1. Gas Utility Operations Best Practices Program
June 26-27, 2013
Gas Utility Operations Best Practices Program
2013 Emergency Response Best Practices Roundtable
AGL Resources, Atlanta, GA
Group Discussion Summary – Forecasting
Facilitator – Christina Sames, American Gas Association

2.
Note: The AGA Operations Best Practices Program is intended to highlight how particular companies may address a specific operational issue and may not include all of the data related to a highlighted practice. The need to implement and the timing of any implementation of highlighted practices will vary with each operator. Each operator serves a unique and defined geographic area and their system infrastructures vary widely based on a multitude of factors, including, condition, engineering practices and materials. Each operator needs to evaluate highlighted practices in light of their system variables. Not all highlighted practices will be applicable to all operators due to the unique set of circumstances that are attendant to their specific systems. Companies are not ranked through this program and no one practice is identified as the best for a particular topic. Copyright & Distribution: Copyright © 2013 American Gas Association. All rights reserved. The AGA Gas Utility Operations Best Practices Program publications are copyrighted, confidential and proprietary to AGA and only available on the member-restricted side of the AGA website. Permission to reproduce or transmit in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system any publication or portion of a publication must be obtained in writing from the AGA General Counsel’s Office, AGA Full, Limited and International Members are granted a limited license to reproduce this publication for internal business purposes but not for regulatory or civil matters.

3. Do you staff either the Call Center and/or first responders based on historical trends?
Best Practice: Use of dedicated statisticians for forecasting analysis and/or predictive modeling tools to determine when additional staffing may be needed. Factors include spring cut off, fall cold snap, pre-storm, leak volumes, high levels of appliance calls, etc.
Benefits
Considerations for Implementation
Can fluctuate when staff report for duty based on predictions, which can minimize overtime/expenditures
Improved response time
Minimizing safety risks
Better completion of work orders
Better recognition of trends
May need to consider union issues
Emergency response is done by call out if company does not have 24/7 shifts for construction work
Resources associated with dedicated statisticians and forecasting/modeling
Companies that utilize this practice (or parts thereof)
DTE Energy, PG&E, NW Natural, Consumers (transmission/storage)
Note: All companies around the table do this to some degree.

4. Do you staff either the Call Center and/or first responders based on historical trends?
Best Practice: Cross training of field employees to carry out first response functions.
Benefits
Considerations for Implementation
Improved leak response
Increased available staff during peak times
Reduced overtime
More diverse workforce
Public safety
Can move individuals to higher level jobs
Training and training schedule
Contracts
Workload
On-call cycles
Geographic territory (rural vs. urban)
Balance between lowering risk vs. training
Consideration of who really needs to have the cross training
Companies that utilize this practice (or parts thereof)
Black Hills, DTE Energy, NiSource, Ameren, PG&E, UGI, Citizens, NJNG, National Fuel, Southwest Gas, Integrys (Minnesota Energy Resources, Mich. Gas Utility), SEMCO, TECO Peoples Gas, Consumers Energy, NW Natural

5. What mechanism is used to plan for seasonal variations in leak calls?
Common Practices: Shifting of workloads and priorities. Training during slower times. Cross training, shift changes, overtime, on-call personnel and manage vacation times.
Benefits
Considerations for Implementation
Resource management
Minimize cost
Reduced response times
Workforce flexibility
Workforce trained when volumes low (then ready when talent is needed)
Scheduling
Takes time for cross training
Union contracts
Budget
Companies that utilize this practice (or parts thereof)
All companies around the table

6. How do you handle “forced overtime” to cover predicted leak call volumes? Do you have a Union work force?
Common Practices: Union: Can require forced overtime, voluntary overtime, rotational schedule, on-call, or can move staff from other areas. Non-union: all on rotation for on-call/stand-by (some paid to be on-call, other companies do not pay employees if they are not called out).
Benefits
Considerations for Implementation
Workforce to respond to leak call volume
Improved response time
Improved customer satisfaction
Union contractual language
Payment for on-call/stand-by time
Companies that utilize this practice (or parts thereof)
All companies around the table. Note: DTE requires employees to work from home (resident employees) and respond to a established % of their on-calls

7. How are staff scheduled to minimize overtime yet reduce standby costs?
Common Practices: Customer service and field service employees trained in emergency response for off hours and swing shifts. Different shifts based on locations and larger areas. Moving employees from one shift coverage to another
Benefits
Considerations for Implementation
Minimize overtime
Reduced response time
Ability to extend customer work and meet customer demand
Staff scheduling more complex
Challenges with 24/7 shift coverage
Union contracts
Balancing customer appointment work with emergency response
Companies that utilize this practice (or parts thereof)
All companies around the table

8. Do you have first responders available 24/7. Are they home based
Do you have first responders available 24/7? Are they home based? On Call? What is the pay structure for off-hours?
Best Practice: Where call volume dictates, having a scheduled 1st responder available 24/7. Note: All companies have 1st responders available 24/7. Options: Scheduled, resident employees (home based), employees that take vehicles home for 1st response, on-call, and office based. Pay structure: Flat rate, overtime, shift differential, or as dictated by contract
Benefits
Considerations for Implementation
Improved response time
Improved customer satisfaction and customer confidence
Potential to improve public safety
Do not need to go through entire call list to determine who will respond; reduces grievances
Call volume
Union contracts
Geography
Minimum call-out acceptance rate
High consequence areas
Other work to reduce non-productive time
Logistical complications for vehicle maintenance and other issues
Personnel (aging workforce/trained personnel)
Companies that utilize this practice (or parts thereof)
All companies around the table have 1st responders available 24/7

9. Do you have first responders available 24/7. Are they home based
Do you have first responders available 24/7? Are they home based? On Call? What is the pay structure for off-hours?
Best Practice/Innovative Practice: For more remote areas, use of HVAC contractors and fire department. Note: in Canada, each HVAC contractor must be licensed
Benefits
Considerations for Implementation
Public safety
Timely response
Agreement with HVAC contractors and/or fire department
Training
Limited scope of work
Company follow-up
Companies that utilize this practice (or parts thereof)
Union Gas and Southwest Gas

10. Are there regional trends in emergency calls based on system age or the tendency for customers to expect priority service?
Yes and yes. Common Practices: For companies that do not do appliance work: Place in call script that if call is on appliance, company will not work on appliance, need to call qualified contractor. And, there is a charge for false emergencies. If company does appliance work, may direct the individual’s call to other area. Communicate to customers that company may need to red-tag appliance and shutoff gas to appliance.
Benefits
Considerations for Implementation
Customers understand what company can and cannot do in advance
Minimizes non-leak calls
Minimizes dissatisfaction of customer
Changes to call script
Separate unit for appliance/no heat calls, if the call volume dictates
Consider what 1st responder can and cannot do
If do not go, have deferred customer to contractor, and contractor determines it is a gas issue, gas company may need to pay contractor cost.
Companies that utilize this practice (or parts thereof)
All companies around the table did this to some extent

11. Are there regional trends in emergency calls based on system age or the tendency for customers to expect priority service?
Yes. Common Practices: Calls also based on population density, sensitivity of geographical area, or material of infrastructure. Companies staff appropriately to address these expectations and trends.
Benefits
Considerations for Implementation
Public safety
Public relations
Media relations
Capitol improvement planning
Staffing
Must know your infrastructure
Must know how infrastructure may be affected by weather
Companies that utilize this practice (or parts thereof)
Most companies around the table

12.
The American Gas Association, founded in 1918, represents more than 200 local energy companies that deliver clean natural gas throughout the United States. There are more than 71 million residential, commercial and industrial natural gas customers in the United States, of which 92% — more than 65 million customers — receive their gas from AGA members. Today, natural gas meets almost one-fourth of the United States’ energy needs.