The Mississippi Public Service Commission unveiled its public utility infrastructure report last week that offers some recommendations for how utilities can be better prepared for disasters, both weather-related and manmade.
It marked the culmination of a year-long project started after the state grappled with an ice storm in February 2021 that left thousands without power and dealt a crippling blow to the city of Jackson’s water system.
The report also deals with issues brought on by cyberattacks and severe weather such as hurricanes and tornadoes.
The PSC delegated the task of writing the report to Del Sol Consulting, which specializes in disaster recovery and preplanning consultancy. The state’s utilities (electrical, natural gas, water and sewer and cellular) provided responses to Del Sol to assist with the report. The PSC circulated 87 surveys statewide to utilities on their emergency preparedness and responses to disasters, with a 90 percent completion rate. The PSC also conducted follow-up emails, conference calls and meetings with selected utilities to obtain additional information.
Del Sol then analyzed the data from the responses to determine strengths and weaknesses and provide recommendations.
The report recommends that the PSC establish a semiannual forum to bring together utility and political leaders along with other statewide groups to discuss preparedness for severe weather and cybersecurity issues. The authors also recommend each utility should enact an emergency response plan and diversify their fuel supplies (most of Mississippi's electricity generation capacity is fueled by natural gas).
Utilities are recommended to use drones and satellite technology to improve their ability to keep trees and shrubbery in utility corridors from damaging transmission lines and educating customers on what trees to plant and how far they need to be from transmission lines.
For water and sewer utilities, the authors say that the PSC, the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality and the state Department of Health should create weatherization standards for water and sewer utilities.
For natural gas providers, the report says they should use heaters to protect regulators, which bring down gas pressure to a normal level by detecting the pressure downstream and altering a spring valve to provide continuous flow of gas.
The report said telecommunications utilities should use wireless cell on wheels technology where a mobile vehicle with an independent power supply can take the place of cellular towers and continue vital service in a scenario where the power supply is interrupted.
