Public Power Utilities Prepare for Arrival of Tropical Storm Nicole

by Paul Ciampoli
APPA News Director
November 8, 2022

Public power utilities are preparing for the arrival this week of Tropical Storm Nicole, which is expected to turn into a hurricane.

Amy Zubaly, Executive Director of the Florida Municipal Electric Association (FMEA), on Nov. 8 said that FMEA and its members were closely watching and monitoring Nicole.

“Like all storms, the where and when landfall will occur is still a fluid situation, but Nicole is likely to make landfall along the central to south-central east coast of Florida,” she said.

Zubaly said that FMEA has been in communication with all of Florida’s public power communities to discuss anticipated needs in advance of and following the storm.

“In addition, we have been in touch with our mutual aid partners across the southeast,” she noted.

Zubaly said that crews from Lafayette, La., Alabama, Paducah, Ky., and Keys Energy, Fla., were being pre-staged in various Florida public power utilities in advance of the storm, “and several others on standby to come in post storm, once conditions are safe and depending on Florida public power’s needs.”

Florida public power utility Kissimmee Utility Authority said it has activated its Emergency Operations Plan.

The utility is currently operating at Alert Level 3 and will advance to Alert Level 4 once the storm is within 24 hours of impacting its 85-square-mile service territory in Osceola County. Once the storm passes, its crews will begin their damage assessment analysis to determine if additional assistance is needed.

“Nicole may be capable of causing power outages and flooding. In addition, restoration may be hampered by flooding, downed trees, high winds, or other obstacles. KUA crews are prepared to work long hours after the storm passes, restoring service to customers as quickly and as safely as possible,” KUA said.

Meanwhile, South Carolina’s Santee Cooper on Nov. 8 said its team members were making preparations for the anticipated effects that Tropical Storm Nicole may have on Santee Cooper’s service territory.

As of noon on Nov. 8, Santee Cooper went to Operating Condition (OpCon) 4 alert status. This means there is a possible threat to Santee Cooper’s electric system, but effects may be limited or uncertain.

At OpCon 4, the utility is primarily checking and fueling vehicles, including line trucks, making sure communications equipment is in proper working order and taking inventory and procuring supplies as needed, such as utility poles, electric transformers and associated equipment.

A hurricane warning was issued along the central part of Florida’s east coast on Nov. 8 as Tropical Storm Nicole “churned across the Atlantic and showed signs of further strengthening as it tracked toward” the state, AccuWeather reported. AccuWeather “meteorologists expect this sprawling storm to take a turn and hit Florida’s east coast — as a hurricane — later this week before it takes a run up the Eastern Seaboard.”