ElecComm Power Services Blog

At ElecComm, we keep our eyes out for interesting and informative articles that we believe our customers will find beneficial to help their emergency contingency plans.  The article below is from Dr. Jim Kennedy at Continuity Central who does a great job detailing the thought process behind developing such a plan.

According to a recent Forrester Research survey nearly half of the declared disasters reported over a one-year period were due to power failures. To ensure that this type of event does not escalate into a disaster that results in business disruption and lost revenue for your organization you need to be prepared. And this requires a power failure response strategy as part of a wider business continuity plan.

This article explains how to develop such a power failure response strategy.

Determine what you have
The first step in preparing a power failure response strategy is to identify and understand the electrical distribution system layout and design in the facility to be protected. Most building or office electrical power distribution systems are quite complex. In order to properly understand them, wiring documentation will need to be reviewed and brought up to date. If up-to-date documentation is not available when conducting the review, it needs to be developed as soon as possible and prior to developing the power failure response strategy. An electrician or electrical engineer can aid in this effort.

An up-to-date electrical system schematic or wiring diagram will clearly identify how the main components of the electrical system are connected. It should include any special systems, such as uninterruptible power supplies or power protection devices. Specifics regarding equipment voltage and current ratings should be identified and documented. It is also important to identify each major component with a unique name describing its location and important power ratings.

In addition to identifying the equipment on the drawings, it is equally important to physically match the system or component to the drawings by affixing a permanent label to the actual equipment for identification purposes. This, along with a flashlight, facilitates finding the equipment quickly in the case of an emergency.

Determine what your organization’s mission critical requirements are for emergency power
Critical electrical power requirements, or ‘loads’ as they are often called, are usually developed as part of a business impact analysis and risk assessment. However, if these assessments have not been developed as part of an on-going business continuity or disaster recovery program, then now, before a crisis occurs, is a good time to identify the organization’s critical need for electrical power.

Once the electrical power distribution system is documented and understood, the next step is to identify business critical loads that will require emergency power in the event of a power failure. At this point it is important to note that uninterruptible power supplies and emergency generators may not normally provide for all of an organization’s electrical needs. So, decisions will need to be made to determine what equipment in the operation in time of a disaster or incident absolutely need to have power maintained during a power outage.

As I indicated earlier, this is usually done as part of an overall business impact analysis, where business critical systems and devices within the organization are identified. These are systems for which special considerations need to be made in case of any type of failure — of which power failures are only one example.

After critical systems have been identified their sources of power within the facilities need to be identified on the electrical drawings to make sure it is understood that they are critical to the operation (i.e., critical computing systems, LAN/WAN network devices, PBXs, production and/or security equipment). If the electrical distribution system has been properly designed, all business equipment should be connected to common circuits and separated from non-critical equipment. This makes it much easier to isolate mission critical circuits and to properly connect them to emergency power sources during an emergency. It is also important to keep the documentation up-to-date for the equipment contained on these circuits, so that the electrical load (current required to keep the equipment running) is properly identified and emergency power generation equipment can be properly sized.

Determine what type of emergency power your organization should use
Typically if the power failure lasts less than an hour an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) may be able to sustain power – if properly sized and maintained. However, if the power outage lasts in excess of an hour, as has been the case with several US, UK, and European blackouts in the last few years, emergency generators will be needed. If it is absolutely critical to maintain power for an entire operation throughout a blackout, regardless of the length of that blackout, then consideration to possibly installing permanent emergency generators should be made. It should be noted that this type of installation is quite expensive and complex to install, operate and maintain, and may not be viable due to local building codes or environmental constraints. If it is decided that the organization wants to install permanent electrical generation equipment, then an experienced professional’s help should be solicited.

Portable electric generators can also be used. They can be installed after the power has failed and before the UPSs would shut down. If a portable generating unit is to be used, it is absolutely critical that the electrical load of each emergency circuit (measured in amperes) be known so that the generator(s) can be correctly sized (be large enough to supply the rated current of all devices to be powered during the power failure). The wattage and voltage ratings for each generator should be defined prior to the outage and procedures documented, so that when acquiring them, the load does not have to be calculated under adverse conditions: which usually leads to error and further disaster. If it is decided that the use of portable generation is the best alternative, it is prudent to arrange a pre-emergency contract to rent or lease the generators.

If a pre-rental or lease agreement is undertaken, be sure that the contract specifies delivery time and maintenance if a provided system/component fails to operate correctly. It is also important to understand in what priority order you your generators will be delivered especially in case of a widespread emergency outage. However, even with a pre-contracted agreement in place, there is no real guarantee that the generators will be available if the power outage is widespread.

It may be in your organization’s best interest to acquire portable generators ahead of time and store them for a time when they are needed. If you choose this course, it is important to establish and implement proper maintenance procedures (e.g., running the generators periodically and changing the gas and oil as recommended by the manufacturer) to make sure that the generators function when needed.

Making the generators ready for the next outage
Before any power failure occurs is the time to plan how each generator will be connected during an emergency. Here is where an electrical engineer, electrician or experienced technician is critically important. Manual transfer switches can be placed near the emergency panels ahead of time so that switching to emergency power, once the generators are connected and started, is made easier.

All of the necessary connection equipment (e.g., cables and connectors, etc.) should be stored near the place where the generators will be used. In addition, fuel and operational supplies need to be planned for as generators will consume large supplies of gasoline and oil if they need to run for many hours. Emergency generator procedures need to be well documented beforehand and attached to the generator or the transfer switch. This ensures that the generators will be connected properly and will not damage any wiring or critical equipment.

If the connection is very complex then part of the emergency response procedures should include an on-staff or contracted electrician or experienced technician to perform the connection of the generators.

Ensure the generators are functional when needed
To ensure that the emergency generation equipment (permanent or portable) is ready in case of an emergency, regular testing is essential. Testing procedures should be established (and internal audits conducted to regularly review compliance) to ensure that the generators will work properly when called upon for service.

The generators should be tested under actual circumstances and full load, if possible, but, if not, then a simple functional test will have to suffice. This functional test should include starting and running each generator for a minimum of thirty minutes at least every month or minimally, once each quarter. Also make sure that each generator’s fuel tank is full upon completion of each test and that there are documented procedures to obtain fuel during an emergency (perhaps the local gas station may not be the best source). Manufacturers of generating equipment typically recommend that fuel be replaced that is more than one year old.

Formal process and procedures are critical to success
Experiences of business continuity and disaster recovery professionals have shown that proper planning in advance of any incident makes response to that incident much more effective and electrical power failures are no exception. The group responsible for reacting during a blackout should make sure that well documented and easily understood procedures are developed and maintained.

During a crisis, people react differently than when there is no stress, so the procedures should be clearly written. One method to make the procedures easier to follow would be to use step-by-step check lists or flow-charts. Having these procedures available at each generator site to connect each portable generator will save a great deal of time during an actual crisis event. It is also important to note that the procedures should include both how to connect the generator and how to disconnect the generator when power has been restored.

Running generator installation tests periodically can help make sure everyone is comfortable and prepared for the time when the drill may be replaced by a real power outage situation.

Source:   Continuity Central (Dr. Jim Kennedy)

Your business could be one that demands a back-up or standby power at all times. There are several businesses that fall in this category. These businesses are nursing homes and large buildings, refrigeration operations or healthcare related establishments. All large commercial and industrial operations would generally be totally dependant on power right through the day or night and for every day of the week. Special event venues and construction sites also come in this category. If you are in any one of these business enterprises then it may be a cheaper option to go for a generator for rent.

In case of a power failure you need rental generators to serve as backups. Such generators could be in any one of several power ratings such as from 25 kW to 125 kW and 150-400 kW. The rating could be 500-1500 kW or even as large as 2000 kW. You may also need movie production generators that would have to function continuously or tower power generators for telecommunication support.

If you are interested in the rental of generator with an output rating between 25 kW and 125 kW then you would get a generator that would be equipped with a wireless monitoring system. The sound level would not exceed 65 DBA and there would be an easy method of selection of voltages.

Your generator would also come fitted with a yellow strobe light that would indicate an alarm for low fuel light. Similarly the 2000 kW generator would have utility grade paralleling switchgear and would be powered by a fuel efficient electronically controlled diesel engine. It would be one of the quietest generator sets too.

If you are into movie production and in need of generator rentals for this purpose then you could go for a studio generator that's super silent. The generator has a sound proofing design that will not drown out the performers in the show. It has well-designed sound baffles and an exhaust silencer that brings down the sound to a hush. Similarly the tower power generators are environmental friendly, rugged in construction and very quiet during operation.

Generator rentals – Is it economical to rent a generator versus buying one?

Renting a portable generator may be the best solution in various situations. Like , for instance, if you are renting an office somewhere and the power goes down for a day or so.

Generator rentals can keep your business up and running for less than the cost of having to buy a power source, if it is only for a few days.

It's a great idea for on the job power if you want to do a small construction job. Like building that cabin in the woods for your getaway! :)

Course, most folks that are looking at a power supply for their preparedness plan will want to either build a generator or buy one so that it is available when the need arises.

But for things like outdoor parties or special events having a place where you can rent a generator can come in handy.

Renting Generators for Emergency Use

If you are banking on renting a portable generator for emergency situations, bear in mind that they can get almost extinct as soon as there is a crisis.

A couple things to do in advance when looking at possibly renting a power unit.

• Find a good generator rental in your area and set up a plan with them.
• Make sure they will come in, set up your unit and also come pick it up when you are done with it.
• Figure out what you need as far as how big of a unit, etc, and if you don't know that info, they should be able to help you figure it out.
• Diesel generators come in all sizes and units and some of the companies like Marson Energy offers both diesel and natural gas generators.
• If you live in a crowded neighborhood, you will want to look for something that runs a little quieter so put that on your list as there is quite a difference in sound of the various generator rental units.

Tired of being caught in between power interruption? Afraid of not meeting the deadline because of unscheduled brownouts? Of all the wonders, that the industrial age has brought, electricity is the most rewarding source of energy. Almost all industrial equipments, computers, networks, and other electronics that are housed in buildings uses and depends on electric power. It is the primary source of energy, wherein modern mechanical wonders are anchored.

However, electricity as a source of energy is limited. Power shortages are common nowadays and that little has been made to improve its supply. Increase in power interruption brought about by power shortages has plagued numerous business establishments for quite some time. It makes work and production a little bit difficult for the businesses that heavily rely on electrical energy. Thus, the industrial equipment that help businesses to produce work at some point will be useless once electric power is interrupted or cut off.

Commercial generators existed in order to address these power shortages. The average small-business cannot readily avail or buy commercial generators to use during power interruptions. One option less costly is to rent one. ElecComm Power Services offers a wide variety of choices to choose from according to the business' needs. In renting commercial generators these essential points should be consider.

PURPOSE- it answers the kind of generator you need for the specific task at hand. Generator companies have a catalog of commercial generators that will cater to every need in the market. These portable industrial generators can generate power on emergency situation. Industrial grade generators are fixed or stationary; they are designed to generate high capacity power output to manage higher demands on electricity. An auxiliary criterion to be considered is the mobility of the generator. Meaning the generator you intend to purchase should be movable from one site to another upon demand.

CAPACITY- refers to the generating output of the generator. The capacity of a generator is measured by how much KVA (kilo volt ampere) it can produce when it is running. Industrial grade generators can generate higher KVA and are mainly use to power up building and industrial. These kinds of generators are used as back-ups in case of unscheduled power interruptions. Portable commercial generators on the other hand are built for emergency purposes or mainly for small-business use.

FUEL- generators also need fuel to operate. Generators are can run on various fuels, however, what must be considered is the availability of the fuel in the place. Others consider the price; fuel consumption is relative to number of hours a generator is used. So the longer the generator is used, higher fuel consumption is expected.

COST- refers to the price tag of the generator one wanted to buy. The cost of the generator is dependent upon the feature the goes with it. Normally a generator is priced according to its KVA capacity output. It is because the higher its KVA output, results in higher kilowatt output is generated. A higher kilowatt output results to a higher load capacity for the generator.