Nearly 30 utilities join equipment-sharing program to support disaster recovery efforts

Twenty-eight utilities recently joined the Regional Equipment Sharing for Transmission Outage Restoration (RESTORE) program, which creates a process for sharing equipment among utilities to aid in potential disaster recovery efforts.

Louisville Gas and Electric Company and Kentucky Utilities Company (LG&E and KU), PPL Electric Utilities, Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and Southern Company established the program in 2016 to identify and share transmission equipment such as transformers, which participants can then purchase in the event of a natural disaster or other emergencies within their service area.

“Utility cooperation and the ability to call on additional resources play a critical role during times of natural disasters and other emergencies that can impact our electric transmission system,” said John Lucas, chair of RESTORE’s Operating Committee and Southern Company’s general manager of transmission policy and services. “Launching the RESTORE program, coupled with existing industry programs and each utility’s internal resources, further strengthens total grid resiliency for the region and electricity customers.”

The Department of Energy’s (DOE) Strategic Transformer Reserve Report to Congress earlier this year highlighted the importance of a strategic transformer reserve. The RESTORE program is consistent with DOE’s recommendation supporting voluntary industry-based options to address the issue.

“In the event of a disaster or other major emergency, having established relationships with more than 20 neighboring utilities will strengthen our ability to respond, recover, and return to reliable service for our customers,” Dave Gladey, director of asset management for PPL Electric Utilities’ Transmission & Substations operations, said.