2016/59 102681 k nKonw A A weldegdeg e ol n oNtoet e s eSrei r e ise s f ofro r p r&a c t hteh e nEenregryg y Etx itcrea c t i v e s G l o b a l P r a c t i c e The bottom line Are Power Utilities in Tonga and New Zealand Resilient? Given the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather Human and Organizational Factors in Disaster Response events, it is useful to understand the lessons learned from recent Why is this issue important? and organizational factors that played a part in the recovery efforts. natural disasters in Ha’apai, This brief is based on interviews and research carried out by the Tonga, and Christchurch, Natural disasters are increasingly frequent, authors for a global study (to be published in February 2016) of New Zealand. Despite vastly costly, and disruptive how the power sector can be made more resilient to weather and different circumstances, the two geological risks. Natural disasters have become more frequent over the past 20 years, experiences demonstrate that Of course, the expectations and requirements of a largely rural, and the costs of the damages and losses associated with them are power outages can be shortened remote island community in a developing nation with a small power rising. At the same time, the world is increasingly reliant on electricity, through access to adequate system and those of a major, interconnected city in a developed and the population expects reliable, stable, and secure services. human resources, immediate and country with a much larger power system are different. The response Natural disasters affect power utilities with varying levels of frequent communication with to Tonga’s Cyclone Ian, which damaged most of the electricity severity that depend on each utility’s natural environment. Disasters the public, good pre-disaster network of the Ha’apai Islands in January 2014, was quite different that can have a major impact on power generation, transmission, maintenance, and standardized from the recovery efforts surrounding the February 2011 earthquake distribution, or control include earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, equipment. By attending to in Christchurch, New Zealand. Despite the differences, however, the cold spells, heat waves, storms, tropical cyclones, heavy snowfalls, these factors, utilities can human and organizational factors of resilience affecting post-disaster floods, droughts, and wildfires. become more resilient and help management are similar. In the United States, a 2012 estimate from the Department of communities recover more Energy showed that between 2008 and 2012, annual costs due to quickly. weather-related power outages ranged from $25 billion to $70 billion. What challenges were faced? These figures are derived from business costs associated with lost In both Tonga and New Zealand the damage Ray Brown is director output, residential customers’ willingness to pay to avoid outages, for transmission and and other types of lost economic output. Hurricane Sandy alone cost was severe distribution at AECOM the U.S. economy between $14 and $26 billion. Tonga. On January 10, 2014, Tropical Cyclone Ian hit the Ha’apai Auckland. In Thailand, the 2011 floods cost the power sector $285 million Islands of Tonga—home to approximately 7,000 people—with wind Xiaoping Wang is a in damages and losses and another $180 million to recover and gusts of 287 km/h. The category five cyclone destroyed 82 percent of senior energy specialist at reconstruct. all buildings and 95 percent of power lines, damaging the only power the World Bank. In most disasters, a certain degree of damage to power system station and requiring it to undergo major refurbishment. components is unavoidable; however, steps can be taken to reduce A lack of functioning communications facilities after the event Christopher Page is an the impact and length of the resulting power outages. Here we look hampered efforts to organize transportation and logistics and to MPA candidate at the at how major disasters in Tonga and New Zealand affected power understand the level of assistance required of authorities and staff Woodrow Wilson School of systems and what the power authorities learned about the human based on Tonga’s main island. Even when response staff arrived Public and International Affairs at Princeton University. Are Power Utilities in Tonga and New Zealand Resilient? 2 A r e P o w e r U t i l i t i e s i n T o nga and N e w Z e a l and R e s i l i e nt ? in Ha’apai, limited communications caused significant delays in The power distribution network faced severe damage from the support. All on-island landline phones were out of service because earthquake. Four of the city’s 314 zone substations were rendered the wires went down with the distribution lines. Cellphone towers unserviceable owing to ground movement and falling rocks. Most and transmission equipment on radio towers (VHF) and their ancillary of Christchurch’s 66 kV cables, 15 percent of its 11 kV cables, and 1 equipment were damaged, so cellular communication was almost percent of its low voltage cables were damaged. About a hundred completely cut off for a time, leaving only limited SMS (texting) poles (a relatively small number) were displaced. As a result, “The category five cyclone capability and very limited external communications. It took days to approximately 80 percent of Christchurch’s network was without destroyed 82 percent of all assess the situation, and it was difficult to convey needs back to the power after the earthquake; five days after the earthquake, more buildings and 95 percent of head office on Tongatapu, Tonga’s main island. Tonga Power Ltd (TPL), than 36,000 residents still lacked power. the utility, has now purchased a satellite phone for Ha’apai. power lines on the Ha’apai After technical personnel and contractors from TPL arrived on What lessons were learned? Islands, damaging the only the islands, providing shelter, food, water, and power for the respond- power station and requiring ers proved a challenge. These resources had to be shipped in, which Lessons reflected differences in circumstances but it to undergo major increased response times. also interesting similarities refurbishment.” Because of these factors, recovery was slow. After nearly two Tonga. TPL managers interviewed in 2014 offered suggestions to weeks, TPL had restored power to no more than 100 residences. In improve the ability to restore power and make improvements. October 2014, ten months after the disaster, 700 families—almost 50 Pre-disaster maintenance is critical. When Cyclone Ian hit percent of the population on the islands—were still living in tents. Ha’apai, overhead lines were not in sufficiently good condition to New Zealand. On February 22, 2011, a devastating, shallow withstand high winds (figure 2), and many poles and line conductors earthquake with a 6.3 magnitude struck Christchurch, New Zealand, broke. The network would have been in a better condition after the a prosperous city of approximately 400,000 people, killing 181 and storm if maintenance practices had followed TPL’s standards. For seriously injuring 161 (figure 1). More than 1,200 buildings in the example, many wooden poles were severely rotten at their bases, central business district had to be demolished, and more than and substandard poles had been used in some cases. 300,000 buildings were damaged, contributing to an estimated $40 billion in damages. Figure 1. The city center of Christchurch, New Zealand, just after the 2011 earthquake struck Photo copyright: Gillian Needham. Used by permission. 3 A r e P o w e r U t i l i t i e s i n T o nga and N e w Z e a l and R e s i l i e nt ? Measures taken in advance of a disaster can lessen outage Information sharing with the public and institutions was critical. times. Such measures include: (i) placing distribution transformers Despite severe damage to cellular networks, public communication well above sea level to avoid flooding, (ii) keeping a good stock of about availability of the power network was highly successful in the spare parts on each island, (iii) maintaining cyclone response kits aftermath of Christchurch’s earthquake. Simple, accurate network (comprising vehicles, communications, and torches), (iv) compiling maps showing network status and recovery times were immediately “Advance planning is a restoration priority list so that the criticality of each section of the available to the media from the utility’s geographical information sys- needed to ensure that network is understood, and (v) isolating switchboards using residual tem (GIS). From these single-city overviews, the public could deter- current devices. mine areas of the network that were damaged and where they could technical responders and Ready access to equipment and external technical field staff find power. Additionally, in areas of particularly high damage, senior their families are kept safe is required after major disasters. After Cyclone Ian, transporting personnel organized street-corner meetings that were exceptionally and supplied with water, equipment and personnel (TPL staff and contractors) to the remote well received. This rapid and transparent sharing of information is a food, shelter, and emotional islands and providing for the needs of those personnel were major prime example of quick action by power sector workers, action that challenges. As noted, shelter, food, and water were shipped in with enabled customers, in turn, to take appropriate action. support. Comprehensive the responders. Per diems supported personnel working in harsh Good logistics and support from equipment suppliers were support enables conditions, as well as their families. Emergency communications critical, highlighting the value of close relationships with key stake- responders to work safely systems allowed the responders to communicate with their families. holders. For example, when spare components ran out, equipment and turn in the best Straightforward and standardized designs sped recovery. At the suppliers’ knowledge allowed factory stocks to be replenished within time of the cyclone, TPL’s network equipment standards had recently days. Similarly, good relationships with other distribution networks possible performance.” been updated and were significantly different from the old equip- and their maintenance-service providers enabled hundreds of ment in Ha’apai. The new overhead line standard (aerial bundled technical personnel to be assigned to Christchurch within 24 hours conductor) was well documented, and personnel were trained in its to assist with repairs. Good inter-institutional relationships enabled application, enabling them to act quickly when equipment arrived on regulatory barriers to be quickly removed. the remote islands. Based on this experience, standard designs are recommended, including simple resilience concepts (such as moving transformers above water surge levels) to enable fast restoration and Figure 2. Vulnerable power lines in Ha’apai, Tonga improve power-supply resilience. New Zealand. Several factors were critical in restoring power and making improvements in Christchurch after the earthquake. As in Tonga, external support, including ample human resources, was critical in the aftermath of the Christchurch earthquake. Connetics, the network maintenance service provider, created an individual profile of every responder and his or her family and then ensured that each staff member’s family had shelter, water, food, and emotional support. These and other seemingly minor provisions such as laundry services were found to help responders to work long hours safely, knowing that they did not have to worry about their families. If necessary to prevent responders from becoming overtired and stressed, managers required them to take time off. Photo by Ray W. Brown. 4 A r e P o w e r U t i l i t i e s i n T o nga and N e w Z e a l and R e s i l i e nt ? No significant technological changes were made following the • Advance planning is needed to ensure that technical respond- Make further Christchurch earthquake because the utility already had high seismic ers and their families are kept safe and supplied with water, connections standards. The wait for spare parts in Christchurch was shorter and food, shelter, and emotional support. Comprehensive support less pressing than in Tonga owing to the proximity of international enables responders to work safely and turn in the best possible Live Wire 2014/17. “Incorpo- airports, but there was a greater need for efficient supplier logistics. performance. rating Energy from Renewable Because field personnel in Christchurch had remote communication • The presence of documented, up-to-date equipment standards Resources into Power System devices and GIS access, information could be shared quickly with the and designs (drawings, guides, and manuals) accelerates Planning,” by Marcelino public and other organizations. recovery. Madrigal and Rhonda Lenai • Good relationships with other agencies and organizations (even Jordan. What is comparable in the two cases? competitors) allow regulatory barriers to be lifted and enable Live Wire 2015/38. “Integrating technical support and equipment to be sourced quickly. Variable Renewable Energy Several common success factors stand out • Open, fast, honest, and transparent communications among into Power System Opera- As noted, Ha’apai and Christchurch are very different places, and utilities, governments, supporting institutions, and the public tions,” by Thomas Nikolakakis those differences are reflected in the response of the two locations enables all parties to respond quickly and appropriately, helping and Debabrata Chattopadhyay. to disaster. More surprising than the differences, however, are the to mitigate negative consequences and support those in need. common success factors that can be detected in the two cases. Live Wire 2015/43. “Integrating The critical similarities in the lessons learned from the two The authors thank Migara Jayawardena and Jack Campbell for their helpful Climate Model Data into comments on an earlier draft. They also acknowledge the contributions of Power System Planning,” by disasters are as follows: staff at Tonga Power Ltd, Transpower NZ Ltd, Connetics Ltd, and Orion NZ Ltd Debabrata Chattopadhyay and • The condition of the network before the event is crucial. Good and thank them for their willingness to share their experiences. Rhonda L. Jordan. maintenance reduces damage and hastens repair. In too many utilities, proper maintenance practices are compromised by Live Wire 2015/44. “Mapping poor management, inadequate budgets, and lack of skilled Smart-Grid Modernization in technicians. Power Distribution Systems,” by Samuel Oguah and Debabrata Chattopadhyay. Live Wire 2015/48. “Supporting Transmission and Distribution Projects: World Bank Invest- ments since 2010,” by Samuel Oguah, Debabrata Chattopad- hyay, and Morgan Bazilian. Live Wire 2016/60. “Toward Climate-Resilient Hydropower: Two Applications of Deci- sion-Making Under Uncer- tainty,” by Pravin Karki, Laura Bonzanigo, Haruhika Ohtsuka, and Sanjay Pahuja (January 2016).