These excellent articles on energy assurance planning appear on the American City & County website:

Energy Assurance Plans Help Keep the Lights On
In an emergency, will your government have the power it needs to provide the services you and your constituents count on?

Having Enough Energy to Continue
The definition of sustainability has grown to include the ability of cities and counties to sustain their operations following significant power failures. However, most emergency response plans do not include actions that specifically address energy disruptions.

Energy Assurance Planning Tips and Resources
These tips and resources from the U.S. Department of Energy and the Public Technology Institute can help communities be more prepared for power outages.

03-14-2012     Send a link     Topics:  Energy Assurance     Print version

The uses of energy and water are interdependently linked: water is used for many aspects of energy generation, and energy is required to pump and treat water. This document serves to help local governments better understand the energy/water nexus, particularly as it affects energy assurance planning.

It examines how water is used in the energy sector and how energy is used by the water sector, and discusses water scarcity issues. Additional sections identify ways that local governments can plan for the water needs of the energy sector, and and take water and energy efficiency measures.

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03-29-2012     Send a link     Topics:  Energy Assurance     Print version

This paper was developed in response to an increase in the number of events that have resulted in the loss or reduction of local government essential functions and services due to energy disruptions.

Although energy assurance is recognized as important by a large number of local governments, an impediment to action has been “How do we pay for it?” This guide was developed to help you understand the financing options and funding opportunities that can underwrite energy assurance Capital Projects and Actions.

The intended audiences for this document are local government energy officials and energy assurance managers, as well as those involved in maintaining and operating local government systems that depend on energy availability such as IT officials and emergency response professionals. Local policy makers, appointed and elected officials may also find this guide useful due to their direct accountability to taxpayers and their responsibility to serve the public.

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03-15-2012     Send a link     Topics:  Energy Assurance     Print version

Renewable energy can play a significant role in energy assurance planning by helping to ensure energy continuity, stabilize energy costs, and offset supply disruptions.

Advancements in renewable energy technologies, such as solar photovoltaic and wind turbines, have created unprecedented opportunities for local governments to incorporate renewables into their energy portfolios.

By harnessing renewable energy resources, local governments build energy resilience and reduce reliance upon fossil fuels. Renewable energy systems can also provide backup power for critical infrastructure facilities during an energy emergency.

This LEAP publication from PTI outlines the potential role of renewables in local government energy assurance planning and discusses the benefits, risks, and implementation challenges of various renewable energy technologies.

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03-15-2012     Send a link     Topics:  Energy Assurance     Print version

PTI Staff Contact: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), 937-667-4142.

To help local officials plan for and respond to incidents and emergencies that result in energy outages, PTI has released Version 2.0 of the Local Government Energy Assurance Guidelines.

Published in collaboration with the Department of Energy Office of Electricity Delivery & Energy Reliability (DOE/OE), this publication is available for free at this link.

Communities typically address energy emergencies from a post-disaster response and recovery point of view. The goal of Version 2.0 of the Local Government Energy Assurance Guidelines is to enable these communities to engage in pre-disaster planning and risk reduction. The Guidelines also assist jurisdictions in the recovery phase, in which vital energy sources are restored.

Read more    04-01-2011

Smart Grid 101 for Local Governments introduces the electrical distribution system, and explains how the smart grid will:

Read more    07-06-2011

Because cyber security concerns are usually handled by Internet-focused industries and IT departments, local governments may not typically consider vulnerabilities of computer systems to unauthorized use or attack.

However, with the increased use of interconnected, Internet-based technology in the energy industry, and with recent attempts to harm energy sector control systems, cyber security is an increasing concern for energy assurance planners.

To mitigate the risk of cyber attack, it is necessary to harden computer and information systems by making them less vulnerable to external influences. This 15-page LEAP guidance document from PTI outlines cybersecurity standards, practices and concerns relevant to local energy assurance.

In October 2011, PTI presented a webinar on this topic.

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10-03-2011     Send a link     Topics:  Chief Information Officers (CIOs)  Energy Assurance     Print version

PTI and the Emergency Management Forum presented this webinar on October 12, 2011.

The topic was planning to respond and recover from energy emergencies resulting from both natural and man-made disasters, as described in Local Government Energy Assurance Guidelines Version 2.0.

Presenters included PTI’s Ronda Mosley and Strategic Advisors Steve Foute and George Burmeister.

A live meeting recording, audio files and slides are now available for download, courtesy of the Emergency Management Forum.

Visit this webinar page

10-13-2011     Send a link     Topics:  2011 Events  Energy Assurance     Print version

PTI presented this webinar October 18, 2011.

Because cyber security concerns are usually handled by Internet-focused industries and IT departments, local governments may not typically consider vulnerabilities of computer systems to unauthorized use or attack.

However, with the increased use of interconnected, Internet-based technology in the energy industry, and with recent attempts to harm energy sector control systems, cyber security is an increasing concern for energy assurance planners.

To mitigate the risk of cyber attack, it is necessary to harden computer and information systems by making them less vulnerable to external influences.

This webinar walked through the new 15-page LEAP guidance document from PTI that outlines cybersecurity standards, practices and concerns relevant to local energy assurance.

PTI created the guidance document and this webinar as part of its efforts to promote cybersecurity during National Cybersecurity month, October 2011.

Facilitator: Ronda Mosley, Assistant Executive Director for Research and Government Services, PTI
Presenter: Mark Lesiw, Associate, The Cadmus Group, Inc.

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10-18-2011     Send a link     Topics:  2011 Events  Energy Assurance     Print version

PTI presented this webinar on December 14, 2011.

The infrastructure of a local community consists of many elements, including electricity transmission lines and distribution systems, gas pipelines and storage facilities, water and sewer systems, communication lines, transportation systems, medical and emergency facilities, telephone switching stations, and cell towers.

A disruption in any one asset or system — such as the electricity delivery system — could affect the infrastructure of many other critical systems and, in turn, could disrupt numerous essential services, including those that facilitate infrastructure repair and restoration.

When developing energy assurance plans, local governments will want to identify energy interdependencies at the local, State, regional, and national levels and examine how they may affect local critical infrastructures. The LEAP publication Introduction to Energy Infrastructure Interdependencies supports these efforts.

Download this publication     Play or download webinar

12-15-2011     Send a link     Topics:  2011 Events  Energy Assurance     Print version

PTI’s LEAP website supports the 43 cities selected by the U.S Department of Energy to participate in the Local Government Energy Assurance Planning (LEAP) program funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

These jurisdictions will receive grant funding to develop or expand plans that will improve electricity reliability and energy security. The site will also support all local governments across the nation that want to learn more about creating energy assurance plans for their communities.

Once created, these plans will help ensure that local governments can provide life-saving services during an energy emergency.

Through a grant from DOE, PTI will offer technical assistance to local governments to help them develop or refine existing energy assurance plans. Visit LEAP at this link.

04-20-2010     Send a link     Topics:  Energy Assurance     Print version

Amateur radio operators (“hams”) comprise a resilient, reliable option for mitigating communication losses during emergencies, including energy emergencies, particularly when telephone networks are damaged or jammed with calls.

This PTI white paper introduces the Amateur Radio Service, its purpose, organization and regulation. It summarizes recent FCC policy on utilizing radio amateurs in disaster drills, and recommends that public agencies form relationships with local radio groups for volunteer communications support.

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09-07-2011     Send a link     Topics:  Energy Assurance  Public Safety Technology     Print version

PTI Staff Contact: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), 937-667-4142.

The Emergency Information Infrastructure Project is a non-profit educational organization, dedicated to enhancing the practice of emergency management, and thereby public safety, through offering professional development opportunities to practitioners and other interested persons.

The principal way it works to achieve this goal is through presentation of timely, disaster-related topics by experts in their fields, by means of Live Meeting Webinar technology.

Visit Emergency Management Forum

10-18-2011     Send a link     Topics:  Energy Assurance  Public Safety Technology     Print version

PTI and the Department of Energy presented this webinar July 28, 2011.

PTI’s Smart Grid 101 for Local Governments webinar builds on our recently released Smart Grid guidance document. At this PTI and Department of Energy webinar, you’ll learn about the role of the smart grid in energy assurance.

Learn how the smart grid can:

• Communicate price variations directly to intelligent devices inside homes and businesses
• Help educate consumers on the environmental impacts of their energy consumption
• Pave the way for plug-in electric vehicles
• Help utilities respond to electric outages and even implement self-healing systems that reroute power around trouble spots.

Download this presentation [PDF]

08-03-2011     Send a link     Topics:  2011 Events  Energy Assurance     Print version

PTI presented this webinar on September 14, 2011.

Local governments play an important communications role during any emergency, and energy emergencies are no exception.

When energy delivery or availability is compromised, it is essential that the public be informed of the details and impact of the disruption.

Fostering a relationship with the media before, during, and after an energy emergency will help ensure that local governments can provide timely and accurate information about the emergency.

Read more    09-14-2011

Energy 101: Key Energy Concepts for Local Governments is now available at no charge. It provides an overview of energy resources and describes how various forms of energy are obtained, distributed and used within and outside jurisdictions.

This publication will help answer questions you may have in creating your energy assurance plan.

The illustrated PDF was produced by PTI’s Local Government Energy Assurance Planning (LEAP) program with the support of the Department of Energy. See also Smart Grid 101 for Local Governments.

Download this document    Play or download webinar    Download webinar slides

09-02-2011     Send a link     Topics:  2011 Events  Energy Assurance     Print version

PTI Staff Contact: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), 937-667-4142.

See Version 2.0 of the Guidelines.

A soft-cover full-color edition of the PTI publication Local Government Energy Assurance Guidelines is now available for $33.49 on Amazon.com at this link.

The publication helps city and county officials to address energy assurance and security concerns for mission-critical government facilities.

"Protecting and enhancing the resiliency of the energy sector from natural and human-caused disasters requires local governments to be vigilant and aware of the interdependencies of the system," said PTI executive director Alan Shark.

Read more    06-15-2009