The IEEE PES T&D Expo is scheduled to come to New Orleans, Louisiana, October 9-14, 2005, to the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Unfortunately, Hurricane Katrina landed first and is threatening to disrupt the show. As of press time, the impact of Katrina on the city of New Orleans is unclear. However, we do know that the city has been under mandatory evacuation orders and that tens of thousands of city residents who were unable to get out in time are huddled in the Superdome. I caught reports that the roof of the Superdome was compromised and that material flew off and hit a nearby hotel, but that the people inside were not injured. About the other areas of the city and the region, we just don't know yet, as even the press has been evacuated a distance away.

More About Katrina

Katrina came ashore around 8 a.m. on August 29, with the eye of the hurricane reaching land 25 miles east of the city. Initial indications are that New Orleans was spared the highest winds and the peak of the storm surge. This is not the case for Gulfport and Biloxi, Mississippi, where wave surges of up to 25 feet were predicted.

It remains to be seen whether New Orleans can snap back quickly enough to host the IEEE show. If the storm damage is not too severe, it might be possible we can still pull this off in October. But with the host utility responding to the storm, I wouldn't be surprised if alternative solutions might be considered. Transmission & Distribution World is committed to providing updates on the storm and on the status of the IEEE PES T&D Expo. You also can go to the official IEEE show website, www.ieeet-d.org.

Response to Katrina

Most utilities in the Southeast have already mobilized crews and are ready to assign duties as the wind subsides and the roads are cleared. Our industry has considerable experience recently in this area, as we responded to four hurricanes that hit Florida and Alabama in 2004. It looks like we are moving into a period where we can expect more hurricanes to be generated in the Atlantic over the next decade. We have no choice but to prepare. Of course, utilities already have agreements in place to share crews, handle switching orders, and obtain materials and equipment to meet storm situations. Our manufacturers are also gearing up to get materials and supplies into the region. I expect long days and nights for the many utility and contract crews coming into the area.

Utilities Know Storms

Many of the larger utilities bring huge teams when a storm like Katrina hits. I've talked with storm preparedness managers who have ready-to-go, totally mobile caravans. Expect to see 30- to 60-men crews moving into the affected areas, which should include parts of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. These roving line crews are totally self-contained, bringing with them gas, diesel, water and food. The bigger crews even bring their own command centers complete with satellite communications. The local utility typically assigns one of its own to act as liasion with the larger teams and helps handle issues including work assignments, obtaining line materials and assuring crews have access to proper meals and sleeping arrangements.

Transmission & Distribution World will provide continuous coverage of the damage wreaked by Katrina and the efforts to build the T&D infrastructure. We will post daily updates on Katrina, the aftermath and our industry's response on www.tdworld.com.

If the Show Goes On

More than 500 exhibitors will offer products and services that cover every aspect of our business. If you can't find what you need here, don't bother looking. If it is knowledge you are seeking, the IEEE meetings group has put together quite a program with 250 poster sessions, 30 panel presentations and technical presentations covering every aspect of our business. IEEE is offering super sessions on transmission investment, wind energy, cyber security and reactive power. I see there is also a special interest session featuring: Increasing Transmission Capacity Using Real-Time (Dynamic Ratings).

We also have contacted each exhibitor and asked them to provide us with their latest and greatest show offerings, which we have printed in the show guide. We've also provided a list of the vendors who registered along with a map and booth numbers to aid you in finding vendors you would like to visit.

Hurricane Katrina Update

A mandatory evacuation was called for New Orleans. As of press time, Hurricane Katrina landed 20 to 30 miles east of New Orleans and is making its way inward with winds up to 145 miles per hour. Initial indications are that New Orleans was spared the brunt of the wind and storm surge. This is not the case for Gulfport and Biloxi Mississippi, where surge waves of up to 25 feet were predicted. I stayed glued to CNN and the Weather Channel to determine as of press time, the impact of this storm.

Transmission & Distribution World is committed to providing updates as to the impact of this storm on the ability of the city to host the IEEE PES T&D Expo. We also will provide continuous coverage of the damage wreaked by Katrina and the efforts to build the T&D Infrastructure.

For updates on the impact of Katrina on the IEEE show, go to the official show website, www.ieeet-d.org. For more information on our industry's response to the havoc wreaked by Katrina, go to www.tdworld.com.