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A power grid report card: Top 10 ways to improve power operations and prevent future blackouts

By Roland Schoettle, Founder and CEO, Optimal Technologies International Inc., October, 03, 2008 - Five years ago, on August 14, 2003, the worst blackout in North American history swept across the northeast. Fifty million people in eight states and in the province of Ontario were left in the dark, some for as long as four days. Flights were canceled, stranding travelers. Hospitals filled with heat-sick patients, some of whom died before paramedics could reach them. The estimated financial cost of this entirely preventable disaster: between $4 billion and $10 billion. more...
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Emergency Preparedness Is Key To Maintaining Community Continuity

By Daniel O'Neill, President and Managing Consultant, O'Neill Management Consulting, LLC, July, 10, 2008 - Local newspapers all over America are running headlines these days that cite their power companies’ performance in emergencies. From heat waves to ice storms, blackouts, hurricanes, floods, wildfires, and even just severe thunderstorms, there seems to be no shortage of causes for emergencies (to say nothing of what may yet come – avian flu epidemic or another terrorist attack). If utilities don’t want to make the wrong kind of headlines, they need to be prepared to deal with community emergencies. more...
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Emergency Planning: Minimize Delays Now

By Samuel Mullen, Principal, MPS Communications & Planning, August, 03, 2007 - Today’s utilities are moving forward with emergency program enhancements. The guidelines set by agencies are becoming very clear and the need to follow them is required in order to gain funding, reimbursement, and cooperation. More importantly, better plans help save lives and facilitate recovery from disasters. This article will offer some guidelines to help reduce the delays seen by many utilities in both enhancing recovery strategies and moving toward compliance. more...
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Outage Management: The Second Most Important Beneficiary of AMI Data

By Ed Finamore, President, ValuTech Solutions Inc., June, 29, 2007 - As utilities begin to install meter data management systems (MDMS) to support new AMI installations, they may soon find that the outage management benefits available through use of MDMS far outweigh most other potential AMI features. A growing number of utilities list improved distribution system reliability as their top priority ahead of increased profitability, higher customer satisfaction and other strategic objectives. Tougher NERC standards and electric utility industry restructuring have placed additional pressure on utilities to improve network reliability and demonstrate that financially driven mergers with hoped for economies of scale will not adversely impact network operations. more...
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Driving electrons back into action - Optimizing the outage management process

By Rakesh Arvind, Consultant, Energy & Utilities, Infosys Technologies Limited, December, 22, 2006 - Electricity, the prime mover of the global economic engine, is normally taken for granted. But the moment the minuscule electrons decide to take a breather - bringing technology to a grinding halt - they reaffirm their omnipotence. A forced outage is a crisis situation every utility has to grapple with. Tighter regulatory frameworks, an increasingly competitive business environment and mounting customer expectations, have catapulted reliability of supply as a key service differentiator for sustainable competitive advantage. This paper outlines some of the approaches to optimize the outage management process and consequently improve a utility’s service reliability metrics. more...
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Emergency Procedures: Writing for Maximum Results

By Samuel Mullen, Principal, MPS Communications & Planning, October, 27, 2005 - This article will offer some guidelines for delivering effective emergency procedures to skilled professionals in the electric utility industry. It is directed to those who have been given the task of developing the plans and procedures that help utilities deal with emergencies and disasters and to those who manage the emergency programs. It may also be useful for those who train others in this field. more...
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Disaster Preparation - Closing The Loop

By John Hall, Principal Consultant, Global Energy Practice, PA Consulting Group, March, 16, 2005 - The Challenge more...
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Mapping The Way To Improved Outage Response

By John McClaine, Manager, Meter Information Solutions, Puget Sound Energy, January, 11, 2005 - What is the extent of the damage to the system? How many customers are without power? When will power be restored? Are you calling for help from neighboring utilities? more...
Article Viewed 2482 Times | 1 Comments

Outage Management -- High Impact Utility Marketing to C&I Customers

By Peter Noland, , IKUN Energy LLC, September, 15, 2004 - In today's environment a utility is more than likely highly focused on a "back to basics" strategy of delivering maximum customer service and reliability in the most cost effective manner within its core service territory. However, the pressures to deliver the desired levels of customer service to an increasingly demanding Commercial and Industrial (C&I) customer base are made more intense due to the fact that there are often fewer resources and staff with which to accomplish these goals than in years past. With constant mandates for cost reductions and the objective to do "more with less", utility Key Account organizations must look to adopt some of the creative support and service processes used by marketers in other service industries. more...
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The Business Electric: No Utility Is An Island

By Arthur O'Donnell, The Energy Overseer, , August, 23, 2004 - The images and reports still coming out of Florida are heart wrenching. Entire communities lay in ruins. The fatality count and damage estimates mount, with at least 17 Floridians dead and losses up to $15 billion being reported. In the week after Hurricane Charley passed through, tens of thousands of people and businesses remained powerless, homeless and without regular supplies of food or water. more...
Article Viewed 5067 Times | 3 Comments

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Case Studies:

IntelliTEAM II Saves Thousands from Extended Outages During Colorado Snowstorm

Optimizing Business Continuity Through Enhanced Communications

Aquila gains increased efficiency, faster communication, and enhanced visibility over its workforce