Section 15-3603. RELIABILITY STANDARDS

 

3603.1The electric utility shall implement a plan to improve the performance of the two (2) percent least performing feeders such that no feeder in the two (2) percent least performing group shall repeat as a member of the two (2) percent least performing feeders following implementation of the plan.

 

3603.2Individual feeder performance shall be determined using the utility's composite performance index.

 

3603.3If the utility fails to comply with Section 3603.1, it shall be required to develop a corrective action plan.

 

3603.4The corrective action plan shall clearly describe the cause(s) of the utility's non-compliance with Section 3603.1 (including an explanation as to why a particular feeder has remained on the list after the implementation of the plan in 3603.1), describe the corrective measure(s) to be taken to ensure that the standard is met or exceeded in the future, and provide a target date for completion of the corrective measure(s).

 

3603.5The utility shall report on the progress of the corrective action plan in the Annual Consolidated Report submitted to the Commission.

 

3603.6The utility shall continue the current reporting of the worst performing (lowest two (2) percent) feeders (utility methodology) and corresponding corrective action plans, with the action taken in year 1 and the subsequent performance in year 2 in the annual Consolidated Report.

 

3603.7The utility shall complete service restoration within twenty-four (24) hours following a non-major service outage.

 

3603.8The utility shall report on the number and percentage of non-major service outages that extend beyond the twenty-four (24) hour standard and the reasons each such outage extended beyond the twenty-four (24) hour standard.

 

3603.9The report drafted pursuant to Section 3603.8 shall be included in the annual Consolidated Report on reliability data.

 

3603.10The utility shall not exceed the reliability performance standards established for the following indices, calculated using District of Columbia data: System Average Interruption Frequency Index (SAIFI) and System Average Interruption Duration Index (SAIDI) (stated in hours).

 

3603.11The reliability performance standards adopted by the Public Service Commission for SAIDI and SAIFI are established as follows:

(a)For 2013, SAIDI shall be two and sixty-eight hundredths (2.68) and SAIFI shall be one and thirteen hundredths (1.13);

 

(b)For 2014, SAIDI shall be two and forth-three hundredths (2.43) and SAIFI shall be one and nine hundredths (1.09);

 

(c)For 2015, SAIDI shall be two and twenty-one hundredths (2.21) and SAIFI shall be one and five hundredths (1.05);

 

(d)For 2016, SAIDI shall be two (2.00) and SAIFI shall be one and two hundredths (1.02);

 

(e)For 2017, SAIDI shall be one and eighty-one hundredths (1.81) and SAIFI shall be ninety-eight hundredths (0.98);

 

(f)For 2018, SAIDI shall be one and sixty-five hundredths (1.65) and SAIFI shall be ninety-five hundredths (0.95);

 

(g)For 2019, SAIDI shall be one and forty-nine hundredths (1.49) and SAIFI shall be ninety-two hundredths (0.92); and 

 

(h)For 2020, and thereafter, SAIDI shall be one and thirty-five hundredths (1.35) and SAIFI shall be eighty-nine hundredths (0.89).

 

3603.12The calculations of the indices shall exclude District of Columbia OMS data for either Major Service Outages or for Major Event Days (MEDs). No later than January 1, 2013, the utility shall notify the Commission which method of excluding OMS data it will use and shall not change its selection without prior authority from the Commission. Major Event Days shall be determined in a manner consistent with the I.E.E.E. Standard 1366-2003 Guide for Electric Power Distribution Reliability Indices, provided that only District of Columbia outage data is used in the selection of MEDs. 

 

3603.13If the utility fails to comply with subsection 3603.10, it may be subject to forfeiture in accordance with D.C. Official Code § 34-706 and 34-1508 (2010 Repl.).  The utility shall also be required to develop a corrective action plan, which it shall file for the Commission’s information within thirty (30) days of filing the Consolidated Report.

 

3603.14The corrective action plan shall clearly describe the cause(s) of the utility’s failure to comply with subsection 3603.10, describe the corrective measure(s) to be taken to ensure that the standard is met or exceeded in the future, and provide a target for completion of the corrective measure(s).

 

3603.15The utility shall report on the progress of the corrective action plan in the following year’s Consolidated Report submitted to the Commission.

 

3603.16The utility shall also, per the orders of the Commission, continue current requirements of reporting annual reliability indices of SAIFI, SAIDI and CAIDI (with and without Major Service Outages and Major Event Days) in the annual Consolidated Report of the following year.

 

3603.17No earlier than June 30, 2015, the utility may request the Commission to reevaluate the reliability performance standards established in subsection 3603.11 for the years 2016 through 2020 and thereafter. 

 

3603.18[Reserved]

 

3603.19[Reserved]

 

3603.20Within sixty (60) days of the effective date of this subsection, the utility shall file with the Commission a Major Service Outage Restoration Plan. The utility shall comply with its Major Service Outage Restoration Plan when preparing for and responding to a Major Service Outage.  The Major Service Outage Restoration Plan shall provide a description of and procedures for the utility’s response to Major Service Outage events, including, but not limited to, the following topics and issues:

 

(a)Major Service Outage restoration preparation, training, and drills;

 

(b)Early storm detection, storm tracking, and internal and external warnings;

 

(c)Activation, mobilization, and deployment of internal and external resources, including both staffing levels and equipment;

 

(d)Materials management and logistics;

 

(e)Major Service Outage restoration priorities, taking into account, among other priorities, the electric power needs of emergency responders and their associated dispatching systems, hospitals, water and sewer pumping stations, natural gas utility and telecommunications service providers, national security and other essential agencies of the federal and District governments, and other essential services.  In addition, the utility shall describe:

 

(1)How it prioritizes power restoration between the various priority classifications adopted by the utility;

 

(2)How it prioritizes power restoration among electric customers falling within the same priority classification; and

 

(3)How the utility prioritizes restoration of power for, and communicates with, customers, including residential customers, that have demonstrated to the utility a medical need for electricity;

 

(f)Damage assessment and inspections;

 

(g)Public safety, including wire down response in situations in which downed wires are guarded by fire or police responders and situations in which downed wires are not guarded by fire or police responders;

 

(h)Deployment and supervision of, and communications with, field crews, whether composed of the utility’s employees, employees of third party contractors, or composed of temporary personnel obtained through a mutual assistance agreement, or otherwise; 

 

(i)Pruning and trimming of vegetation, removal of downed trees and tree limbs, and removal of storm debris other than vegetation;

 

(j)Replacement of downed poles and wires;

 

(k)External communications, including communications with the:

 

(1) Utility’s customers, the public at large, and other interested persons;

 

(2) District’s emergency responders, emergency management and communication officials, and transportation officials;

 

(3)Commission’s members and designated staff;

 

(4)District’s elected officials;

 

(5)District Advisory Neighborhood Commission members;

 

(6)District’s Office of the People’s Counsel;

 

(7)Telecommunication or cable service providers owning overhead wires or antennae attached to the utility’s poles located in the District; and

 

(8)District’s Urban Forestry Administration;

 

(l)Internal communications;

 

(m)Communications technology use, including high call volume capability and capacity; use of social media; use of radio, television, and the print media; and use and functionality of the utility’s website;

 

(n)Development and communication of estimated times of restoration and assessment of estimated times of restoration accuracy, both during and subsequent to the Major Service Outage;

 

(o)Ramp-down and post-event inspection and reporting; and

 

(p)A Major Service Outage Restoration Plan performance assessment model describing the manner in which the utility shall, within sixty (60) days following the completion of its power restoration following a Major Service Outage, evaluate and report upon its performance under each of the criteria included in its Major Service Outage Restoration Plan. 

 

3603.21The utility shall file with the Commission any material change to its Major Service Outage Restoration Plan at least sixty (60) days prior to implementation, unless such timing will delay implementation of the change in a manner inconsistent with restoring service in the shortest time practicable, in which case the change shall be filed no later than thirty (30) days after implementing the change.

 

 

authority

The Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia (Commission) hereby gives notice, pursuant to section 34-802 of the District of Columbia Official Code.

source

Final Rulemaking published at 54 DCR 9376 (September 28, 2007); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 55 DCR 1943 (February 29, 2008); as amended by Notice of Final Rulemaking published at 58 DCR 6026 (July 22, 2011); as amended by Notice of Final Rulemaking published at 59 DCR 1598 (February 24, 2012); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 59 DCR 8762, 8763 (July 27, 2012).