Power Storage Solutions has outlined five critical steps every business should take to prepare for the upcoming Atlantic storm season. Occurring from June to November, the Atlantic hurricane season includes tropical depressions, tropical storms and deadly hurricanes. This year, Colorado State University is already predicting a slightly above-average season with 13 to 16 named storms, six to eight hurricanes, and two to three major hurricanes.
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These control centers at a refinery flooded after a hurricane hit the Gulf Coast.
Five steps to help safeguard sensitive electric equipment
In some areas of the buildings, the water reached as high as 7 feet.
Inclement weather of any type can negatively impact business facilities, personnel and customers, so it is always best to try and be prepared rather than just waiting to respond. Businesses located in areas commonly affected by yearly weather like this should have an action plan in place, and it's imperative that new businesses make this an absolute priority.
Some of the most common challenges a business faces during hurricane season include:
- Site access: Storms hit broad and wide; sometimes facilities and sites are inaccessible for hours or days after a storm.
- Power failure: Power outages and even full-grid failures are possible.
- Flooding: Flooding is likely, damaging sensitive equipment and electronics.
- Equipment damage: Both heavy winds and flooding can take out electrical systems and even damage a facility's internal equipment, requiring expensive repairs or replacement.
- Data and production loss: Visible damage is just the beginning. Hurricanes can also lead to data and production loss - with physical and electronic files and production quotas damaged or destroyed.
Knowing how to restart mission-critical equipment quickly can be the difference between being prepared and being overwhelmed.
Safeguarding a facility's electrical power system is one of the most important priorities during hurricane season. It involves five important steps:
- Flood-proof battery systems: Prevent damage with wet or dry flood proofing, depending on whether a business is in a flood zone and/or located in a mandatory evacuation zone. Wet flood proofing is used when stationary power cannot be moved, managing the flow of floodwater rather than preventing its entry. Dry flood proofing tries to prevent water from entering a facility at all.
- Install a surge protective device (SPD): This is an essential preventive step because electrical surges are common during storms. SPDs act as a deterrent and redirect excess voltage away from attached devices.
- Turn down reactive systems: Most switchgear systems are reactive to the loss of line power. A DC battery system is crucial to create a safe, pre-planned control that saves DC power for necessary startup functions.
- Industrial standby generators: An uninterruptible power supply system is an immediate short-term bridge solution, but industrial generators are recommended for long-term power failures to keep essential equipment running properly.
- Create a recovery plan: Knowing what to do after a hurricane hits and how to restart mission-critical equipment quickly can be the difference between being prepared and being overwhelmed.
For more information, visit www.pwrstoragesolutions.com or call (346) 299-2124.
