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SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
CenterPoint Energy Super Bowl LI Coordination and Hurricane Harvey
Operational EffortsDavid Mercado, P.E
Real Time Operations Engineering ManagerCenterPoint Energy
SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
CenterPoint Energy Overview and Background
• T&D business serves 5,000 square mile Greater Houston area• Fourth largest city in US• Over 2.4 million meter customers
• Two challenges will be addressed• Preparation efforts prior to Super Bowl LI• Hurricane Harvey Operational Efforts
SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
Super Bowl LI Coordination
• Initial Power System Evaluation• Evaluated opportunities to improve the design of key distribution substation
serving NRG stadium• Phase 1 - Converted key substation from a single breaker design to a dual
breaker design• Phase 2 – Converted substation from a dual breaker design to a four breaker
ring• Increased reliability mitigating possibility of complete substation outage due
to breaker failure or transmission line fault
SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
Super Bowl LI Coordination
• Outline Departmental Roles and Responsibilities• Developed a Super Bowl coordination committee• Representatives from various departments across the company
• Communications, Corporate Security, Customer Service, Electric Operations, Gas Operations, Human Resources, Logistics, Technology Operations, and Safety
• Held regular discussions starting 12 months prior to the Super Bowl event• Coordination was also conducted with external entities
• Federal Department of Homeland Security• Local law enforcement• City of Houston emergency management• NFL and NRG stadium security
SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
Examples of Electric Operations Coordination Efforts
• Distribution Operations• Identified and inspected 36 overhead circuits associated with Super
Bowl LI venues• Released and completed 25 work orders related to improvements• Identified and inspected 34 circuits associated with Super Bowl LI
venues for vegetation management issues
• Transmission Operations• Inspected 138 kV transmission circuits that serve substation feeding
NRG stadium• Inspections resulted in the installation of avian protection on seven
transmission structures and one insulator string replacement
SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
Examples of Electric Operations Coordination Efforts
• Major Underground• Met with NRG stadium site electricians and contractors to develop
testing procedures for NRG stadium equipment and response to faults• Performed VLF (Very Low Frequency) testing on the conductors
feeding NRG stadium• Replacement of one pad mount transformer at NRG stadium due to
leaking bushings• Installed 30 locking manhole covers in key major underground
locations for increased safety and security
SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
Examples of Electric Operations Coordination Efforts
• Substation Operations• Performed infrared testing at substation feeding NRG stadium• Performed dissolved gas analysis on both transformers at substation • Installed new ballistic fencing around distribution substation feeding
NRG stadium
SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
Hurricane Harvey – A Record-breaking Storm
• 52 inches of rainfall in southeast Texas• Harvey made landfall multiple times
• Category 4 near Port Aransas, Texas• Tropical storm in Cameron, Louisiana
• More than 42,000 lightning strikes• Record number of tornado warnings in southeast Texas• 17 substation out of service or inaccessible due to high
water• 7 transmission lines locked out• 293 distribution circuits locked out
SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
Operational Action due to Substation Flooding
• Developed switching plans to bypass substations threatened by flood water
• Developed plans in advance for substations prone to flooding• Developed plans in real time for substations as risk during Harvey
• Coordination with System Protection engineers• Coordination with Substation personnel
Imminent Flooded Substation Configuration Temporary Bypass Substation Configuration
SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
Mobile Substation Use
• Key distribution substation serving densely populated community flooded• Mobile Substation installed and power restored to customers with 2
weeks of flooding• Various technologies were utilized including drones, amphibious vehicles,
and airboats
SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
Flooding Impacts on Transmission Towers
• Various transmission tower foundations along the banks of river crossings washed out
• Transmission lines locked out due to contact with rising water• Temporary poles were set and power restored
SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
Hurricane Harvey Video
SEPTEMBER 5 - 7, 2018
Key Takeaways from Super Bowl and Hurricane Efforts
• The 5 P’s – Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance• Planning and preparing for Super Bowl readiness resulted in a successful
hosting of the event• Advanced preparation and storm hardening minimized impacts from
Hurricane Harvey• Learn from past experiences
• Previous power outages during events like the Super Bowl brought awareness of the need to prepare and assess system readiness
• Past storms and flood events helped indicate where vulnerable substations prone to flooding exists
