20150812AVU to Staff 59.doc

AVISTA CORPORATION
RESPONSE TO REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

JURISDICTION: IDAHO DATE PREPARED: 08/06/2015
CASE NO.: AVU-E-15-05/AVU-G-15-01 WITNESS: Bryan Cox
REQUESTER: IPUC RESPONDER: Garth Brandon
TYPE: Production Request DEPARTMENT: Transmission Operations
REQUEST NO.: Staff - 059 TELEPHONE: [phone]

REQUEST:

Describe the Company’s utility-scale, of Balancing Authority Area-scale emergency planning and response training activities.
Explain whether the Company participated in the Northwest Power Pool Energy Emergency Plan (EEP) training on May 13, 2015. If so, did this training compliment or replace any Company-planned emergency response training? If the Company did not participate, please provide the Company’s reasons for not participating and a describe the Company’s regional-scale emergency response exercise and training efforts.
Explain whether the Company plans to participate in, or observe the GridEx III emergency response exercise planned for November 2016. If so, please list the staff who will participate, and their roles within the Company and with GridEx III. If not, please provide the Company’s reasons for not participating and describe the Company’s national-scale emergency response exercise and training efforts.

RESPONSE:

From a System Operations / NERC Reliability Standard perspective, Avista does perform emergency planning and response training. Examples would be activation of the Back Up Control Center training where a drill is performed and executed to transfer all control and communications from the primary control center to the back up control center. All System Operators and SCADA personnel participate in these training exercises. Utilizing simulators, Avista System Operators participate in the WECC wide restoration training administered by the Peak Reliability Coordinator. Avista System Operations also utilize simulators to perform Avista restoration training which is specific to Avista’s Balancing Area.
From a corporate perspective, Avista has implemented Emergency Operating Plans (EOP) for use in managing emergency or unplanned incidents. These plans are reviewed annually. To ensure rapid response and effective incident management, Avista conducts periodic training, tabletop exercises, walk-through and functional exercises of our EOP processes and procedures.
Several Avista System Operators did participate in the NWPP Energy Emergency Plan (EEP) training on May 13, 2015. This training does complement, not replace, any Company-Sponsored emergency response training.
At this time Avista has not determined whether to observe or participate in the GridEx III emergency response exercise scheduled for November 18th & 19th 2015. Avista’s Enterprise Business Continuity Program Manager and Security Engineering Manager will be the individuals participating or observing the GridEx III exercise. Other Avista employees may participate in the exercise; those individuals have not been identified at this time. Their participation will depend on the information we receive from Homeland Security pertaining to the scope and scale of the exercise.

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