Dominion Energy is taking proactive steps to ensure it is fully prepared for the upcoming hurricane season, and is also working closely with local governments to ensure they are ready for any potential storm or power outage.
The utility company, which provides electric, gas, dispatch, and customer service operations, recently held a meeting with local government leaders to discuss their response plans for major weather events and outages. The meeting included representatives from elected offices, emergency operations, and first responders to ensure a coordinated response in the event of a storm.
Year-Round Preparation for Hurricane Season
While Dominion Energy’s preparations are a year-round effort, officials say they significantly ramp up their operations once summer hits. The company regularly holds these preparedness events to keep local leaders and first responders informed on the protocols for responding to outages and other weather-related emergencies.
Paul Fischer, Communications Strategic Advisor for Dominion Energy, stressed the importance of collaboration during storm events. “During a storm, it is so critical. We want to make sure there is an increased awareness around how we respond, how we collaborate with emergency management teams, questions around access issues through local or state roads, and getting access to restore power,” he said.
Focus on Electrical Outages
Electrical outages are more common than gas emergencies, according to Dominion Energy. Gas emergencies typically occur due to excavation damage, while electrical outages can be caused by storms or high winds. The company serves over 1.2 million customers, with around 820,000 of those customers relying on underground and overhead electricity distribution. While overhead lines are more vulnerable to wind damage, they can often be repaired more quickly.
A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Storm Response
Justin Pierce, Emergency Management Director of Charleston County, who started in his role in December, emphasized the importance of understanding how different teams respond to storm impacts. “As it’s a storm, hurricane, anything that impacts our infrastructure throughout the county, the first thing we will be doing is working with all of our electrical companies to understand what has been impacted,” Pierce said. “Then, should it be large enough, we would activate our emergency operations center where we would physically co-locate to solve big problems and restore power to the most critical spots in the county.”
Local Customers Are a Top Priority
Dominion Energy made it clear that their priority will always be to restore power to their local customers first. “For our Dominion Energy customers, getting their lights back on is job one for us,” Fischer said. “We would not be releasing any crews in neighboring areas until all our customers’ lights are back on.”
As hurricane season approaches, Dominion Energy is ensuring that both their personnel and local governments are prepared for any potential storms or outages. With an emphasis on collaboration, timely response, and local priorities, the utility company is aiming to ensure that power is quickly restored to those who need it most.
