Nashville Electric Service's tech slowed down ice storm response, report finds
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Frozen trees and power lines in East Nashville after the January storm. Photo: Kate Dearman/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The Nashville Electric Service's insufficient technology slowed down its response to the devastating ice storm that left much of the city without power in January, according to a new report released Friday.
Why it matters: The report, funded by NES, reinforces many of the criticisms lobbed at the utility in the aftermath of Winter Storm Fern. In particular, it found NES lacked the tools it needed to accurately predict the extent of the threats to the grid.
Between the lines: Because NES lacked an adequate damage prediction model ahead of the storm, its ability to "proactively secure outside assistance" resulted in a slower overall response after the storm hit on Jan. 25, the report found.
- Other utilities have developed prediction models "of various levels of sophistication" that can estimate damage and the staffing levels needed to respond to bad weather, the report said.
- NES CEO Teresa Broyles-Aplin told reporters on Friday the department is partnering with Oak Ridge National Laboratory to develop such a prediction software.
Driving the news: The early after action report was commissioned by the NES board of directors, which selected the law firms Sherrard Roe and Adams & Reese to spearhead the effort.
- The firms then hired PA Consulting to conduct the inquiry and produce the initial 30-day report.
- A more detailed report is still in the works.
The big picture: The first review confirmed several flaws in NES's storm response, including the lack of a clear "incident command structure."
- "This resulted in a less than clear view of the chain of command, which led to inconsistent messaging," the consultant report found.
The report described "a reactive approach to communications" that "resulted in delayed, inconsistent, and at times inaccurate messaging."
- That mirrors criticism from Mayor Freddie O'Connell and other state and local leaders who knocked NES for poor communication.
Zoom out: The report also zeroed in on NES' failure to quickly provide a clear estimate for power restoration the the approximately 230,000 customers who lost power.
- According to the report, NES lacks a "standardized, repeatable [estimated time of restoration] process." This "limited NES's ability to shape customer expectations during the response," according to the consultant's report.
What's next: The consultant will present the initial findings to the NES board next week.
What we're watching: O'Connell formed a separate committee, led by former Mayor and Gov. Phil Bredesen, which will produce its own analysis of the city's response. Those findings are expected in the coming weeks.