ALBANY — The nation’s largest state utility has initiated talks with New York’s private generators to enter into a pact to keep critical power plants staffed and fueled as the coronavirus pandemic worsens.
The New York Power Authority began isolating critical control room and security staff on-site at its major power plants and transmission control stations last week, as did the independent operator of the state’s power grid.
Utilities and power plants, particularly in the New York City area, have had to house key employees on-site before — including for more than a week in some cases after Superstorm Sandy — but the uncertainty of how long the coronavirus pandemic will stretch on makes the current situation unique.“There are contingency plans for disasters but usually they’re short-lived … but we’re through the looking glass as a society,” said John Melia, spokesperson for the Utility Workers Union of America Local 1-2.
The union represents about 8,500 workers at Con Edison, the Indian Point nuclear plant and several downstate power plants. None of those plants have yet implemented a sequestration protocol, although plans are in place, Melia said in an interview.
A move to isolate employees is one that companies plan for as a precaution — not just because of the coronavirus emergency — but are reluctant to take unless absolutely necessary. Power generators are also tapping managers with critical experience, separating shifts and contacting retirees to ensure they have key staff.
“I told the generators that we should explore crafting a standard mutual assistance agreement so that if, for whatever reason, we go through those lines of defense and we still need help that other power plants of the same technology, configuration can potentially lend help to a power plant that needs help,” NYPA CEO Gil Quiniones told POLITICO.
NYPA is drafting that agreement and hopes to sign up private generators.
One of the city’s largest power plants, the more than 2,000 megawatt Ravenswood Generating Station, has curtailed the number of employees at the plant, is checking if people may have been exposed and has instituted temperature checks.
The plant is operating with just 43 employees on-site, said LS Power’s Clint Plummer, who is CEO of Ravenswood. The normal staffing is about 100 people in a 24-hour period.
There is a stock of several months worth of food and cots available to have 50 people live on-site for two weeks at a time, with two 12-hour shifts, if that becomes necessary.
“Our goal is to continue to have our folks go home at night, to continue to screen,” Plummer said. “When you put people inside that type of a high-stress situation it leads to fatigue, and our goal here is to make sure we’ve got people working at their best and being locked in a power plant for two weeks at a stretch will wear on anyone, so we would rather not pull that lever until we’re sure there’s no other option.”
Plummer said there was openness to NYPA’s suggestion to form a pact to share staff and other resources. He said the company has also lined up current employees who are not coming on-site and could come to work if needed. They’re also contacting retirees who could come in.
Communication between the Cuomo administration, power generators, New York City officials and the New York Independent System Operator is at an all time high amid the pandemic, said Gavin Donohue, head of the Independent Power Producers of New York, the state generators' trade group.
“The reach-out by the appropriate agencies has never really been so complete and comprehensive,” Donohue said, adding that it gives him confidence the power sector will be able to handle any issues associated with the pandemic.
Power plant operators have issued letters that identify key employees as essential. IPPNY advised members that New York City and the NYISO suggested protocols be in place for authorities to verify employee identities by calling the company, in case travel restrictions are put in place.
NYISO sequestered key control room operators on March 23, followed by NYPA which had 85 employees isolated at power plants and its transmission control facilities on Saturday, March 28.
NYPA employees agreed to be isolated for 30 days, but Quiniones said the situation would be evaluated after 14 days.
Susan Buehler, a spokesperson for PJM, which operates the grid in all or parts of 13 states, including New Jersey, said that having cots, showers and food on-site is part of the company’s everyday preparedness plan.
Scott Aaronson, Vice President for security and preparedness of Edison Electric Institute, which represents all investor-owned electric companies, said that “a growing number” of companies are taking the step to quarantine their employees based on the level of infection at a given company.
No nuclear power plants are implementing sequestration efforts, according to Jarret Adams, a spokesperson for the Nuclear Energy Institute, which develops policy on nuclear technology and whose members include nuclear power plant owners and operators.
“Before sequestration would be relied on, a number of other strategies can be employed including activation of former operators and consolidation of crews,” Adams wrote in an email.
Indian Point, the nuclear power plant that is scheduled to start to go offline at the end of April and provides a large portion of New York City’s electricity, has taken precautions including limiting in-person meetings, increase sanitation, having employees self-check for symptoms and utilizing gloves for operators. Entergy does have a sequestration contingency plan if it is required, company spokesperson Jerry Nappi said in a statement.
“Entergy continues to monitor the situation closely and remains confident that our response plan will continue to ensure the continued reliable delivery of electricity,” Nappi said.
The potential length and nature of the coronavirus pandemic makes it different than other emergencies that power plants have faced. Typically, Plummer noted, you want as many folks on-site as possible to deal with contingencies in a storm situation.
“Part of the effort of creating the current plan was anticipating the possibility … that this could stretch on for many months and to ensure that we’re not only able to maintain the reliability of our facility but also that we’re taking good care of people that are serving there and that we’re not putting them in high risk situations or putting them in a work situation that leads to burnout," he said.