Mutual Assistance
Changing A Paradigm?
California Utilities Emergency Association
Annual Meeting, June 6, 2013
B. Jim Reagan
NV ENergy
Our Discussion Points
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Mutual Assistance; A brief History in the West
Notable Events; Assistance from West to East
Recent Events; The Push to Change the Paradigm
What is an RMAG?/RMAG Role in Hurricane Sandy
The Next Step; Multiple RMAGS in National Events
Western RMAG; Where is it now?
What Change, and Why?
• The Oxford English Dictionary defines the basic meaning of the
term paradigm as "a typical example or pattern of something;
a pattern or model".
• Western Utilities have provided Mutual Assistance for years,
and it works just fine
• Eastern US Utilities have a different model for large scale
Mutual Assistance, RMAGS
• Why Should Western Utilities consider a change in in how we
manage escalating levels of Mutual Assistance
MA in the Western Region
MA in the Western Region
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1992 Hurricane Iniki (Hawaii)
2003 Wildland Fires (Southern California)
2006 Northwest Storm Damage (Oregon/Washington)
2007 Wildland Fires (Southern California)
2008 Storm Damage (Central & Northern California)
MA in the Western Region
• Joint Powers Act 1952 – CUEA
• Written MA Agreements between various utilities since 1980’s
• First CUEA Multiple Utility Agreement (Electric) 1994
• Revised and Renegotiated 2005
• Western Region Mutual Assistance Agreement 2003
• Southwest MEMS, WARN Agreement, Gas Agreements, Call
Center MA Agreements, multiple inter-utility agreements
Resource Strategies
• Traditional Mutual Assistance Request Strategies
• Phone A Friend – keeping your best hand close to the vest
• Fastest Fingers – reach out and get what you can early
• The CEO Said So
• More Recent Strategies for acquiring resources
• Fishing – casting a net until your meet your quota
• Broadcasting – casting a big net for any resources you can find
Resource Strategies
• These Strategies have Worked Very Well in the West . . . So far
• Farthest reach (travel miles) for recent Western events; San
Diego to New Mexico & Arizona, Seattle to San Diego
• Effective in Multiple Utility Resource Requests satisfied
• Will these Strategies Work for a Nationally Significant Incident
here in the West?
• Can we take care of ourselves?
• Or will we be reaching across the country for assistance?
Assistance from West to East
Assistance from West to East
Assistance from West to East . . .
• 2004 Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan, Jeanne
• 2005 Hurricane Katrina
• 2012 Hurricane Sandy
Recent Events that Push for Change
Hurricane Irene – August 2011
Snotober – October 2011
Derecho – June 2012
Hurricane Sandy – October 2012
Resource Strategies
• Traditional Mutual Assistance Request Strategies
• Phone A Friend – keeping your best hand close to the vest
• Fastest Fingers – reach out and get what you can early
• The CEO Said So
• More Recent Strategies for acquiring resources
• Fishing – casting a net until your meet your quota
• Broadcasting – casting a big net for any resources you can find
• National Strategies for identifying multiple
resource needs, with resource availability
• Regional Communication and Coordination of Resources
• Regional Mutual Assistance Groups
Great Lakes Mutual Assistance Group
American Electric Power
Consumers Energy
Dayton Power & Light
Detroit Energy
Duke Energy (Cinergy)
Duquesne Energy
Exelon (ComEd)
First Energy Corporation
International Transmission
Indianapolis Power & Light
E on US
N. Indiana Public Service
Vectren Energy Delivery
We Energies
The GLMA group was founded in January of 2005.
Mid-Atlantic Mutual Assistance Group
Allegheny Energy
Baltimore Gas & Electric Co.
Duquesne Energy
First Energy Corporation
Orange & Rockland
PECO Energy
PHI, Inc.
PPL Electric Utilities
Public Service Elec. & Gas
UGI Utilities
The MAMA group was founded in 1999.
Midwest Mutual Assistance Group
Allete/Minnesota Power
Alliant Energy
Ameren
American Electric Power
(AEP)
Aquila
CenterPoint Energy
Duke Energy (Cinergy)
Commonwealth Edison
Empire District
Empire District
Entergy
Indianapolis Power & Light
Kansas City Power & Light
E on US
Madison Gas & Electric
MidAmerican Energy
Midwest Energy
Nebraska Public Power
The Midwest MA group was formed around 2000.
Northern Indiana PSC
Northwestern PSC
Oklahoma Gas & Elec.
Omaha Public Power
Otter Tell Power
South Carolina Elec. & Gas
Texas New Mexico Power
TXU Electric
Vectren Energy
WE Energy
Westar Energy
XCEL Energy
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Northeast Mutual Assistance Group
( *Not Shown on Map)
Bangor Hydro
Central Maine Power Company
Central Vermont Public Service Company
Green Mountain Power
Hydro One, Inc. *
Hydro-Quebec *
National Grid
New Brunswick Power
United Illuminating Company
Northeast Utilities
Unitil
NStar
NEMAG formed in 2007
New York Mutual Assistance Group
Central Hudson Gas & Electric
Con Edison
Energy East (NYSEG & RG&E)
FirstEnergy Corporation
KeySpan
Orange & Rockland
National Grid
Northeast Utilities
NYMAG formed in the early 90s
Southeastern Electric Exchange
Allegheny Energy
American Electric Power
Baltimore Gas & Electric Co.
CenterPoint Energy
Cleco
Dominion
Duke Energy
Entergy Corporation
E on US
Florida Power & Light Co.
Florida Public Utilities Co.
Oklahoma Gas & Electric Co.
PHI, Inc.
Progress Energy
South Carolina Elec. & Gas Co.
Tampa Electric Co.
Southern Company
SEE was established in 1933
Texas Mutual Assistance Group
American Electric Power
Austin Energy
CenterPoint Energy
City Public Service
Cleco
Entergy
Mississippi Power Co.
Oklahoma Gas & Electric
Texas New Mexico Power
TXU Electric
The Texas MA group was founded in 1990
Wisconsin Utilities Association
Mutual Assistance Group
Alliant Energy
Madison Gas & Elec. Co.
We Energies
Wisconsin Public Service Corporation
Xcel Energy Inc
American Transmission Company
The WUA Mutual Assistance group was founded in 1993.
Arizona Public Service Company
ATCO Gas
Avista Corporation
Bonneville Power Administration
Cascade Natural Gas
Chelan County PUD No. 1
City of Mesa Utilities
Clark Public Utilities
El Paso Electric Company
ENSTAR Natural Gas Co. *
Eugene Water and Electric Board
FortisBC* (Terasen)
Idaho Power
Intermountain Gas Company
Hawaiian Electric Company *
Los Angeles Dept. of Water & Power
NorthWestern Energy
NV Energy
Northwest Natural
Pacific Gas & Electric Company
PacifiCorp: Pacific Power
Rocky Mountain Power
Portland General Electric
Public Service Company of New Mexico
Puget Sound Energy
Questar Gas Company
Sacramento Municipal Utility District
Salt River Project
Seattle City Light
Snohomish County PUD
Southern California Edison
Southwest Gas Corporation
The Gas Company, LLC *
Tucson Electric Power Company
TransCanada GTN (Tuscarora)
Western Region Mutual Assistance
Members of Western Energy Institute and
California Utilities Emergency Association
Anza Electric Cooperative
Bear Valley Electric Service
Burbank Water and Power
Colton Public Utilities
Glendale Water & Power
Lassen Municipal Utility District
Modesto Irrigation District
Pasadena Water & Power
Plumas-Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative
San Diego Gas & Electric Company
Southern California Gas Company
Truckee-Donner Public Utility District
The City of Anaheim
The City of Azusa
The City of Healdsburg
The City of Lompoc
The City of Palo Alto
The City of Redding
The City of Roseville
The City of Santa Clara
The City of Shasta Lake
The City of Ukiah
(* Not Shown on Map)
How did the RMAGs Work in
Hurricane Sandy?
• 5 days before landfall – individual utilities were planning and
evaluating their need for resources – pre-staging
• Utilities in need of Resources communicated up to the RMAG
• The RMAG tried to fill the need within it’s own utilities if
possible
• The RMAG then went to Neighboring RMAGs for Resources
• Lessons learned from recent major storm and mutual
assistance incidents evolved the EEI Mutual Assistance /
Emergency Preparedness Executive Committee, made up of
representatives from all 9 RMAGs
• EEI and the MA/EP worked directly with DOE and FEMA, then
DOD, to coordinate the requesting and movement of
resources from all parts of the country, to the affected areas
Mutual Assistance Process
Mutual Assistance Process Used In Sandy
Individual
Utilities
Results of RMAG Coordination
• This event was bigger than any other movement of utility and
contract resources in history
• Unlike previous events, the Utility Industry demonstrated that
We Can be Fully Effective in Responding to National Events
• The Industry can Effectively coordinate with State and Federal
Agencies in response
• Industry Associations provide Invaluable Assistance and
Coordination for their Utility Members
• There is No Need for 3rd party regulation of Mutual Assistance
• The Utility Industry can identify needed improvements,
develop solutions, and be better prepared for future events
What’s Next
• The EEI member CEO’s established a task force to identify
improvements in RMAG Coordination and Configuration,
Materials and Equipment, and Contractor Outreach
• EEI is continuing development of RMAGS, and how they
coordinate with each other, their effectiveness, and best
practices in Mutual Assistance
• EEI will represent the Electric Utility Industry with Federal
Agencies in the integration of utility response in large events
• EEI will reach out to Utility Associations to continue process
improvements in Mutual Assistance and Emergency Response
• WHY EEI???
National Response Event (NRE):
The Case for Action & Proposed
Approach
5/22/2013
Case for Action
We need to enhance the existing mutual assistance process for national
events because:
 We want our customers, who have increasing expectations and electricity
dependence, to see the mutual assistance process as efficient, transparent and
equitable
 As an industry, we are the leaders in emergency response. Failure of any individual
utility or regional mutual assistance group (RMAG) affects the entire industry
 We want to demonstrate that we are prepared for significant events so as to
reduce unnecessary interference from 3rd parties.
 More efficient resource allocation would improve public safety, accelerate
restoration and avoid economic consequences
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Level of Events
 Level 1 – Local Area (resources come from within your
company including sister companies)
 Level 2 – Local Region (resources come from 1 RMAG and
potentially neighboring utilities)
 Level 3 – Regional (resources come from more than one
RMAG)
 Level 4 – National Response Event (NRE) (impacts a
significant population and requires resources from multiple
RMAGs or sources)
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Industry’s Vision for Allocating Resources
in a National Response Event
“When an NRE is declared then all available
resources (including contractors) will be pooled and
allocated to individual companies in an efficient,
transparent and equitable manner based on a set of
industry accepted evaluation criteria in order to do
what is right for all customers and communities.”
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Guiding Principles Governing
National Response Event
Safety First: Whether providing or receiving assistance, personnel safety will be the preeminent objective and responsibility of all participants.
companies should work together to minimize safety risk to all parties.
Voluntary Participation: Utility participation should remain voluntary and should not undermine a utilities’ ability to retain local control of respective
operations while benefiting from outside support. Responding company may recall its resources at any point to address another event on its territory.
Full and Reciprocal Participation: Utilities requesting mutual assistance during a storm event should offer assistance in future events proportional
to their size and abilities, recognizing that great geographical separation may limit opportunities to share in all but the most catastrophic events.
There will be a standing offer that each company will set and which will be available for support unless that company is threatened.
Removing Regulatory Barriers: Companies will act in good faith to reduce legal and regulatory barriers to their respective full and reciprocal
participation pursuant to these principles.
Resource Transparency: Requesting company will disclose all available resources including their own line personnel, full-time on-site contractors,
parent/sister company resources and any other resources secured in the reported mutual assistance resource counts.
Efficient and Equitable Restoration: In an NRE the industry should have the organizational ability and resources to be responsive to members
during major disaster and allocate available resources efficiently and equitably to meet all affected member company needs to restore power in a
timely fashion.
Companies agree that, in general, resources will be allocated on the basis of severity of need based upon predicted and/or actual impact (percentage/degree
of system loss and estimated time customers have been without power), storm timing (i.e., which company will be impacted first), travel time, availability of
non-RMAG member controlled resources.
Coordinate Release of Resources: Companies agree not to release or dispatch any resource (contract or native) unless committed to and confirmed
by the requesting member company. It is understood that the responding member company’s territories must be free from significant threat before
resources (company and contractor) can be committed and dispatched.
Situational Awareness: Companies should communicate to responding companies’ personnel regarding the degree of devastation in the
emergency restoration work area and expected working conditions. Requesting companies should communicate general guidelines with responding
companies, such as labor contractual issues, safety issues, contact personnel, vehicle fueling arrangements, typical standard construction, meal and
lodging arrangements, etc.
Timely and Fair Reimbursement: Utilities should provide assistance on a not-for-profit basis and requesting companies should provide timely
reimbursement to responding companies for all expenses incurred in providing assistance.
Responsibility of Requesting Companies: Utilities should request only those resources they can effectively assign and support.
Following Existing Principles: EEI members agree to operate in accordance with the existing EEI Governing Principles covering Emergency
Assistance
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Triggering a Level 4 National
Response Event
 When multiple RMAGs cannot adequately support the resource
requirements of the requesting utilities, the CEOs (or designated
officers) of the requesting utilities may initiate the NRE process
 A National Event:
 Significantly impacts the energy infrastructure resulting in widespread
power outages, telecommunications outages and fuel shortages
 Impacts life, property and security of a significant population
 Requires resources that exceed the capacity of the impacted and
adjacent regions, in terms of level and capability
 Requires coordination of the Federal, State and Local response
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Structure for Allocating Resources During a
National Response Event
 Establish an NRE Executive Oversight Committee, consisting of
Executives (VP or above) representing all regions of the US to oversee
the process for resource allocation during an NRE, that
 Owns the process and criteria for allocation of resources during NREs
 Interface with EEI around communications and messaging for the industry
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(Public Information Officer – PIO)
Is responsible for conducting after-action reviews and commissioning
periodic drills of the NRE process
Consists of the executives representing utility companies
Drives preparation and readiness of the Allocation Team for the NRE
through training and drills
Ensure adherence the guiding principles and manage the appeal process
during the event
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Structure for Allocating Resources During a
National Response Event
 Create a NRE Mutual Assistance Allocation Team that will execute the
process once the NRE is triggered
 Assigned representatives who are drawn from the leaders (chairs) of the
regional mutual assistance groups
 Use the pre-defined criteria for resource allocation and facilitate agreement
among requesting utilities
 Analytic Support that will (the Allocation Team to define who will
provide analytic support):
 Compile the information on resource requests and resources available
 Maintain the spreadsheets and methodology documentation for allocation
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Process for Allocating Resources During a
National Response Event
 Once the NRE process is activated:
 The allocations of the available resources will be allocated to requesting companies without regard to
the existing RMAG boundaries
 Available resources will be the total of all resources (company and contractor) available from all
member companies and providers of resources
 Requested resources will include all of the remaining unfilled resources by each company looking for
assistance (initial request net of the resources that the company has already secured or has received
commitments to receive)
 The allocations will be based on pre-defined criteria and other situational considerations made
transparent to all requesting utilities
 Other requirements:
 Resources will be applied to NRE consistent with good utility industry practices, including that the
requesting utility must develop their resource request based on the needs of the event, not their worst
case scenario.
 Utilities will work together to address the impact of other day-to-day performance requirements that
may be compromised as a result of support they are providing
 Develop a contingency plan to address a secondary event that may impact a responding utility(ies)
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Evaluation Criteria for National
Response Event
 There are a number of factors that should to be considered in the allocation, including but
not limited to the following examples:
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Number of trouble locations (actual or forecasted)
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By type of damage
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Damage location and type of terrain
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Wires down
Total customers out and customers restored
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Total and % of customers affected
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Weather forecast (potential vs. actual outages, timing of the impact, potential secondary events,
etc.)
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Forecasted restoration time
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Travel time
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Geographic proximity
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Pre-existing relationships with contractors
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Skills of the resources required for restoration
Mutual Assistance/Emergency Preparedness Executive Committee will define the allocation criteria
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Transparency of Resources
 To promote transparency for all levels of events
the utility requesting resources will identify, by
type of resource, the following:
 Company resources
 Company contractor resources
 Intra parent company/sister company resources and
contractors
 Resources obtained from outside all RMAGs
 Resources obtained within RMAG
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In many cases this information is already being provided to Governors and Regulators
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Equity of the Process
 In an NRE while there may not be sufficient mutual
assistance resources to meet all companies’ needs (based
on predicted or actual damage), the available resources
will be allocated proportionally based on those companies
with the greatest need receiving the highest proportion of
resources using the agreed upon allocation process
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Proposed Follow-up Actions with
Contractors
 Continue to partner with contractors to find solutions to resource allocation
process challenges
 Improve contractors’ understanding of mutual assistance process
 Recognize contractor constraints in the allocation process (e.g., existing
customer relationships, storm contracts and union/non-union agreements)
 Enhance communications with contractors during early stages of response to
understand the commitment and timing of resource releases
 Have principles and practices recognize the event as an emergency and
understand that provided resources may not be all the same but should meet
basic qualifications
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Proposed Material and Equipment
 Post Hurricane Sandy, questions were raised regarding material and equipment
shortages that may have delayed restoration
 EEI Industry Survey:
 The Material and Equipment Team conducted a survey to determine if there were
shortages
 Thirty-Nine utilities responded to the survey
 Conclusion:
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With some minor exceptions there were no shortages of material and equipment
The existing relationships with vendors and other utilities (or groups) have ensured that
shortages typically do not occur in emergencies
Individual states may institute their own rules dealing with materials during emergencies
 Association of Edison Illuminating Companies (AEIC) best practice report
provides recommendations to avoid material shortages
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Proposed Material and Equipment
Follow-up Actions
 Work with the EEI Mutual Assistance/Emergency Preparedness
(MA/EP) Executive Committee to develop a formal mutual
assistance logistics, material and equipment process for the NRE
and each RMAG
 Make AEIC best practices report available to all EEI members (to
be finalized)
 Develop a position paper that defines a material “shortage” and
describes the process used by utilities to obtain material and
equipment during major events without delaying restoration
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Issues to be Addressed
 Restoration Strategy: Resource allocation process needs to
allow for different restoration strategies
 Common Language: Need to continue to build a common
language to be used across all events and RMAGs
 Evaluation Criteria: Once developed the criteria can be applied
for all events by individual RMAGs to ensure consistency
 State Interventions: Governors and regulators are making state-
specific decisions and demands on resources that are in conflict
with the NRE
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Public Policy Initiatives
 Utilities will commit to pursue discussions with their respective regulators and
legislators to educate them about the unintended consequences of decisions
to limit the movement of restoration resources during emergencies
 Develop a document that describes the NRE process to support the discussions
with the external stakeholders (including Federal and state regulators and
legislators)
 Establish a process for communicating with stakeholders during major events
to provide an industry perspective on resource needs and allocations
 Avoid comparisons of resource acquisitions among individual utilities but focus on
regional allocation as an indicator of readiness
 Develop pre-messaging and communication strategy for each event
 Use EEI Communications group as the Public Information Officer (PIO) for the events
and align communications process with the Incident Command System (ICS)
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RMAG Configuration
 Some RMAGs could be more effective with increased geography
and resources
 Current size of individual RMAGs in Mid-Atlantic and Northeast
may not provide sufficient geographic diversity and resources to
address regional events
 There is a significant overlap in membership among several
RMAGs across the country
 Individual Utilities may belong to one or multiple RMAGs
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Summary of Recommendations
 Implement a National Response Event (NRE) approach as
defined in this document
 Develop and execute an industry public policy strategy to
educate the third party stakeholders on the NRE
 Evaluate the benefits of consolidation of certain RMAGs, such as:
 Mid-Atlantic Mutual Assistance (MAMA), New York Mutual Assistance Group
(NYMAG) and New England Mutual Assistance Group (NEMAG)
 Northern portion of the Midwest Mutual Assistance (MMA)
 Southeastern Exchange (SEE) and Texas Mutual Assistance
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Remaining Action Items
(post Board Meeting)
 Ensure that there is full support for the NRE across IOUs
 Develop the specific criteria for resource allocation during NRE
 Initial allocation to be based on quantitative criteria
 Process for finalizing allocation criteria based on qualitative requirements
(utility and contractor)
 CEOs to assign NRE Executive Oversight Committee
 Establish the document governing the NRE Executive Oversight
Committee activities
 Develop and implement a table top exercise for the NRE
 Conduct an outreach to municipal and coop utilities to engage in
mutual assistance in NREs
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Where is the Western RMAG?
• Initially represented to EEI as the combination of 2 major
Mutual Assistance Agreements (each with EEI members),
which include California Utilities Emergency Association
Mutual Assistance Agreement, and the Western Region
Mutual Assistance Agreement
• Hurricane Sandy accelerated the interest in formalizing a
Western Region Mutual Assistance Group
• Initial meeting April 15th at WEI meeting in Seattle
• Attending utilities agreed in principal to move forward with
the development of the WRMAG
• A Core Workgroup representing 7 electric utilities and 2
industry associations have begun development of the Guiding
Principals and Concept of Operations for WRMAG
Western RMAG Concepts
• Provide Value and Competence in assisting it’s members in
medium to large assistance activations
• Governance Structure that will provide leadership and
continuity moving forward
• Is Voluntary, Transparent, with minimal or no fee structure
• Incorporates Industry Associations and their members
• Incorporates Municipal, Rural, and Co-op utilities
• Scalable to provide level of coordination in line with the event
• Clear simple activation guidelines, and processes
• Allows for existing Agreements to remain, and provide
alternatives for agreements on demand
• Provide planning coordination for WRMAA being the
REQUESTING organization
What would it look like?
Where do we go from here?
• Understand the need for a larger regional coordinating body
• Provide input on how the RMAG should work
• Participate as a utility or association to ensure it’s
effectiveness
• More information as we progress