Failures
Customers who receive electricity via the Continuon Netbeheer grid were deprived of power for an average of 29.7 minutes in 2006 (2005: 24.3 minutes).
The increased outage time for electricity was mainly caused by the exceptionally warm month of July. The average outage time for gas was only 19 seconds per customer (2005: 32 seconds). This means that both the electricity and the gas grid functioned properly during 99.99% of the year.
Electricity
In 2006 the month of July was extraordinarily warm and dry. As a result, energy consumption increased and the load on the grid followed suit. The industry organisation EnergieNed is conducting a nationwide study into the relationship between high outside temperatures and increased power failure frequency. Continuon Netbeheer is participating in this study for its grid area. A certain type of cable connecting piece known as the ‘Nekaldiet’ joint has turned out to be particularly sensitive to this exceptional combination of extremely warm weather conditions and high grid load. Since 2003 Continuon Netbeheer has been engaged in a long-term programme to replace these sensitive joints.
In 2006 the supervision on excavation work was tightened up, the national campaign ‘Graafschade voorkomen doe je samen’ (Avoiding excavation damage is a joint effort) was started up, and a new arrangement came into force to lower the threshold for excavation firms to report damage caused by their work. These efforts paid off: in 2006 the outage time attributable to third-party excavation work was reduced to 20% of the total outage time. As a result of the introduction of GSM indicators in switching stations, the failure can be located more quickly, thus speeding up the repair work to restore the energy supply. This shortens the outage time. In 2007 €38 million will be invested in the replacement and renovation of the power grid.
Gas
The structure of the gas grid is designed in such a way that the majority of failures have no impact on the transport of gas. As a result, the outage time with gas is much lower than with electricity. Customers of Continuon are confronted with an interruption of the gas supply once every two hundred years on average. In the case of a gas failure, the first priority is to make the local situation safe. In 2006 a campaign was conducted to help customers recognise the smell of gas and to raise awareness of the national gas incident hotline. In 2007 Continuon will invest €30 million in the replacement and renovation of the gas grid.
