HQ Power Outage Nov. 20 shows readiness

No loss in computer service or the ability to conduct business resulted from a power outage Nov. 20 thought to have been caused by an errant bird meeting a transformer. Emergency generators kicked on as planned and remained in operation until power levels were stabilized.

The bird strike evidently tripped a circuit at around 5:20 in the early evening.  

“Generators turned on and supplied small amounts of lighting, and power to critical areas such as the server room and boilers,” explained ITD HQ Facilities Manager Todd Sorensen. “Idaho Power arrived and restored electricity to the campus within about 10 to 15 minutes.

All internal parties and outside agencies responded as required. The power was back on very quickly and equipment functioned as it should have.

This is evidence of the department’s recent emphasis on preparedness, said department ETS  Manager Juan Oleaga.

“By strengthening our operational infrastructure, we are better equipped to deal with these kinds of real-life scenarios.” Oleaga said a few of the recent strengthening efforts have included installing a new generator, refreshing Uninterrupted Power Supplies, and more.

ITD Infrastructure Manager Pete Palacios added that, “Most individuals at ITD are probably not aware of the efforts that it takes to achieve these types of results, but BSM (Business Support Management) and ETS (Enterprise Technology Systems) operations have worked long and hard for these results.” 
  

Published 11-22-19