Disaster planning and management are difficult procedures to predict and to forestal.
Having to think about what might happen and what you can do to mitigate the risks is a challenge and educated guess at the best of times.
Just when you thought you had it all covered another new incident comes along and throws it all in the air again!!
A recent trend has been reported in the North West regarding the attempted theft and/or damage of utility transformers and generation equipment. The story was reported as follows: -
(1)Thousands of homes and businesses in Wigan were left without power last night, Wednesday 27 October 2010, when thieves broke into a substation and deliberately damaged two transformers.
Police are appealing for witnesses to the break-in on Westwood Lane.
Supplies were interrupted just after 10.30pm, and were restored to all properties, with the exception of one industrial premises, just after 11.15pm.
Around 55,000 properties were affected – the majority of homes in the Wigan area.
The cost of the damage is estimated to be at least £100,000.
The thieves stole metal valves from two transformers at the substation.
Detective Constable Richard Willoughby from Wigan CID said:
“I cannot believe the lengths that some people will go to in order to steal metal.
“These valves are not worth very much but the damage caused is enormous.
“If anyone saw anything suspicious in the area last night, please call the police so we can make the thieves face up to the inconvenience they have caused the residents of Wigan.”
Transformers are essential pieces of equipment used to reduce the high voltage electricity which comes from power plants to the lower voltage electricity used by homes and businesses.
Thousands of litres of oil were left to drain from the equipment by the thieves, but no environmental damage was caused and all the oil was contained within the site tanks.
Engineers from Electricity North West were able to restore supplies quickly by bringing electricity into Wigan via an alternative part of the network.
Engineers are continuing to carry out emergency repairs to the damaged equipment today, in efforts to avoid any further inconvenience to customers this evening.
Steve Cox, Operations Manager for Electricity North West said:
“This was a shockingly reckless act by thieves who had no thought for their own safety, and no regard for the thousands of customers who were inconvenienced by their actions.
“Through the quick response of our engineers, supplies were restored within the hour.
“We have been working throughout the night and the course of today to repair the equipment before the period of peak demand at tea time – when the alternative supply arrangement will be under considerable strain – in efforts to avoid any further disruption to supplies this evening.
“We can assure customers we are doing everything possible to avoid any further breaks in power.”
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Wigan CID on 0161 856 5308.
Alternatively call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
Reference: (1)Unknown Author, 28/10/10, Website http://www.themissinglist.co.uk/police-appeal/thieves-damage-substation-transformers-causing-power-cut-westwood-lane-wigan?magic_tabs_paf_callback_tab=1&referer=node%2F38285, accessed 24/11/10
What would you do?
Would your Business cope?
Could your operation continue without power for prolonged periods?
What would it cost, both financially and professionally? Downtime, loss of production, missed targets, customer confidence.. The list goes on.
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