Keeping the lights on
Transforming an energy company’s response to power outages in extreme weather events Ed Hall, School of the Environment Thilo Kroll, SDHI David Colthart, SSE
Challenges for SSE • Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) operate in urban and rural areas in northern Scotland and southern England • Severe weather events more frequent > ‘keeping the lights on’ become more challenging – Dec 2011/Jan 2012 – 10,000+ homes lost power for more than 3 days – Jan 2013 – 20,000 homes without power in Arran and Kintyre – SSE attended House of Commons Select Committee
• Recommendations of the Committee:
– SSE relationship with communities and partner agencies crucial – Identification of ‘vulnerable’ individuals/groups and responding to their needs is paramount
Knowledge Transfer Partnership • What is a KTP?
– A company and an academic institution partnership > facilitate the transfer of knowledge, technology and skills
• Company benefits
– A project of strategic importance to the business – Access to knowledge and skills
• Academic benefits
– Close partnership working with business – Impacts: academic and KE outcomes
• The Associate
– Based in the company, managed by company; supervised by academic partners – Project plan: clear stages and outcomes – Training and Management Diploma
• Challenges
– Negotiating the relationships – Appointing the right person as the Associate
The project • Key challenge for SSE: – Disruption to electricity supply to local communities – Homes and care sites of ‘vulnerable’ people (disabled people, older people, people with chronic illness) – ‘Wellbeing gap’ between power loss and restoration
• SSE needs to transform its approach – New forms of engagement with and support for local communities – To address, in partnership, the wellbeing gap
• The project: > Need to understand how communities have responded > Develop and test effective solutions > Mobilise knowledge within SSE and communities in UK
Project phases Identification
Development
Implementation, Iteration and Dissemination
Training and Embedding of Knowledge
Expected outcomes • Significantly improve SSE’s ability to serve vulnerable customers • Better knowledge of communities (and vulnerable people) needs and capacities • Development and application of effective solutions to address the welfare gap • Improved partnerships between SSE and other agencies • Reputational risk addressed • Academic outcomes – Insight in SSE approaches – Opportunity to transform policy and practice – Develop real and effective responses to significant social challenge – Academic and non-academic publications in growing area of vulnerability, resilience, disability etc. – Impact/KE and training opportunities
Conclusion • • • • • • • •
We need to a top quality Associate MSc in relevant discipline Qualitative research skills Experience of engagement with stakeholders in private, public and/or voluntary sectors Organisational/time management skills Team worker Enthusiasm! PLEASE ADVERTISE!
• http://www.dundee.ac.uk/hr/uodrecruitment/jobvacancies/