Ohio AEP summer blackouts affecting thousands blamed on plant

Columbus, Ohio (WCMH) — Ohio AEP and its regulators Agreed Thursday The cause of the summer blackout was a chance encounter with a plant.

AEP Ohio is one of the leading power companies in Central Ohio with nearly 1.5 million customers. PJM interconnection Overseeing the movement of power between the company and 13 states, Washington, DC PJM can monitor grid problems in the region and issue orders to utilities within its borders.

Based on the findings of regulators and the AEP, the PJM hearing presenters: The Domino Effect in the Columbus Area Power Grid It all started because of a power line that touched a plant. This overloaded it even though it could handle the level of power it would normally pass through. 240,000 customers lost power as a result.

AEP Ohio and PJM previously explained Part of the problem that caused the 3 day power outage From June 14th to 16th. A prolonged thunderstorm with strong winds, known as the Derecho, hit power infrastructure in central Ohio and his AEP. The storm hit the AEP particularly hard North of Columbus and Marion, David Ball, vice president of energy supply operations for AEP Ohio, said at a news conference during the outage.

“They were directly damaged by the storm or by events that occurred after the storm, but all are directly related to the storm event,” Ball said. We don’t have enough lines.”

A spokeswoman for AEP Ohio explained to NBC4 what the company had reported to PJM. At the AEP he saw high power consumption on June 12th, but the problem he had was that seven transmission lines were rated to handle the electrical load. It wasn’t until after Derecho’s Storm that the new issues changed their dialogue.

“Heavy-loaded power lines droop and droop lower. The intensity of the Derecho storm on June 13 changed the landscape and displaced trees. Power lines carrying similar load levels were drooping over trees and vegetation, causing blackouts.”

AEP Ohio

These seven high voltage power lines tripped on the first day of June 14th. Three of AEP Ohio’s 138-kilovolt transmission lines (which serve as the main trunks to deliver power in Columbus) were then brought into focus as PJM issued orders to begin load shedding. Or lower your power usage.

“The remaining working lines that had to be maintained in service to maintain power to everyone in Columbus were overloaded and targeted measures were taken to mitigate these conditions. We were forced to drop customers,” Ball said.

During a presentation on the suspension incident, a PJM spokesman said the regulator recommended that the AEP should “improve its vegetation management practices.” AEP Ohio told NBC4 that he’s employed new technology for that since then.

“AEP … uses advanced laser aerial assessment (LiDAR – Light Detection and Ranging) and an extended visual inspection of the power lines that power Columbus to determine the potential impact of future severe storms on the system. are reduced. Fixed damage and hazards found.“

AEP Ohio

PJM hearing attendees asked whether regulators had sent investigators to locations where vegetation was cited as a cause. The presenter instead replied that he had taken the AEP’s word, having made his own assessment of the power lines and determined that contact with plants was the cause. However, AEP conducted an “extended interview process” with his AEP staff or engineers who were in the company’s power control room during the outage event. Regulators used it to create a timeline of events and record actions taken by AEPs in response.