical security of installations should include all possible measures to secure the entire premises. Security Measures at the Premises Boundary Fortifying the perimeter wall around the project area and making it as straight as possible around the premises. Constructing a peripheral road both inside and outside the perimeter wall (maintaining clear zones of 3 metres on both sides) to carry out mobile patrolling. 91 Electrical Safety and Proper illumination of the perimeter wall and provision of portable flood Disaster Management lighting and emergency lighting. Installing cameras and security alarms at important locations like Grid Stations and Power System Control to check the entry of outsiders and unwanted elements. Security Measures for Entry into Premises Minimum number of entry gates. Declaration of the premises as protected/prohibited place and regulation of entry to the premises and movement of material through proper passes. Separation of all vital installations by fencing and entry of the employees to be allowed only through special passes. Villagers/people living close to the Grid substations/transmission lines and associated communication facilities in remote areas should be taken into confidence about the need for protecting the power supply systems. It should be impressed upon them that their cooperation is crucial for protecting these installations from any harm from anti-social elements and harmful intentions/mischief of miscreants. 8.3.4 Strikes Strike by any section of the employees, construction workers or contractors in a generating station/sub-station/load dispatch centre could lead to an emergency situation and bring the system to a grinding halt if adequate alternate measures to run the generating station/sub-station/load dispatch centres are not taken. Identification of alternate human resource/outsourced workforce must be done in advance for managing emergencies arising out of strikes. It is easier to take precautions when a strike notice is given by the unions. Under such a situation the effect of strike is expected to be fairly widespread. Various decisions/actions to be taken in this phase are as follows: Concerned departments and various committees within the organisation should be alerted immediately. Disturbance situation should be assessed with regard to the type of personnel/unions involved, whether situation is likely to spread and status of the corrective action/negotiations initiated. Concerned Government and Labour Department should be informed in writing, specifying the background leading to the agitation and the assistance required from Government/Labour Department. Fig. 8.4: Strikes can Create Sufficient water should be arranged in tanks, drums, etc. in different areas Emergencies to meet emergency situation. 92  Sufficient reserve stock of fuel oil and other consumable items needed for Disaster keeping the system in operation should be maintained. Management Adequate provisions should be made (for food, cots, mattresses, etc.) for executives and other running staff to stay inside the grid station/sub station premises for prolonged period during the strike. Legal status of the strike should be examined and communicated to all concerned. The dangers and the threats during strike need to be assessed and appropriate planning done to counteract such events. Arrangements should be made for additional workforce for running the grid stations/substations. The organisation must also keep a list of the retired persons from the grid station during the past 2-3 years so that their services can be utilized under such eventualities. A list of resourceful contractors should be kept ready who would be able to supply skilled/unskilled workforce in the event of any emergency. Disturbed Stage Whenever disturbance occurs due to strikes, the following actions/decisions need to be taken by the management: Activation of all security measures both within and outside the organisation. Information to local authorities, respective regional load dispatch centre and the personnel within the organisation. Review of attendance within the organisation and their placement. Switch over to two shift operation of 12 hours each and issuing instructions to the concerned personnel regarding the same and their placement in two shifts. Activation of control room, which should form the nodal point for all activities within and outside the organisation. Activation of various committees, e.g., for maintaining continuous supplies of food, medicines, etc., liaison with District Authorities for necessary assistance, making emergency arrangements, operation and maintenance of units already commissioned, Review of the legal status of the strike and communication to all concerned. Press release may also be considered at appropriate stage. Activation of service functions like armed/un-armed security transport for executives and the sincere and committed workers, canteen, accommodation, etc. Evaluation of the scope for further negotiations with the unions and initiation of action on the same. 93 Electrical Safety and Receipt of reports from Intelligence Groups/loyal workers and taking Disaster Management necessary action. Maintaining the morale of those employees who have not joined the strike − a pre-requisite for smooth operation of power station/grid, sub- station during the strike situation. Identification of Essential Areas: The technical as well as non-technical staff in grid stations and substations needs to be trained for manning the essential areas during the strike. Safe storage of vital records: Vital records should be duplicated and kept in a safe place to protect them from accidental fire as well as sabotage. Provision of facilities like rest/sleep at nights, daily needs, etc. in the premises. Alternative communication arrangements independent of power line communication and normal telephone department system should be provided as those are likely to be disconnected during commotion or due to sabotage/fire, etc. Grid Stations should have walkie-talkie sets of appropriate capacity to cover the farthest point of the installation for effective communication. Each station should be able to arrange for vehicles with public address system, which can be used to make necessary announcements. Similarly, main gate/gates may also have public address facilities for dissemination of announcement. Emergency lights, DC operated invertors and generators, etc. must be arranged for providing relief when the power supply gets affected both in the normal or strike situation. $# " Evaluate the preparedness of your utility in the event of a disaster due to a bomb explosion, terrorist attack and strike. ………………………………………………………………………………………. …………………………………………………………………………………….... ……………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………. ………………………………………………………………………………………. ………………………………………………………………………………………. ………………………………………………………………………………………. 94 8.3.5 Major Equipment Failure of Electricity Grid Disaster Management The integrated operation of vast and complex electricity grid like the one existing in the country demands utmost vigil and care. Natural calamities as well as human acts can have a devastating effect on the Electricity Grid. Under extreme wind conditions, the conductors of transmission lines may get snapped or transmission line towers may collapse. Floods, landslides and earthquakes cause damage to or failure of foundations of towers. This may sometimes lead to disruption of the transmission network due to uprooting of foundations and consequent collapse of the tower. Floods also cause disruption in power transmission in case substations are affected by the floods. In addition to this, terrorist attacks, fire accidents may also cause damage to transmission lines, substations which, in certain cases, may lead to grid failure and could black out the entire region for a considerable period of time. Various faults, equipment failure/mal-operations are other common causes of grid failure. Possible mishaps in transmission system in the event of disasters due to various natural calamities and crises are: snapping of conductors; collapse of transmission towers; washing away of foundation for river crossing towers; landslides in hilly terrains affecting towers of the line; flooding of substations; and destruction / fire in substations. Fig. 8.5: Mishaps in the Transmission System Due to Natural Calamities 95 Electrical Safety and In the event of a grid failure, coordinated actions are required to be taken at Disaster Management the generating stations, substations and transmission for speedy restoration of power supply. We shall discuss them in the next section when we take up the disaster management plan. You may like to attempt an SAQ first. ( ! ) !" " *+ Outline the reasons for the failure of electricity grid when a disaster strikes. ………………………………………………………………………………………. …………………………………………………………………………………….... ……………………………………………………………………………………… % & ' Disaster management encompasses all such activities that enable various agencies to plan for, quickly respond to and to recover from unexpected events and situations. Disaster Management Plan in the power sector is a tool to provide necessary guidelines to organisations engaged in the generation, transmission and distribution of electrical power for ensuring safety of people, protection of environment, protection of installations and restoration of power supply. It is intended to establish policies, procedures and organisational structure for response to emergencies that are of a magnitude to cause a significant disruption of the functioning of all or a portion of the power distribution area. The first step in planning for disaster management involves assessing which areas are prone to which kinds of natural or man-made disasters. 8.4.1 Disaster Zoning for Natural Calamities Disaster zoning refers to identifying the areas having similar parameters on the average. Suitable margins and factor of safety are considered in the design of structures to sustain the severity according to the zone characteristics. However, the intensity, suddenness and extent of any natural calamity are beyond any perfect assessment and have to be effectively managed in the event of its occurrence. 96 A. Zoning for Earthquakes Disaster Management Earthquakes occur due to movements along faults that have evolved through geological and tectonic processes. The extent of the impact of an earthquake depends on its magnitude, location and time of occurrence. Geological Survey of India and India Meteorological Department monitor Based on data the earthquake hazards of the country. A macro-level map has been collected the world prepared, which divides the country into five zones of various probable over, natural calamities maximum intensities on an increasing scale. Zone-I includes that part of like earthquakes, the country where seismic risk is minimum and Zone-V covers that portion cyclones, floods, etc., have been studied of the country where seismic risk is the highest. The Bureau of Indian extensively. It has Standards has published a code namely, IS: 1893 for the earthquake become possible to resistance designs of various structures including structures for predict their intensities power plants. Power supply installations are either located to avoid high with certain degree of seismic zones or designed as per BIS codes. All the buildings and other confidence so that infrastructures must be designed as per these codes, keeping in view the structures/ suitable design margins and factor of safety. equipment/machinery, etc., can be designed B. Flood Plain Zoning to withstand the effect of these forces. The basic concept of flood plain zoning is to regulate land use in the flood Seismic loads as well plains in order to restrict damage by floods, which are likely to occur from as wind loads have time to time. The flood plain zoning as such aims at determining the been measured in the country by various locations and the extent of areas likely to be affected by floods of different organizations like magnitudes / frequency and to develop these areas in such a fashion that Indian Meteorological the resulting damage is reduced to a minimum. The Central Water Department, Commission has carried out the flood plain zoning in some of the river Geological Survey of basins in the country. India etc. As regards floods, the Central As per the concept of flood plain zoning, the flood plain has been classified Water Commission is into three categories: Prohibitive zone, Restricted zone and Warning involved in the zone. measurement of discharge data of For the purpose of regulating land use in different flood zones, different major rivers. types of buildings and utility services have been grouped under three priorities as given below: Priority-1: Defence installations, industries, and public utilities like hospitals, electrical installations, water supply, telephone exchange, PROHIBITIVE aerodromes, railway stations; commercial centres, etc., Priority-2: Public institutions, Govt. offices, Universities, Public RESTRICTIVE Libraries and Residential Areas. Priority-3: Parks and Playgrounds. WARNING As per this zoning, no power project should be located within the flood zone corresponding to a 100 years frequency or the maximum observed Fig. 8.6: Classification flood level. The foundation level of power plants is kept at least 1.0 m of Flood above the maximum observed flood level or flood level of 100-year Plains frequency to avoid any damage due to floods. 97 Electrical Safety and In the next section, we shall discuss the objectives and scope of the Disaster Disaster Management Management Plan. But before studying further, you may like to review these concepts. % , + Explain the need for zoning for natural disasters. What zoning schemes are in practice for earthquakes and floods? ………………………………………………………………………………………. …………………………………………………………………………………….... ……………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………….... ……………………………………………………………………………………… 8.4.2 Objectives and Scope of the Disaster Management Plan The objectives of the Disaster Management Plan should be to: improve the state of preparedness to meet any contingency; reduce the response time in organizing assistance; identify major resources (human, material and equipment) needed to make the plan operational; and make optimum use of the combined resources. Scope of the Plan The Disaster Management Plan should spell out the roles and responsibilities of departments, teams units and personnel during emergency situations. It should address several specific types of emergencies on an individual basis, providing guidelines for the stabilization and recovery from the incident. These include emergency instructions and references in a concise format for the individuals designated to manage the resources. It should encompass the preparation, response and recovery of utility personnel and resources for emergency situations. It should facilitate inter- agency coordination between responding agencies. The main thrust of the plan should be to make the utility employees familiar with the various kinds of emergencies and disasters which can affect the power sector and the action plan to tackle them. The basic emergency procedures are designed to protect lives and property through effective use of the available resources both of the utility and the community. Since an emergency may be sudden and without warning, these procedures should be designed to be flexible in order to accommodate 98 contingencies of various types and magnitudes. The plan should be made for three levels and types of emergencies: Disaster Management LEVEL 1 − MINOR INCIDENT: A minor incident is defined as a local event with limited impact, which does not affect the overall functional MINOR INCIDENT capability of the organisation. Planning response is carried out at a limited local level (e.g. in a building/zone/grid). The Disaster Management Plan Local Event with would not be activated at this level. Limited Impact LEVEL 2 − EMERGENCY: An emergency is defined as a serious event that significantly disrupts one or more operations of the utility. In this multiple locations/area are involved: the Disaster Management Plan would EMERGENCY be activated to the extent necessary. LEVEL 3 − DISASTER Serious Event with Wider Impact A well-defined and comprehensive Disaster Management Plan should typically involve the following three types of response elements: Operational response − to get the disruption under control as quickly as DISASTER possible so that normal operation is resumed. Management response − to allocate resources and make critical Fig. 8.7: Three Levels decisions needed to resolve the situation. of Emergencies Communication response − to communicate with employees, their families, officials, other agencies and media. The plan should facilitate the setting up of an appropriate system for disaster management in the utility. - ( &. Though the prime focus of activities would be at the actual installations that are affected due to impending or actual event, a comprehensive disaster management system should be in place with initiatives/support at regional and central level especially in case of major disasters affecting the plant, installation or site. It is necessary to have an integrated approach at the national level to monitor and meet the various situations arising out of the crisis in the power sector. A 4-tier structure should be in place for the purpose (Fig. 8.8) with intervention and response depending on the severity of the disaster/calamity. Natural calamities may be broadly grouped into major and minor types depending upon their potential to cause damage to human life and property. While the central and regional level interventions are necessitated for major calamities, the state and local agencies should respond to minor incidents. Disaster management groups should be set up at all levels. 99 Electrical Safety and 8.5.1 Constitution of Disaster Management Groups Disaster Management The responsibilities of Disaster Management Groups up to the State level are described below: A. Central Level Disaster Management Group (CDMG) CENTRAL LEVEL Responsibilities To facilitate development of comprehensive disaster management plan REGIONAL and policy formulations at the national level. LEVEL To facilitate support from other national and state level agencies. To coordinate the assistance in terms of human resources and STATE materials at the national level. LEVEL To act as information source desk for all related developments in the event of a disaster. LOCAL B. Regional Level Disaster Management Group (RDMG) UNIT LEVEL Responsibilities Fig. 8.8: Structure of the Disaster To provide inter-state emergency and start up power supply. Management System To coordinate early restoration of transmission system. To participate in damage assessment. To facilitate resource movement to affected state(s) from other regional states. C. State Level Disaster Management Group (SDMG) Responsibilities To mobilize resources for restoration To ensure that disaster management plans are in place. To mobilize financial resources. To facilitate inter-agency support. To coordinate information. To facilitate damage assessment. Setting up of Control Rooms A three-tier controlling system may be set up for disaster management: Central Control Room with headquarters at Delhi. Regional/State level Control Room to be located at a convenient place in the region/State. Power Station / Grid substation level Control Room. These Control Rooms should work in a well coordinated manner. The main objectives of these control rooms should be to pool up all the possible 100 resources to ensure continuity of power supply in the country. The control Disaster rooms should have: Management fast communication facilities for exchanging and updating information. (Direct hot line communication and equipment have to be provided for this purpose). list of minimum workforce required for continuous operation and maintenance of a particular utility on 24 hours basis with 2 or 3 shifts operation. (A complete list of the personnel/experts at national/ regional level for the operation and maintenance of the utilities should be maintained so that in case of emergency, the experts may be sent for quick fault finding and restoration of power supply.) Regular mock exercises for different types of crisis should be monitored by these control rooms to achieve the best possible response and efficiency of services under disturbed condition. Since the plant level emergency management group shoulders the major responsibility in disaster management, we would like to deal with its role and responsibilities in some detail. But before that, we would like you to attempt an SAQ to test your understanding! - +# & / Outline the responsibilities of the Disaster Management Groups at the Central, Regional and State levels. ………………………………………………………………………………………. …………………………………………………………………………………….... ……………………………………………………………………………………… 8.5.2 Plant Level Emergency Management Group A. Responsibilities To direct actions within the affected area taking into consideration the priorities for safety of plant / installation, personnel, minimize damage to plant and equipment, property and the environment. To direct fire and security personnel for immediate action. To ensure that all non-essential workers / staff in the affected area are evacuated to safer places. To set up communication points. To report all developments and requirements / assistance needed. 101 Electrical Safety and To preserve all evidence in order to facilitate any inquiry into the Disaster Management factors and circumstances which caused or escalated the emergency To coordinate with the District Administration for necessary financial, medical assistance and maintenance of law and order, etc. B. Damage Assessment Immediately following a disaster, an initial damage assessment must be performed by the plant level emergency management group (EMG) to assess the impact of disaster on the electrical infrastructure. The assessment should provide a rough estimate of the type and the extent of damages, including probable cost and the need for financial assistance. When the information has been collected it should be transmitted to the State and the Central Government. Once the State receives the preliminary damage assessment information, the State and the Central Government teams have to initiate a joint damage assessment. The joint damage assessment team comprising local, State and Central Government officials would conduct the assessment to determine the area of impact, the severity and magnitude of damage and the resulting unmet needs of the substations/transmission systems, etc. When the State and local resources are inadequate to effectively respond to an emergency or disaster, the Central assistance should be sought by the State. C. Alert Notification Depending upon the nature of emergency, the EMG should be put on high alert. The following actions should be taken in this respect: i) Pre-Alert Notification: This type of notification is mainly used for disseminating an important piece of information concerning slowly developing emergencies which can either be rectified or would take some time before they turn into a disaster. ii) Alert Notification: An alert notification implies that although a disaster is not imminent, aggravation of the situation could lead to crisis unless conditions improve. Plant Level EMG and local officials should be alerted that an unsafe situation is developing. iii) Warning Notification: A warning notification implies that a disaster is imminent; an advance action may be initiated for minimizing the damages/ rescue operations. The warning notification, indicating the magnitude of disaster should be communicated to other concerned in the region. iv) Notification Responsibility: In case of developing crisis situation, the project authorities are responsible for issuing proper notification to District / State / Central level agencies, depending upon the severity of the disaster. 102  Disaster D. Advanced Preparedness Management For effective preparedness to face the disasters and to avoid last minute arrangements in panic conditions, the following aspects should be covered as an organisational practice: Well-documented emergency plans. Data on availability of resources and buffer stocks of restoration materials. Identification of key personnel: with their skills and experience on the disaster management. Allocation of budget for emergencies. “Delegation of Power” at various levels for disaster conditions. Mutual assistance agreements signed by all power utilities for sharing men and material resources on demand. The EMG should maintain the following: Safety data pertaining to all hazardous materials likely to cause emergency. Procedure of major and special fire fighting, rescue operations, first aid, etc. Procedures for tackling harmful gases and other chemical leakages. Emergency call out list of persons drafted for emergency control, key personnel, fire safety, first aid, Medical, Security, Police and District Administration Authorities. Emergency manuals, Blown up area maps, District Phone directory, Public address system, Emergency lights, etc. Identification of personnel for mock drills and training. E. Post Disaster Response and Recovery Stage The following features need to be kept in mind for an efficient recovery system: Clear hierarchy of command system. Mobilization of damage assessment teams. Mobilization of teams for establishment of base camps /infrastructure. Officer for communication with the outside environment / press etc. Predefined staff for coordination with other agencies for restoration. Management of funds and resources. 103 Electrical Safety and Well documented steps and codes of instructions should be created for pre- Disaster Management disaster preparedness stage and the post-response and recovery stage. Approved financial resources, tools and equipment, communication system and infrastructure facilities, etc., must be provided for field personnel. It should be possible to mobilize these immediately for avoiding the delays and additional coordination constraints. It is very important that an analysis and identification of lessons learnt is carried out after a disaster has occurred and every thing has been restored to normal. It should be followed by a workshop with the participation of all stakeholders. The purpose is to take stock of what worked and what did not work, and identify gaps in the current system and specific ways of improving disaster preparedness. This should be followed by the preparation of updated Disaster preparedness plans. 0 '! !1 ! & Do you have a plant/utility level Emergency Management Group in your area? If so, what are its responsibilities? ………………………………………………………………………………………. …………………………………………………………………………………….... ' ……………………………………………………………………………………… 8.5.3 Measures for Quick Restoration of Power Supply The following measures are required for quick restoration of power: The start-up procedure for the generating units should be known to ' everyone and working level personnel should start the machines without referring to or waiting for management’s consent during the crisis. Shift duty personnel should be detained till the restoration process is completed before handing over charge to next shift. & & Survival / Auxiliary / Start-up power should be provided to the collapsed system till requirement on priority basis and power should be utilized for other purposes only after meeting these power requirements. Priority should be accorded in restoration as under: %. & − survival/start-up power to nuclear units; − survival power to deep mines; − restoration of power supply to generating stations and Load Dispatch Centre(s); Fig. 8.9: Priorities for − start-up power to hydro and gas units; and Restoring − formation of self-sustaining islands around the generating stations as Power Supply per laid down procedure. 104  Area Load Dispatch concept should be adopted during start-up to avoid Disaster jamming of communication system as well as for ease in decision making. Management A list of telephone numbers of all the substations with STD codes should be available as communication is the essential requirement and time is the essence during the restoration process. Loading of generator supplying the start-up power should not exceed 80% of its capacity. Efforts should be made to keep the generator operating on lagging side; if not possible, at least to near unity power factor. A. Restoration of Transmission Lines Transmission lines are the arteries of the Electricity Grid and these are most prone to damage due to earthquake, cyclone, terrorist attack, flood, etc. The following points should be considered for handling disasters: Disaster Management Groups should be constituted at SEB level. Intimation regarding movement of personnel to disaster site should suffice and no sanction / approval from their standing hierarchy should be required. In every utility, looking after O&M of transmission lines, section-wise responsibility should be clearly defined and they should have contingency plan for various emergencies. The process of restoration guidelines under different conditions should be laid down and all the documents should be made available to all the Disaster Management Committee/Task Force members. The substation and other control centres should have details of the key front line personnel/task force members who are identified for handling the restoration process in the event of disaster so that deployment of these personnel to the affected areas can be made without any delay. Availability of all the resources meant for tackling the disaster/restoration process should be listed and the same should be available to the concerned members. Each “Key Front Line Personnel Team” should be provided with mobile satellite telephone for ensuring instantaneous response/mobilization to the front on the occurrence of a disaster. For the restoration of transmission lines, Emergency Restoration System (ERS) should be provided and made use of. The ERS, communication and other equipment should be maintained properly so that it can be used without any delay. Spare towers and conductors should be available with the agency having the responsibility of O&M of transmission line. 105 Electrical Safety and Strategic locations should be decided for spares on centralized/ Disaster Management regional/zone wise. In case of advance warning, the restoration team should reach the convenient place nearest to the expected affected area in order to reach the spot at the earliest. The team would assess the extent of damage and inform the higher coordinating authorities. Alternate feed point should be identified for traction, defence locations and other important areas. B. Restoration of Substations Substations are the nerve centres of the Electricity Grid. In case of any disaster the preparedness of the substations for restoration is a must. The following points need to be considered for handling various eventualities: Every utility owning and operating the substations should carry out an in-depth analysis of all the possible contingencies and should prepare plans for such contingencies. Standing instructions should be available in written form at each substation to take care of various contingencies. Alternate communications system should be available with every key substation, The power backup facilities like D.G. Set and inverter should be maintained properly and checked periodically for readiness of operation in case of any emergency. Each substation should follow the instructions given by concerned SLDC, RLDC and other coordination agencies. The fire fighting equipment and the bore wells should be maintained and checked periodically. Mock fire fighting exercises should be done on regular basis. The transportation arrangements in case of any emergency should be decided in advance. 8.5.4 Facilities Required to Tackle Any Disaster We now describe the facilities considered necessary for preventing and minimizing the impact of disasters. A. Recovery Equipment and Spares Inventory: It is necessary to have an inventory of recovery equipment and spares available with various power utilities and their location so that these could be pressed into service within the shortest possible time. 106 B. Communication Facilities: Communication and information management Disaster is the key to any crisis response and recovery plan. Use of modern day Management information technology has to play a greater role. Software system incorporating risk assessment, creating procedures, establishing command and control structure, monitoring crisis response activities and integration with various agencies/groups would need to be incorporated as a part of emergency management. Use of satellite communication system can be effectively made to coordinate the activities of various agencies involved in the relief and restoration work and expedite restoration of normalcy in the shortest possible time. Mobile phones, walky-talkies should also be available with the EMG. C. Transport and Other Arrangements: Arrangements for adequate number of vehicles for movement of people and materials must be ensured. Medical facilities should be made available round the clock to the staff engaged in the restoration activities. Arrangements for drinking water supply must also be ensured. D. Financial Resources: Arrangements for adequate financial resources must be made so that the restoration activities do not get hampered because of shortage of funds. The authorized signatory may be designated for each strategic location that can take on the spot decision. E. Black Start Facilities: Arrangements for start up power source for each major installation must be identified. Regional Load Dispatch Centres have to make necessary plans. F. De-watering Pumps: During floods the immediate concern is to minimize the impact of flood water on generators and other equipment. Availability of de-watering pumps is, therefore, considered necessary for stations located in flood prone areas. G. Mobile Diesel Generating Sets: Sufficient number of mobile Diesel Generating sets should be available at all distribution circles and should be moved immediately to provide emergency relief and to meet the need of dewatering pumps. H. Solar Energy Systems and Photovoltaic Systems: Solar energy systems and photovoltaic systems are particularly viable and suitable during the initial periods of disaster. The non-conventional sources of energy such as solar cells, photovoltaic power systems and also diesel generating sets are of great value especially when factored against the high cost and rampant looting that often accompanies blackouts. The renewable energy sources can play an important role in reducing the exposure to risks of natural disasters and in speedy recovery because distributed renewable energy power systems are much less prone to being knocked out of service from a single catastrophic natural disaster than are centralized power systems. 107 Electrical Safety and I. List of Contractors: The local Project Authorities of disaster prone areas Disaster Management should keep a list of competent contractors/agencies who can be assigned the various components of restoration activities in the event of a disaster. J. Emergency Restoration Systems (ERS): In the case of damage to transmission lines, temporary arrangements for restoration of power supply can be made with the help of ERS, which consists of special type of light weight modular structures, with light polymer insulators and number of stays. One set of ERS for each such area should be procured and kept in store at strategic locations. Other essential requisites to handle any disaster are as follows: Fire alarms and extinguishing systems should be checked regularly for their sound functioning and regular drill should be carried out for their operation by involving the officers and staff of that Unit so that they also know how to operate the system. Safety audit must be carried out once every year at each generating station and substation. There should be perfect interaction on continuous basis between various disaster management groups and state intelligent agencies against terrorist attacks. State level support groups should identify category-wise all the generating, substation grid centres and Load Dispatch Centres based on their strategic importance. The highest vulnerable centres should be provided the highest type of security. The islanding schemes (electricity grid) of each state must be updated on continuous basis in consultations with the Regional Electricity Board. Each Regional Electricity Board and Regional Load Dispatch Centre must identify all the generating stations/grid substations and load dispatch centres according to their critical importance with respect to safe operation of the electricity grid. The highest critical station must be provided the highest security arrangement and it may go on reducing to the least risk element, without jeopardizing the safety of electricity grid. State level Support Group should meet at least once in six months. Power Management Group (PMG) at National level has to meet once in 12 months for exchange of views and also for updating the Disaster Management Plans. All State and Central Power Utilities should constantly review the equipment / system design standards and practices based on the new developments and the state of the art technologies and design practices available at that time. The equipment, which frequently creates problems need to be replaced. 108  Each power station/Power utility should create a fund for meeting the Disaster requirement of disaster management plan. The disaster management fund Management should be 1% of the annual revenue of the station/Utility. These funds should be non-lapsable and should be allowed to accumulate. The disaster management funds should be at the full discretion of the Emergency Management Group once emergency has been declared. Comprehensive state-wide drills should be carried out periodically (at least once in every six months) to test capabilities. Emergency scenarios should be developed to test the emergency plans and operational response at all levels through mock exercises. At the end of each exercise an evaluation of the response call should be carried out to take care of any deficiency noticed. Underground Power House should be provided with exit routes at different locations and these exit routes need to be displayed for the staff working in the power house to make their exit in case of any emergency like fire/flooding etc. Smoke evacuation system should be provided in case of fire in underground stations. This was an overview of a typical Disaster Management Plan and the system for managing disasters for a power utility. We have presented some case studies in the Appendixes 1 to 3 as illustrations of the Disaster Management System and handling of disasters. We now summarise what you have studied in this unit. 0. Disasters in the power sector can occur due to natural calamities such as earthquakes, floods, storms, cyclones, droughts as well as human acts like terrorist threats/attack and sabotage, bomb threats and bomb explosions, strikes, major equipment failure, etc. Each utility must have in place a Disaster Management Plan with well- defined objectives. It should set up a Disaster Management System that have clearly spelt out disaster preparedness activities and post-disaster measures for each type of disaster. The Disaster Management Plan of a utility should include measures for restoring power supply quickly in crucial areas, the resources required and instructions for all personnel involved. A 4-tier structure at the national, regional, state and local levels should be in place for management of disasters with intervention and response depending on the severity of the disaster/calamity. While the central and regional level interventions are necessitated for major calamities, the state and local agencies should respond to minor incidents. 109 Electrical Safety and Disaster Management Groups should be constituted at all levels with Disaster Management clearly spelt out responsibilities. 2 1. What kind of disasters (natural/due to human actions) is the power utility in your area most likely to face, if at all? Describe the likely impact of each of these on the power supply situation in your area. 2. Assess the disaster-preparedness of your utility in the light of what you have studied in this unit. 3. Explain the need for a Disaster Management Plan for your power utility. Outline its objectives and the scope of activities. 4. Describe the Disaster Management Plan of your utility. 5. Compare the Disaster Management Plan of your utility with the Plan of NDPL given in Appendix 1. Point out the differences and the need for improvement, if any, based on your own experiences. 110  Disaster '' 3 & Management ' ( ' The Disaster Management Plan of NDPL is operationalized as a modular disaster management system designed for all hazards and levels of emergency response. This system creates a combination of facilities, equipment, personnel, procedures, and communication operating within a standardized organisational structure. It tries to capture the Disaster / Emergency readiness which speeds the recovery from all kinds of disaster / emergencies (Fig.1). Without Disaster Planning Damage to Financial Results, Reputation and Key Relationships EMERGENCY With READINESSSM Crisis Readiness Time Lost Time/Productivity Some of the kinds of incidents and events that would be managed are: fires and multi-casualty incidents; multi-jurisdictional and multi-agency disaster responses (natural disaster, terrorism, civil unrest); search and rescue missions; and significant transportation accidents. The following assumptions are made and used as general guidelines in any of these events: An emergency or a disaster may occur at any time of the day or night, weekend, or holiday, with little or no warning. The succession of events in an emergency or disaster is not predictable; therefore, published operational plans, such as this plan, should serve only as a guide and checklist, and may require modifications in order to meet the requirements of the emergency. An emergency or a disaster may be declared if information indicates that such conditions are developing or probable. 111 Electrical Safety and Disasters may be community-wide. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare Disaster Management and carry out disaster response and short-term recovery operations in conjunction with local resources. The plan is operational for all three types of emergencies / levels of response: Minor incidents, emergencies and disasters (Table 1). Table 1: Expected Impact Matrix Scope Level-1: Minor Level-2: Level-3: Disasters Incidents Emergencies Operations Minimal Significant Very Significant all and Activities localized. Most localized activities activities are of NDPL of the activities are shutdown. shutdown for a not effected. period of time. Contractual Site-specific Site-specific or General impact with workforce and localized general impact with probable staff. impact. possible disruptions. Injuries Injuries disruptions. and possible possible. Injuries possible. fatalities are a serious concern. Media None expected Local/regional Local, regional and Coverage or limited local coverage. possible national coverage. coverage. Public and Limited. Potential exists for Potential exists for Government an embarrassing an embarrassing Concern. situation. situation and Government government agencies may investigations or investigate hearings. prevention/respons e/recovery efforts. Emergency Probably none. To be consulted if Consulted regularly Management needed and actively Team (EMT) involved. involvement Emergency Limited or none Conditionally Actively involved. Operations involved Team (EOT) involvement Organisational Components The Disaster Management Plan of NDPL consists of seven major components: Emergency Management Team (EMT) Emergency Operations Team (EOT) 112 Emergency Support Functions (ESF)  Critical Operations Plans (COP) Disaster Special Unit Plans Management Building / Area /Emergency plans (BEP / AEP) Response Annexes (Natural Disaster/ Man Made/ Terrorism) The Emergency Management Team (EMT) also known as Centralised Disaster Management Team is an apex body which evaluates information from various sources during the progress of the event and advises the Chief Incident Controller and Head of the Organisation about the situation of Disaster/ Emergency. The EMT makes policy and major decisions in respect of Emergency/ Disaster. This would also take care of Planning and Preparation prior to and the recovery from the incident and bringing the operation level back to normal service level. Accordingly, the responsibilities of this body include: final plan approval and major policy decisions; direct distribution of resources required for reducing identified vulnerabilities; direct distribution of resources required accomplishing the purposes of the DMP; sourcing power from outside resources that are unavailable internally; stabilizing and protecting life, property and network; critical business areas/consumers (key consumers) that should be quickly restored and maintained; review of needs and allocation of resources required in the 24-96 hour range to complete stabilization and commence the recovery process for a 30-day period; long-term (greater than 30 days) management to cope up with the incidents; ensuring that the recovery procedures are according to DMP and to provide guidance/assistance if needed; and ensuring that the Site Incident Controller is functioning in a responsible manner. The Emergency Operations Team (EOT) is activated, based on the type and nature of the incident, to manage the operational aspects of the organisational response to an emergency event. It is comprised of the Head Operation and all HODs. Emergency Support Functions (ESF): Emergency management of incidents occurring within or affecting North and North West part of Delhi, i.e., the operational area of NDPL is dictated in Disaster Management Plan. This plan uses a bottom-up approach in all phases of emergency management, with emergency activities being resolved at the lowest possible level of response. As such, the resources of local response agencies, including those of the NDPL would be used extensively in the stabilization and recovery effort. NDPL lead divisions/departments are expected to contribute the necessary 113 Electrical Safety and resources within their respected emergency support function to the response Disaster Management and recovery effort. Critical Operation Plans (COP): Each area identified as part of EOT is determined to have critical responsibilities on an NDPL wide basis during emergency situations. Responsibilities include either direct management or Emergency Support Functions (ESF). Each organisational unit listed in Table 2 is required to develop a Critical Operations Plan. Table 2: Critical Operations Unit Plans Primary Data Centre SCADA − Power System Control IT Department Central Record Depository and Satellite Record Depository All District Office Buildings Grid Substations − Manned Grid Substations − Unmanned Satellite Back Office Consumer Care Centre Projects Human Resources Special Unit Plans: Several units have been determined to have critical responsibilities on an internal unit basis during emergency situations. Each Special Unit is required to develop a Unit Plan. As necessary, Special Unit Plans will be augmented by Response Annexes to address specific situations. Special Unit Plans are required from the Units listed in Table 3. Table 3: Special Units Plan Corporate Operation Services Technical Services and Projects. Central Store Operation and Maintenance Administration Finance Medical Security and Disaster Mitigation Power Management 114 Building/Area Emergency Plans are developed to reduce the risk of life or Disaster property loss through preparation for foreseeable events. Management Response Annexes to specific type of incidents (i.e., terrorism, natural disaster, etc.) are developed by individual functional areas within the organisation to identify key personnel and define specific responsibilities and procedures to mitigate the specific threat. These components and their functions are given in Fig. 2. Emergency Management Team (EMT) Makes critical policy decisions (strategic decisions) affecting the organisation during an emergency and recovery. The EMT is headed by Chief Incident Controller, i.e., Head of Operations. Site Incident Controller Emergency Management Plan Coordinator Confers directly with the Chief Consult directly with the Chief Incident Incident Controller and the EMT Controller during and emergency. during an emergency. Maintains the DMP document. In-Control and charge of the Serves as facilitator of the Disaster EOT at site level. Preparedness committee. Make critical management Serves as NDPL nodal point to Delhi State decisions during an emergency Disaster Management Plan. at site. Disaster Plan Committee Emergency Operation Team (EOT) Establish organizational Execute the DMP as directed by the chief Incident procedures for disaster. Controller during an emergency. Assure cooperation with Reviews all provisions of the DMP for approval by the community, stack holder, EMT. government authorities. Regularly carrying out the mock drill and reviewing the Review of independent plans DMP based on the findings. submitted by Critical Operations Unit & Special Unit Plans. Unit Plans Critical Operation Plans – unit with important organization wide responsibilities. Special Unit Plans – Units with important responsibilities in the organization. Other Unit Plans – All other units of the organization. Response Annexes Procedures for specific response activities. Fig. 2: Disaster Management Plan − Organisation, Relationship and Primary Responsibilities 115 Electrical Safety and The primary responsibility for monitoring emergency threats and events Disaster Management resides with Power System Control (PSC) and Disaster Mitigation (DM) team. PSC operates on a continuous 24x7x365 basis and is always available to receive emergency communications from variety of official and public sources. Full plan activation begins at the discretion of EMT Members and Managing Director and upon the receipt of information of an emergency event or threat of an emergency. In case of any type of declared local, state or regional emergency, a decision will be made by the Head Operations on a plan of action and whether to activate the Emergency Management plan in consultation with the Managing Director. Upon activation, appropriate Emergency Operations Team members will be notified and should report to the designated command centre as directed. The Chief Incident Controller will review the circumstances of the emergency with the Emergency Operations Team and initiate the appropriate action. In case it is deemed necessary to warn the local community of an impending threat or emergency situation, the Power System Control will communicate with Police Control Room, to activate alerts, warning resources and activities. Based on the initial report and information obtained from other appropriate entities, the Chief Incident Controller will declare the level of the emergency. The Security department of NDPL has the overall responsibility for coordinating and alerting the appropriate parties. PSC will maintain a list of the Emergency Management Team members and telephone and contact information. The Head of Disaster Mitigation and Safety should be informed in addition to the Head Operation. As and when Emergency or a Disaster (Level 2 or 3) is declared, the Emergency Management Plan will be activated. Upon declaration of an Emergency or Disaster, the Emergency Management Team Members need to respond and should report immediately to the designated command centre location. Emergency Operation Team Leaders will also be informed and are required to report at the command centre. The EOT Members will be ready in field, and will take necessary instructions from the EMT and EOT leader. The primary Emergency Control Centre like District office building (in respective District/ system offers/circle head office) will be continuously maintained in a state of readiness for conversion and activation. The Command Centre serves as the centralized, well-supported centre located at PSC in which the Emergency Operation Team (EOT) leaders and the Executive Management Team (EMT) may assemble and assume their role. Response activities and work assignments will be planned, coordinated and delegated from the Command Centre. The Command Centre is located at the office of PSC. Depending upon the type of incident, the members of EMT may, at their discretion, designate Board Room corporate office as the Primary Command Centre (Applicable only for cases of Level 1). If all of these command centres are unsuitable or unusable, the backup command centre will be located at the command centre IT conference Room, CENCARE. 116 Table 3: Areas of Critical Responsibility / Emergency Operation Team M