Rolling Blackout: Outage and Generator Preparation Checklist

San Diego Gas & Electric (SDGE) has prepared a rolling blackout check list.

Electricity supplies are short in California and rolling blackouts could occur at any time. Here are some things you can do to be prepared.

What to do before an Outage

1. KNOW YOUR BUILDING.

Identify where your meter room and electric service entrance are located.
Make sure you have access to your meter room.
If you need a key, contact your building owner.

If you have more than one electric meter, know which meter serves each part of your building, and the pieces of equipment that are connected to each meter.

Keep a portable lamp and fresh batteries in the meter room so you can see your equipment if the power goes out. Know the voltage levels that SDG&E delivers to your location.

If your building has fuses, know their ratings. Keep two sets of spares in reserve in case a fuse blows when power is restored.

2. KNOW YOUR EQUIPMENT.

Post an electrical one-line diagram in the meter room to help guide personnel working to restore power.

Identify what equipment needs to be reset after an outage.

Contact your telephone service provider for information on how your phone system will operate during an electric outage.

Know what equipment can and cannot be turned off. Install surge protection devices to protect sensitive electronic equipment.

If you have a back-up generator, know its make, capacity and delivery voltage.


3. TAKE STEPS TO PREPARE.

Develop a list of emergency phone numberssuppliers, electricians, contractors, elevator servicing, computer servicing, decision-makers at your business, and SDG&E. Post the list in the meter room for quick access when needed.

Set up a safety committee. Appoint safety coordinators in each section of your business to provide information and direction to the employees in their work areas.

Establish back-up personnel responsible for handling emergencies that occur after-hours.

Have a cellular phone or single-line phone available or readily accessible. Cordless phones and your company’s phone system may not work without electricity.

Have a qualified electrician test the circuit breakers to make sure they work and are not likely to break when repeatedly opened and closed.

Educate employees on what to do if an outage occurs. Information on using the elevators at your site Shutdown procedures for air conditioning/refrigeration equipment and alarm systems.

Have an emergency plan in place for employees who rely on medical equipment. This may include a back-up power supply or transportation to the nearest medical facility.

Provide portable lamps or flashlights to each department for use if the power goes out. Do not use candles.

Keep protective gloves and goggles on hand so employees will be prepared to switch circuit breakers back on when power is restored.

Be sure the protective equipment in stock meets the requirements for the voltage levels in your facility.

4. CHECK YOUR BACK-UP GENERATOR PLAN.

Double-check that critical loads, including elevators and emergency lighting, are connected to your back-up generator.

Verify that your back-up generation capacity is enough to handle this load.

Test your back-up generator under loaded conditions at least twice per year to insure it works. Run it until it reaches a stable temperature. Include the switch gear and throw-over switch in your test. Know your back-up generator make, capacity and delivery voltage.

Know how much fuel you have stored for the generator. How long it will last during an outage. Establish quick fuel delivery arrangements in case you run out of fuel.

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Remove potential hazards or hazardous materials that could be impacted by the operation of a back-up generator.

If you do not have back-up generation, know where you can rent a portable generator if you need one, and how to install and operate it.

STEPS TO TAKE WHILE THE POWER IS OFF

Make sure that the outage is being caused by a rolling blackout or other emergency condition, and is not being caused by equipment problems in your facility.

Check to make sure all employees are safe. Check your elevators, equipment and the facility in general for situations that may need immediate attention.

Turn off major pieces of equipment. Leave a few lights on in visible areas so you know when the power is restored. Go to the meter room and shut off the circuit breakers to the major pieces of equipment. This will help to avoid power surges, and possible damage to your equipment,when the power is restored.

Be sure to leave the circuit breakers on that control the lights to alert you when power is restored. Contact the companies that service your air conditioning system, alarm and communications equipment for information or specific instructions. Call SDG&E at 1-800-411-SDGE (7343) for updated information, or tune in to the local news on your portable radio or television.

STEPS TO TAKE AFTER POWER IS RESTORED

Wait for about ten minutes to make sure SDG&E’s system is stabilized and the power has truly been restored.

Close your circuit breakers one at a time. Starting with your non-critical, single-phase circuit breakers first. Wait ten minutes before moving to the next circuit breaker. Three-phase equipment should be turned on at the end of this process.

Shut down your back-up generatorTransfer load back to your electric system. Following manufacturer’s instructions.

Check and replenish the fuel supply for your back-up generator.

Check your facility to make sure everything is operating correctly.

Evaluate how the system worked and learn from it. Meet with your safety committee to update procedures as necessary. Communicate and report what happened to all concerned.