Con Edison implemented storm hardening initiatives following Superstorm Sandy to increase the resiliency of its electric system. Immediate hardening was completed by June 2013 and included flood barriers, pumps, and sealing equipment at 9 substations and 3 generating stations. A $1 billion, multi-year storm hardening program was proposed to continue hardening efforts through 2017. This includes raising critical equipment, backup generators, robust walls and doors, and new control systems to protect against flooding up to FEMA's 100-year flood level plus 3 feet. Con Edison collaborated with regulators and stakeholders to review risks and justify storm hardening projects.
1. Storm Hardening Initiatives at
Con Edison
May 7th, 2014
Luciano Villani
Department Manager, Project
Engineering, Con Edison
2. Network Systems Non-Network Systems
Generating Station
(electricity generated at
13.8 to 22.0 kV)
Transmission
Substation
Area Substation
(voltage stepped down to
primary distribution
voltage)
Transformers
(voltage stepped
down to 480, 208,
or 120 V)
Feeders
Con Edison Overview
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3. Super Storm Sandy Statistics
• Largest Atlantic storm on
record spanning 1,000 miles
• Impacted over 8.5 million
customers across 21 states
• Sustained winds reached
64 mph at LaGuardia Airport
with peak gust of 90 mph
on Staten Island
• 14.06 foot storm tide
recorded at Battery Park
4. Super Storm Sandy Impact to Con Edison
• 1.1 million customer outages
• Lost 4,000 MW of generation
• 60% of 345 kV feeders lost
• 5 transmission substations
– 11 Manhattan networks
– 3 Staten Island area stations
• 2 steam stations and 561
steam customers impacted
• 398 gas services interrupted
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5. Con Edison Response
• Service Restoration – restore service as quickly as possible
• System Normalization – repair equipment damage
• Site Assessments
– Multidiscipline engineering teams visited all impacted stations
– Identification of critical impacted equipment and water infiltration
– Conceptual storm hardening scopes and estimates
• Immediate Storm Hardening (June 1, 2013)
• Long-Term Storm Resiliency
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6. Sandy Aftermath Timeline
Oct 2012 Jan 2013 Apr 2013 July 2013 Oct 2013 Jan 2014
Sandy
Hits
Normalization
Immediate/Phase 1 Storm
Hardening
Phase 2 (thru 2017)
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June 1, 2013 –
Construction Complete
9. Immediate Hardening Scope
June 1st, 2013
New walls/barriers around critical equipment
New sump pumps
Sealed conduit penetration points with RTV
Shrink wrap important control boxes
Install backup nitrogen pumps
Raised equipment where feasible and economic
Valve-off sewer drains
Governing flood control elevation, higher of:
1. SLOSH 2010
2. 2007 FEMA 100-yr flood +2 feet
3. Witnessed Sandy level
Breaker
Disconnect
PotheadStand
Breaker
Relay
House
Control
Room Pumping
Plant
Power line
Control/protection line(s)
Oil line
Terminal box
Insulator To Distribution
From Transmission
Power
Transformer
Flood Control
Elevation
Disconnect
PotheadStand
Sandy Flood
Elevation
Sewer Drain
10. June 1, 2013
Accomplishments
• Work completed at 9 Substations
and 3 Generating Stations
– 54 new concrete moats (6100 LF)
– 210 flood doors and barriers
– 81 submersible pumps
– 21 high capacity diesel pumps
– Approx. 3000 conduit and trough
seals
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11. Con Edison Rate Case & Collaborative
• Filed January 2013
• All 3 commodities (Electric, Steam & Gas)
• Storm Hardening Program
– $1 billion Company-wide
– Projects span 2014 – 2017
• Storm Hardening Collaborative
– Cooperation among all interested rate case parties
– Risk prioritization and project justification
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12. Collaborative Activities
• Collaborative Parties
– PSC, NYC, Attorney General,
Utility Intervention Unit, EDF,
Columbia Center for Climate
Change, Local 1-2
• Benchmarking
– United Illuminating
– PSE&G
– Brooklyn Navy Yard
– NYC MTA
– Swedish Delegation
• With Collaborative
– 8 meetings and 2 field visits
– 3 detailed presentations
– 32 technical and economic
questions/information
requests
– 11 order of magnitude
estimates
– Established flood control
criteria (FEMA 100yr + 3’)
– Ongoing meetings
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13. Next Steps – Phase 2 Storm Hardening
• More robust walls, doors and
barriers
• Additional pumps with redundant
feeds
• Backup generators
• Raise or relocate critical equipment
• New control room and automation
system
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2013 Flood
Protection Level
0-8
Feet
New Flood
Protection Level 3-4
Feet
Design Standard: FEMA 100 year flood level + 3 feet
(design level re-examined every five years)
14. Goethals – Proposed Perimeter Wall
Before & After
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• Interlocking metal
sheet pile wall.
• 25 feet below grade
• 10 feet above grade
15. New Control Room & Lifting Electrical
Panels
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Digital HMI and
Automation System
High pressure Rankine units. Truncated combined cycle (gas turbine feeding
345kV transformer with a tertiary winding that went into a flooded breaker.
This is the prototype of the moveable relay panel that is installed in the 13th St. millyard.
This was designed and built in the Van Nest Shop. During normal operations, the panel will be at an accessible level for personnel. During the storm preparation it can be mechanically raised to a safe height out of the water.