Code of Massachusetts Regulations › 220 CMR - DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC UTILITIES › Title 220 CMR 19.00 - Standards of Performance for Emergency Preparation and Restoration of Service for Electric Distribution and Gas Companies › Section 19.04 - Emergency Response Plans

Current through Register 1525, July 5, 2024
(1) Each
		Company shall submit to the Department an ERP that shall be designed to achieve
		safe and reasonably prompt restoration of service associated with an Emergency
		Event. The ERP shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
(a) identification of management staff
		responsible for Company operations, including a description of their specific
		duties; identification of the number of workers available to respond within 24
		hours of an Emergency Event; and an estimation of the number of crews and
		full-time equivalents available to respond within 24 hours of an Emergency
		Event;
(b) a communications process
		with customers that provides continuous access to staff assistance. A Company
		shall provide estimated times of restoration on a website. Such information
		shall be prominently displayed and updated at least three times per day. A
		Company shall also provide estimated times of restoration at least three times
		per day through at least one other form of media outreach, and when requested
		by customers via telephone.
(c) for
		electric distribution companies, procedures for maintaining an updated list of
		Life Support Customers, including a process to immediately update a Company's
		Life Support Customer list when a customer notifies the Company of a medical
		need for electric service, communicating with Life Support Customers before,
		during and after an Emergency Event, providing information to public safety
		officials regarding the status of electric service to Life Support Customers'
		homes, and procedures for prioritizing power restoration to Life Support
		Customers;
(d) designation of staff
		to communicate with local officials, including public safety officials,
		relevant regulatory agencies, and designated Municipal Liaisons, and
		designation of staff to be posted at the Massachusetts Emergency Management
		Agency's emergency operations center;
(e) provisions regarding how the Company will
		assure the safety of its employees, contractors and the public;
(f) procedures for deploying Company and
		contractor crews, and crews acquired through Mutual Assistance Agreements to
		work assignment areas;
(g)
		identification of additional supplies and equipment needed during an emergency
		and the means of obtaining additional supplies and equipment; and
(h) designation of a continuously staffed
		call center in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts that is sufficiently staffed
		to handle all customer calls for service assistance for the duration of an
		Emergency Event or until full service is restored, whichever occurs first. A
		Company with a call center within 50 miles of its service area, in operation as
		of January 1,2012, shall not be required to designate an additional call center
		as long as the call center continues in operation. If the call center is unable
		to operate during an Emergency Event, the Company shall use a call center
		within 50 miles of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.