Weather, particularly severe weather, can substantially impact the operations of utility companies. Lightning can strike substations; high winds can bring down power lines; ice can snap lines; and hurricanes can prove to be catastrophic. All of these have the potential to leave many tens of thousands of customers without power.

In the power industry, utility companies are defined by their ability to provide uninterrupted service. And in the case of catastrophic weather, they are remembered for how quickly they can react and respond to restore power. To quickly re-coup power after a disastrous weather event, such as severe thunderstorms and hurricanes, power companies need accurate and strategic weather information that enable them to make informed business decisions.

The ‘lightning capital’ of the United States
Surrounded on three sides by water, with a propensity to experience differential heating during the day, Florida experiences tropical-like weather conditions. Due to its unique geographical footprint, the state of Florida is conducive to receiving more lightning strikes than any other state. Central Florida even carries the nickname, “lightning capital” of the United States, with July being the most active period for lightning strikes.

Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) is the largest investor-owned electric utility in Florida, serving an estimated 4.5 million customer accounts. For FPL, one of the largest and fastest-growing electric utilities in the United States, severe thunderstorms, high heat, lightning and hurricanes are all realistic weather considerations the company routinely faces.

FPL is a subsidiary of FPL Group, Inc., one of the country’s premier power companies with annual revenues of over $15 billion and a growing presence in 27 states.
 
FPL relies on DTN/Meteorlogix MxVision WeatherSentry Online™ Utilities Edition and expert consultations to prepare for inclement weather. An advanced predictive meteorological service, DTN/Meteorlogix offers the combination of advanced model data technology and experienced meteorologists to provide localized forecast information with special emphasis on lightning information, storm tracking, and radar. By anticipating weather conditions in advance, FPL can strategically place repair crews and better anticipate ahead of time exactly where and when a storm is going to hit — right down to a specific roadway. With comprehensive weather information, FPL can accurately pin-point the direction of local sea breezes coming in from the coast and predict precisely how a storm will track and when and where it will hit.

According to Florida Power and Light network operator Mike Biichle, lightning poses a big threat for all utilities — especially his. With the looming possibility that lightning may strike a substation or knock out a transformer, a lot of preemptive planning must occur to ready and schedule repair crews prior to the storm to ensure they are prepared to restore service in a worst-case scenario.

Weather Watching
“In my day-to-day operations, weather is the first thing I look at when I walk into work in the morning. I start looking two to three days out to see if any storms are headed our way, and if so, where the lightning strikes are occurring,” said Mike Biichle. “Using the advanced radar, I can zoom in, start planning and see if the storm will intensify or degrade. We’re heavily populated down here in Florida and would be like shooting blind if we didn’t have radar assistance.

“Industry-specific weather information tells me wind flow, speed and the temperature along with the humidity – which down here is everything,” continues Biichle. Extremely high temperatures, for example, put pressure on the system. “The advance notice of what type of weather is coming around the corner helps me anticipate what is next, and enables me to beef-up repair crews in any area that might have affected service as a result of the storm.”

When a big storm hits in an area where FPL provides power, getting the residents’ power back on in a safe and timely manner is the top priority. In the back of the utility company’s mind of course, is the scored performance of the Customer Average Interruption Duration Index (CAIDI) – which FPL reports to the Florida Public Service Commission. FPL calculates CAIDI by dividing the sum of all customer interruption durations by the total number of customers served. Utilities are well-aware of their rank in the CAIDI ratings and which utilities are at the top of the rankings list. Power companies also worry about a poor rating because it is also likely that a story about its poor performance will appear in the media, alerting customers.

Hurricane-Ready
Because of its unique geographical location that shares expansive coastlines with both the Gulf of Mexico and the southern Atlantic Ocean, FPL also must keep a vigilant and watchful eye for weather disasters during hurricane season. Even the most informal or novice weather-watcher knows that in the blink of an eye a hurricane can quickly turn treacherous wiping out entire power grids and requiring significant utility man-power to repair.

Between Hurricane Wilma in 2005, which affected the Southern portion of Florida, and Hurricane Andrew, which hit Homestead, Florida, in 1992, FPL is no stranger to the potential impact and devastation a hurricane can cause.

As a readiness precaution to stay prepared for the challenges of severe weather — especially hurricane season — FPL annually simulates a hurricane hitting land within the company’s service area. For four days, FPL employees practice initiating the company’s emergency plan, which includes tracking outages, assessing damage, communicating with customers and employees as well as working with contractors and suppliers to restore service once it is safe to do so. The idea being that in the event of a real hurricane, the utility is practiced and well-prepared.

“Safety is our top priority and the yearly hurricane simulation helps keep everyone sharp,” said Mike Biichle. “Each employee is assigned a job to do. If employees are new to the company they are partnered with someone with more experience, which enables them to learn quicker, get on board and be prepared.”

As an additional precaution, FPL utilizes the most advanced weather technology to track all possible hurricane activity off the coast of Florida. FPL tracks each hurricane’s path and receives a steady flow of updated information from an external weather information provider. In FPL’s case, the utility takes it one step further and receives daily updates in the form of phone calls from the weather system on possible weather scenarios.

A Band of Brothers
When weather turns disastrous, utility companies set aside competitiveness and band together to help get the power back on. Typically, utilities from across the country will travel great lengths to help fellow workers restore power when a storm’s damage is too great for any one company to handle. But before playing the role of the good neighbor, utilities’ first have to make sure their own service territory is going to be out of harms way when crews are away extending needed assistance to other providers customers.

It is important to remember that when crews from out of state are needed there is a sizable price tag attached to the help. Utility companies take precautionary measures to ensure the extra helping hands are used in the most efficient way possible.

Why the National Weather Service and Internet Weather Won’t Cut It
As a trusted utilities company, millions of people rely on FPL to provide energy to their homes every day. Facing daily weather-related threats, FPL needs more advanced and comprehensive weather information than the general public. The National Weather Service and other free weather services rely on unrefined computer models that may or may not be complete in scope, or do not include time-sensitive information. These free services fail to offer the needed industry customization or expert consultation with meteorologists and climatologists.

While the National Weather Service provides weather information to help the general public and alert citizens when they are in the path of severe weather, FPL needs to rely on utility-specific weather information pertaining to its specific service areas and locations of interest.

To receive the most accurate weather information tailored to its specific needs, FPL holds daily conference calls with DTN meteorologists assessing any possible threats from accumulating weather conditions. If a situation forms during the day, FPL employees also utilize live online consulting technology to send quick questions to meteorologists and receive responses within 15 minutes. Having advanced industry-specific weather information assists FPL in making minute-to-minute decisions based on a storm’s severity, potential path, anticipated time of arrival and precise location of impact.

For the majority of utilities companies, weather conditions will always be an uncontrollable liability. For companies such as FPL where weather is a daily concern, it is important to utilize the most advanced strategic weather information available to successfully prepare for whatever Mother Nature may bring their way. To ensure customers receive the best possible service, utilities companies must take as many preemptive precautions as needed.

About DTN
DTN, a private company based in Omaha, Neb., is the leading business information services company focused on agricultural, energy and weather business markets. The company delivers business critical information to more than 700,000 subscribers across its vertical markets. For more information about DTN visit www.dtnmeteorlogix.com or call 952.851.7216.

About the Authors
Rich Wilson is the Director of Energy Services at DTN/Meteorlogix, the commercial weather division of DTN which focuses on providing industry specific weather to more than 900 energy and utility customers. Wilson holds degrees in Physics and Meteorology, and in his fifteen year career with DTN has also held positions in Meteorological Operations and Product Management.

Mike Biichle is a Network Operator at the South Florida Dispatch center of Florida Power & Light Company. He has worked in various positions at the company since 1980.