Chapter 4901:5-37 | Emergency Reporting by Electric Utilities

Rule 4901:5-37-01 | Definitions.

• Effective: November 8, 2012
• Promulgated Under: 111.15

As used in this chapter:

(A) "Bulk electric system" means facilities and control systems necessary for operating an interconnected electric energy transmission network, one hundred kilovolts or higher, and any underlying transmission system that could limit or supplement the operation of the higher voltage transmission systems.

(B) "Commission" means the public utilities commission of Ohio.

(C) "Critical situation" means an anticipated or existing shortage in the supply of electric energy, or constraint in the transmission, distribution, or generation of electrical energy, which has adversely affected, or is likely to adversely affect, the operation or reliability of transmission, distribution, or generation facilities.

(D) "Electric distribution utility" has the meaning set forth in division (A) of section 4928.01 of the Revised Code.

(E) "Electric entity" means any electric light company, supplier subject to certification under section 4928.08 of the Revised Code, electric power utility that is owned by a municipal corporation or not for profit, or electric power producer or marketer, as enumerated in division (A)(3) of section 4935.03 of the Revised Code.

(F) "Essential consumers" means the following consumers of an electric distribution utility:

(1) Hospitals and emergency care facilities, each of which provides medical care and performs in-patient procedures.

(2) Prisons and governmental detention institutions.

(3) Fire and police stations, Ohio national guard facilities, military bases, and federal facilities essential to the national defense.

(4) Any consumer on a medical or life-support system who has provided appropriate documentation to the electric distribution utility that an interruption of service would be immediately life-threatening.

(5) Radio and television stations used to transmit emergency messages and public information broadcasts relating to emergencies.

(6) Water pumping plants essential to the supply of potable water to a community.

(7) Sewage plants essential to the collection, treatment, and disposal of a community's sewage, except lift stations.

(8) Emergency management and response facilities and the countywide "911" system.

(9) Blood banks.

(G) "Municipal or cooperative" means any municipal electric utility, as defined in division (A) of section 4928.01 of the Revised Code, or any electric cooperative, as defined in division (A) of section 4928.01 of the Revised Code.

(H) "Noncompetitive retail electric service" has the meaning set forth in division (B) of section 4928.01 of the Revised Code.

Last updated July 17, 2023 at 12:15 PM

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: 4935.03
Amplifies: 4935.03
Five Year Review Date: 6/26/2028
Prior Effective Dates: 9/18/2000, 2/27/2010

Rule 4901:5-37-02 | General provisions.

• Effective: July 7, 2023
• Promulgated Under: 111.15

(A) The rules in this chapter are intended to result in electric entities:

(1) Preventing emergencies.

(2) Initiating and performing system restoration for any electric service that suffered an outage due to a critical situation.

(3) Preserving and protecting electric services whose operations continued or were restored during a critical situation.

(B) Each electric distribution utility shall submit to the commission its curtailment plan and amendments on energy shortages or delivery constraints.

(C) The commission may consult with the independent system operator, regional transmission organization, independent consultant, or other outside entities, and may, in addition to the rules of this chapter, adopt orders to require any electric entity to take prescribed actions before an emergency and/or to initiate or to terminate any action during an emergency. The provisions of this paragraph do not apply to any municipal or cooperative unless the governor has declared an energy emergency under section 4935.03 of the Revised Code.

(D) The commission may, upon an application or a motion filed by a party, waive any requirement of this chapter, other than a requirement mandated by statute, for good cause shown.

(E) The commission may direct the attorney general to bring an action for immediate injunction or other appropriate relief to enforce commission orders and to secure immediate compliance with this chapter.

Last updated July 7, 2023 at 8:26 AM

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: 4935.03
Amplifies: 4935.03
Five Year Review Date: 6/26/2028
Prior Effective Dates: 2/15/2018

Rule 4901:5-37-03 | Reporting to the commission during a critical situation.

• Effective: July 7, 2023
• Promulgated Under: 111.15

(A) Each electric entity shall promptly report to the commission:

(1) Uncontrolled loss in firm system load for fifteen minutes or more of electric power supply to a firm load of three hundred megawatts or more from a single incident.

(2) Any action to reduce firm customer loads or voltage in order to maintain reliability of the power supply system.

(3) Any appeal for the public to conserve electricity for purposes of maintaining the continuity of the electric power system.

(4) Fuel supply emergencies that could impact electric power system adequacy or reliability.

(5) Any emergency alert issued by an independent system operator or regional transmission organization that relates to or affects an electric entity.

(6) Implementation of any other legally imposed energy emergency alert procedure on behalf of the affected reporting electric entity.

(7) During an emergency, any outage or incident that damages or renders inoperable bulk electric system equipment located in Ohio.

(8) Any action taken pursuant to the rules of this chapter.

Each report shall be made by fax, electronic notification, voice mail, personal contact, or other commission-determined means with a designated commission representative and shall include a description of the situation. The provisions of this paragraph only apply to entities to the extent of the commission's statutory authority.

(B) When an electric entity is unable to relieve an existing or anticipated energy shortage by obtaining or purchasing power through an interconnected system, the independent system operator, or a regional transmission organization, each electric entity shall implement and follow the procedures of the independent system operator or regional transmission organization and the procedures in the electric entity's emergency plan, if applicable. The provisions of this paragraph do not apply to any municipal or cooperative unless the governor has declared an energy emergency under section 4935.03 of the Revised Code.

Last updated July 7, 2023 at 8:26 AM

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: 4935.03
Amplifies: 4935.03
Five Year Review Date: 6/26/2028
Prior Effective Dates: 2/27/2010, 11/8/2012

Rule 4901:5-37-04 | Sudden or unanticipated critical situation resulting in overloading transmission facilities.

• Effective: November 8, 2012
• Promulgated Under: 111.15

When sudden or unanticipated generation or transmission outages cause an overloading of an electric entity's facilities or interconnection circuits that operate at a nominal sixty hertz, that electric entity shall perform any or all of the following actions, as applicable:

(A) Interrupt service to customers served under interruptible tariffs or contracts.

(B) Interrupt service to firm service customers.

(C) Reduce voltage by not more than five per cent if the transmission system is isolated.

(D) Disconnect the overloaded facility or circuit.

The provisions of this rule do not apply to any municipal or cooperative unless the governor has declared an energy emergency under section 4935.03 of the Revised Code.

Last updated July 17, 2023 at 12:15 PM

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: 4935.03
Amplifies: 4935.03
Five Year Review Date: 6/26/2028
Prior Effective Dates: 9/18/2000, 2/27/2010

Rule 4901:5-37-05 | Anticipated conditions during a critical situation.

• Effective: November 8, 2012
• Promulgated Under: 111.15

When anticipated shortages of electrical energy cannot be relieved by automatic reserve sharing and emergency purchases or other sources within or outside the interconnected area, each electric entity shall perform any or all of the following actions, as applicable:

(A) Interrupt service to customers served under interruptible tariffs or contracts.

(B) Interrupt service to customers with controlled service loads.

(C) Reduce voltage by not more than five per cent on the distribution system.

(D) Request voluntary load reductions of large volume firm customers.

(E) Appeal to the public to conserve electricity.

(F) Initiate manual load shedding of firm customer loads.

(G) Each electric distribution utility shall:

(1) Make reasonable efforts to maintain service to essential consumers.

(2) Select distribution circuits and lines to interrupt service.

The provisions of this rule do not apply to any municipal or cooperative unless the governor has declared an energy emergency under section 4935.03 of the Revised Code.

Last updated July 17, 2023 at 12:15 PM

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: 4935.03
Amplifies: 4935.03
Five Year Review Date: 6/26/2028
Prior Effective Dates: 2/27/2010