Chapter Appendix B - What Went Right
Section Department of Energy
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Department of Energy
Colonial and Plantation Pipelines, major suppliers of fuel for the eastern US, were not operating due to lack of power at their pumping stations in Mississippi and Louisiana due to effects of Hurricane Katrina. The Department of Energy (DOE) persuaded Entergy and Mississippi Power to elevate the electrical restoration of these pumping stations to near the top of the priority list. Mississippi Power elevated restoration of Collins, Mississippi to their number one priority. Unfortunately, the assessments of the electrical grid revealed damage to multiple transmission lines. Entergy also had responsibility for restoring power to several of the pump stations. Entergy raised the pump stations in their priority list and were able to restore power to some of the lesser damaged facilities quickly. As a result of the lengthy restoration time, Colonial contracted for some generators. After these initial contracts were superseded by FEMA for use on lifesaving activities, The Department of Transportation, as the lead for Emergency Support Function 1 (ESF-1) under the NRP, coordinated transport and delivery of large emergency generators to petroleum and natural gas industry sites that lacked power following the hurricanes. At FEMA's request, ESF-1 also obtained the needed waivers so that these generators could be moved by road and rail. Colonial worked with DOE to request that FEMA recognize Colonial Pipeline as critical infrastructure and part of the necessary emergency response, providing critical fuel to the recovery effort. DOE worked with FEMA to get emergency responder identification for Colonial contractors and staff to expedite their travel through the police barricades and into the disaster area. DOE worked with Mississippi Highway Patrol to provide the company the information they needed to get into the disaster areas and checked road availability at the pumping stations. As Colonial attempted to restore power and deliver generators to these sites, their crews reported criminal activity and gunshots. Colonial stated they needed protection or would have to cease work and depart. DOE arranged with the Mississippi Highway Patrol to provide police protection to three of the Colonial pumping stations.
DOE provided a situation brief and recommendations regarding getting electricity back on at the water pumps at Lake Livingston Pumping Station. This pumping station supplies Houston with water. After speaking to all parties, it was determined that four different groups were preparing four different solutions involving portable generation. DOE, as the lead for ESF-12, pulled CenterPoint Energy, Entergy, Army Corps of Engineers, City of Houston, and the Coastal Water Authority (who ran the pumping station) together on a conference call to discuss the situation (note there was not a lot of communication between CenterPoint Energy and Entergy up to this point). CenterPoint Energy suggested energizing an open link between CenterPoint Energy and Entergy and letting CenterPoint Energy repair three lines between Entergy substations and to serve the pump station load from CenterPoint. ESF-12 strongly recommended to the PFO that this become the number one solution since this would provide a more stable source of power for the pumping stations. Late night on Sunday September 25, CenterPoint Energy contacted the DOE Emergency Operations Center to ask for permission to make the connection. Within minutes of that call, ESF-12 at the Austin JFO gave the verbal go-ahead to CenterPoint to proceed with its work on getting the pump station up. The work was completed two days later and the pump station came back on line just as the water supply was down to about a one day supply.
ESF-12 in Alabama was asked to contact an Alabama pole-making company (Cahaba) and attempt to get them fuel so they could continue their pole-making/treating (they make 4000 poles per day). The Governor of Alabama was made aware of the plight of Cahaba which was producing poles for Entergy and Mississippi Power (ESF-12 at the Mississippi EOC confirmed with Entergy and Mississippi Power that this pole supply was critical) and ESF-12 was tasked with getting them fuel. ESF-12 spoke with all parties with involved (Hunt Oil, Stephens Oil Distributor, and Cahaba) and got Hunt Oil to release the needed fuel beginning the following day, the day that Cahaba was going to have to shutdown their pole-making due to lack of fuel. ESF-12 personnel drafted a letter to Hunt Oil that was signed by the FCO and sent out a half hour later. Six pole-making companies in MS had shut down and the utilities were using the poles as fast as they were produced. Cahaba made 4000 poles per day and is the largest pole making company in the world. Without these poles, restoration would have severely been affected.
The Louisiana Offshore Oil Port was also partially damaged and initially shut down by Hurricane Katrina. This facility is the only US facility capable of offloading ultra large tankers and pumps about 1 million barrels of oil a day. DOE facilitated their access to emergency communications; worked with the local utilities to prioritize their restoration of commercial power; assisted in getting delivery of food and water to the on-site crew; and facilitated their communication with the U.S. Coast Guard to get their shipping lanes surveyed, which resulted in a U.S. Navy minesweeper being deployed to the area.
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