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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: December 9, 2003 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. <br />SUBJECT: Emergency Power Sources for County Buildings <br />DEPARTMENT: Manager/Public Works/ <br />Emergency Management/Purchasing <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />12/01/03 Public Works Director Memo re: <br />Existing Emergency Power Generators <br />12/03/03 EM Staff Memo re: Primary <br />Emergency Shelter Generator Capability <br />11/25/03 EM Staff Memo re: Alternative <br />Energy Source Grants Status <br />Emergency Power Capital Project <br />Ordinance <br />PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Rod Visser, 245-2300 <br />Wilbert McAdco, 235-2625 <br />Nick Waters, 644-3030 <br />Pam Jones, 245-2350 <br />TELEPHONE NUMBERS: <br />Hillsborough 732-8181 <br />Chapel Hill 968-4501 <br />Durham 688-7331 <br />Mebane 336-227-2031 <br />PURPOSE: To discuss the need for and authorize staff to take certain steps towards <br />providing backup power capabilities at key County facilities during electrical power outages. <br />BACKGROUND: In recent years, Orange County has experienced a significant number of <br />widespread electrical power outages, generally as the result of adverse weather. Certain key <br />County facilities, particularly the Emergency Operations Center and related Emergency <br />Management Department offices, have backup generators installed that provide for a seamless <br />transfer of the power load and continuous operations in the event of electrical power failures.. <br />Others can receive generator power through manual transfer switches. However, recent <br />experience has been that because not all Cotanty buildings have backup power sources, many <br />important County services came to a virtual halt under adverse weather conditions and their <br />immediate aftermath. In early 2003, the BOCC encouraged the Manager and staff to consider <br />including funding for some emergency generators in the 2003-2013 Capital Investment Plan.. <br />The recommended CIP includes $152,000 in County pay-as-you-go (PAYG) funding to begin <br />the expansion of existing backup power capabilities at County facilities. Staff have prepared a <br />table of existing County facilities with generators in place and the degree to which those <br />generators are capable of powering the facilities they support. Staff have also prepared a <br />summary of the wiring in place at the County's two main "generator ready" shelters at Stanford <br />and Smith Middle Schools. <br />