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GUC Prepares for Hurricane Irene
August 26, 2011, 11:30 a.m.

Greenville Utilities employees are carefully monitoring the path of Hurricane Irene as it churns toward Greenville-Pitt County. Since Wednesday, GUC has been implementing the early phases of its comprehensive Emergency Management Plan.

Employees spent this week making logistical arrangements, stocking supplies, and pre-staging pieces of equipment throughout the system to reduce response time. Last minute preparations are currently under way, and GUC crews as well as contract crews are on standby, ready to respond.

During emergencies, the Operations Center on Mumford Road becomes GUC’s base of operations. The current plan is for the first shift of Storm Team Telephone Operators to report for duty at the Operations Center at 6 a.m. Operators will answer calls from customers around the clock if necessary. Damage assessment teams will quickly evaluate any storm damage, and line crews and equipment will be mobilized to restore power quickly and safely.

To report an outage or other emergency, customers are asked to call 551-1567, 752‑5627 or 752-7166.

GUC's Emergency Management Plan is designed to restore power to the greatest number of people in the quickest amount of time. Primary lines (serving hundreds of people) are repaired first, followed by secondary lines serving only a few. And, of course, life threatening situations ‑‑ hospitals, people on life-support ‑‑ are a priority.

GUC will provide regular updates online and on our Twitter page, www.twitter.com/guc_info.

If your power goes out, GUC offers the following tips:  

• Check to see if the outage includes other houses in your neighborhood. If it hasn't, check your fuse box and circuit breaker panel to see if you can locate the problem. If the neighboring houses are dark too, look to see if there are any trees or branches in the lines, and if there are downed wires, flashes of light or any other sign of trouble.
  
• Turn off everything in your house except for one light.
  
• Sometimes tree limbs fall on the wires coming from the pole to your house with such force that the wiring and meter base are pulled from the house. In this case, you must call an electrician to make repairs before GUC can restore your power.
  
• DO NOT TOUCH ANY DOWNED POWER LINES OR ANYTHING THAT IS IN CONTACT WITH A DOWNED POWER LINE.
  
• Stay well away from dangerous areas. If a wire falls on your car while you're in it, stay in the car until the wire is removed.
  
• An unopened refrigerator will keep foods safely cold for about 4 hours without power. Most freezers will keep food safe for 36 to 48 hours if left closed.
  
• To prevent overloading the system when power is restored, when the power goes out, turn off everything in your home except for one light. If the outage lasts over 60 minutes, turn off your water heater too. In addition, make sure the surface elements on your range have been turned off and that other heat producing appliances are off as well. If left on, they can pose a serious fire hazard.
  
• When power has been restored, slowly switch your appliance back on over a 30‑60 minute period of time. This will prevent overloading the system, which could lead to another outage.
  
• In a natural gas emergency, while you are waiting for repair service, do not light matches, use appliances or talk on the phone. If it is safe to do so, leave the premises.
  
• If you evacuate, shut off gas, water and electricity at the breaker box.  Take blankets, first aid supplies and other essential items to the nearest shelter. 

Preparing for Hurricane Irene
August 25, 2011

Our community relies on GUC to provide life-sustaining services – electric, water, sewer and natural gas. It is vital that we are always prepared and ready to respond during any type of emergency. Essentially, GUC prepares for emergencies all year long. As part of our daily operations, we plan for the unexpected and for that reason, all of our systems have back-ups and contingencies. We have a well-trained workforce, and a well-maintained system.

Our team of professionals works all year to maintain and repair overhead power lines. Line Clearing crews work each and every day to methodically trim branches, even entire trees, that are a danger to overhead power lines. Their work is critical to the operation of the electric distribution system. And, their work is never more appreciated than during a storm.  

Water Resources crews constantly monitor our distribution system to ensure that it is operating properly and maintained consistently. Water Resources has a crew that inspects the 10,000 valves on water mains. In the case of a water main break, these valves would need to be shut off quickly. Each year, crews locate and replace broken valves ensuring a quicker response time should a main break occur.

The Water Treatment Plant treats water from the Tar River, and has 9 million gallons of treated water in storage, about a one-day supply. While most systems rely on highly technical equipment, there are back-up manual methods of achieving the same results.

The Wastewater collections system is inspected on a regular basis, and crews routinely inspect outfalls, and clean and repair pipes to minimize the amount of extraneous water that can enter the system. 

The Gas Department similarly inspects and maintains gas valves and has identified those critical for isolating sections of system in the event of an emergency. GUC purchases natural gas for its customers. Should this supply be cut off due to an emergency, GUC’s Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) plant, which is ordinarily used for peak shaving, has 17,000 dekatherms of natural gas in storage. That is more than a week’s supply of natural gas during this time of year. And, the plant could supply natural gas indefinitely as long as LNG could be trucked in, and the LNG plant was able to operate at full capacity.

On High Alert!
Preparing for a storm and responding during the storm is a team effort. It takes all of us to ensure that we are ready for whatever Mother Nature may bring our way.

In the event of a major storm, when outages or other problems are expected, GUC activates its comprehensive Emergency Management Plan. The plan ensures that crew assignments are made, equipment and vehicles checked, materials ordered/ready, etc.  Responsibilities are assigned to GUC's entire workforce of 430+ employees.  

As Hurricane Irene threatens our service area, we have shifted into high gear. All across GUC, electric, water and natural gas crews are put on alert and they prepare their vehicles, check equipment inventory and get ready for the possibility of working some long hours.

• Generators are topped off and ready to be put into use remotely by dispatchers should the need arise.
• Crew leaders drive their vehicles home so that they can get to work sites more quickly.
• Radios are charged up and ready to use and all phone numbers are checked and updated to ensure smooth communications.
• At the Liquefied Natural Gas Plant, staff makes sure the tanks are full so that the facility is ready to use in the unlikely event that our supply is cut off from our gas supplier. The generator at the Plant is inspected and topped off as well.
• Because 95% of our natural gas system is underground, there is usually minimal damage. Other concerns are flash flooding that could cause washouts exposing gas mains, submerged meters, and uprooted trees that could expose gas mains. Gas Department employees also drive vehicles home so that they can respond quickly should an emergency arise.
• At the Water Treatment Plant (WTP) and the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), staff makes sure they have the supplies they’ll need and that emergency generators are ready for use. Their facilities are inspected and any outdoor equipment (like trash bins or picnic tables) is tied down or brought inside. The Water Treatment Plant makes sure they are fully-stocked with water treatment chemicals and lab supplies. The Wastewater Treatment Plant makes sure their facilities are ready and inspects our 33 pump stations. Sewer line crews inspect our lines to look for areas that might be problematic during the storm and make any needed repairs.
• Water Resources Distribution/Collection crews inspect manholes and priority areas of the system. They make sure all manholes are sealed to keep rainwater out of the system as much as possible.
• Employees in Stores check their inventory levels to make sure departments have the equipment and supplies needed to repair any damage that may occur. They also make sure there are plenty of rain suits, rubber boots, flashlights and batteries.
• The Garage staff is on duty during all emergencies. Prior to a storm, they make sure we have plenty of fuel on hand and check vehicles and equipment to make sure they are operating correctly. A wrecker is on-hand should it be needed.
• Staff also communicates with other agencies such as Pitt County Emergency Services.

Once a storm hits, in addition to the Electric Department, which shoulders the burden of repairing downed power lines, etc., other departments are involved ‑‑ answering calls around the clock at the Operations Center, delivering food to line crews on site, and performing other duties as required. All employees play a role in our efforts to restore power quickly and efficiently.