On Thursday, 4 April 2024, Ally Emergency Management supported the FortisBC Emergency Management team by conducting a tabletop exercise (TTX) at the FortisBC Kootenay Operations Centre (KOC) located in Castlegar, British Columbia.

The objectives of this TTX were to enhance the FortisBC’s ability to respond to incidents affecting electric assets, improve overall corporate resilience, and ensure public safety during emergency situations..

Scenario Overview:

• Thursday, July 18th, at 1600h
• Heat dome event over western Canada and Northwestern U.S., similar to the 2021 event.
• Load reaches 32MW, causing a transformer trip due to winding temperature.
• Fire dispatch notifies the control center of a localized fire on the transformer.
• An 86T lockout alarm is detected.
• Evidence of fire damage around the medium voltage bus.
• Feeder 9, which feeds a hospital, is affected by the fire isolation.
• Transformer and medium voltage bus require replacement and restoration may take up to a week.
• Saucier FDR10 and KRE1 express tie are out of service.

Incident Response Steps:

• Control center receives notification of the incident.
• Activate the emergency response team.
• Coordinate with fire dispatch and emergency services.
• Assess the extent of the damage and potential risks.
• Implement isolation procedures to contain the fire and prevent further damage.
• Prioritize restoration efforts, especially for critical infrastructure like Feeder 9 serving the hospital.
• Communicate with affected customers, including the hospital, and provide updates on the situation.
• Arrange for replacement of the damaged transformer and medium voltage bus.
• Consider alternative routes or temporary solutions for power supply if express ties are out of service.

Training and Drills:

• Conduct training sessions for employees involved in emergency response.
• Perform drills to simulate similar scenarios and test response procedures.
• Review and update emergency response plans based on lessons learned from exercises.

Evaluation and Improvement:

• Evaluate the effectiveness of the emergency response exercise.
• Identify areas for improvement in communication, coordination, and response time.
• Implement corrective actions and enhancements to the emergency response plan.
• Schedule regular follow-up exercises to maintain readiness and resilience.

Public Communication:

• Provide timely and accurate information to the public regarding the incident.
• Communicate safety instructions and any necessary precautions to affected customers and communities.
• Establish a hotline or online portal for inquiries and updates regarding the restoration process.

By conducting this emergency response exercise, FortisBC aims to enhance its preparedness and response capabilities, ultimately ensuring the safety of both its assets and the public during critical incidents.