ELECTRICAL RESILIENCE
Avoiding the catastrophic impact of power outages
For hospitals and other healthcare facilities, which often operate continuously, access to a reliable power system is mission-critical. Facilities that are unprepared for outages could face catastrophic consequences, including a very real risk to life. Paul Brickman, Sales and Marketing director at Crestchic Loadbanks, explores how hospitals can ensure that their back-up power systems are reliable should the worst happen.
In recent years, the global demand for power has risen sharply. A new report from global research consultancy, McKinsey, predicts that global power consumption will ‘almost double by 2050’. The increased focus on electrification and technology is as evident in the healthcare industry as it is in our home lives, with technologically advanced equipment increasingly reliant on power to operate. To meet these needs, as well as the ongoing mission to make the move to green sources of power generation, the UK’s energy mix is going through a transition. With ambitious targets in place, the UK is transitioning from fossil fuel- generated power to wind and other renewable sources of energy. When harnessing these natural sources of power – which are reliant on the wind blowing and the sun shining – managing a stable and constant supply can be more challenging. In addition to the fluctuations known to be associated with more intermittent, weather-based power sources, lockdown has shown that we cannot always easily predict demand patterns. Consequently, grid balancing has become an increasingly important focus for grid operators, whose role is to closely match the supply of energy to demand. Even a 1% deviation from the network’s frequency of 50 Hz has the potential to damage equipment and infrastructure and cause power failures.
The impact of power outages Needless to say, with people’s lives in their hands, hospital Trusts are well aware of the impact of a break in mission-critical power – from the more obvious effect on lighting, heating, and operational infrastructure such as lifts and computer systems, to the consequences for critical life-saving equipment in theatres and intensive care units.
In August 2019, the UK was hit by a huge power outage, which saw homes and businesses left powerless, and critical infrastructure such as the London Underground plunged into darkness. Power was lost across Ipswich Hospital
after the back-up generator failed to work. While the loss was quickly rectified, the outcome could have been catastrophic. With lives at stake, even one power failure is too many. Further afield, in Venezuela, a five-day nationwide blackout, which also occurred in 2019, tells a cautionary tale with devastating results. With the torches on their mobile phones the only source of light, hospital staff watched helplessly as 26 people died in the country’s hospitals as a result of the power outage. The result was elderly patients unable to use ventilators, kidney failure patients without vital dialysis treatment, surgeons unable to operate, and babies in failing incubators.
The role of back-up power To mitigate the risk to life, and the knock- on effect of having to reschedule appointments in an already overstretched public service, hospital power systems usually take a multi-phased approach to backing up their power supply. A mixture of local battery power and uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems will handle
the immediate risk and prevent critical machines from shutting down. This short- term failsafe is backed up by generator systems, which are designed to be operational within minutes, and can take over from the emergency batteries, and power buildings and machinery over a longer period.
Usually installed at the build phase, standby generators are a common solution to provide back-up power if the standard electricity supply is interrupted. They are known for being robust and reliable, offering contractors and facilities managers the reassurance that they’ll do the job and kick in if the worst happens. However, just like any other internal combustion engine, lubrication, cooling systems, fuel system, and electrics, all need to be tested to ensure faultless operation.
Regular health checks
Regular health checks are as important for power systems as they are for people. Wherever a generator is installed, there is also a need for a load bank. These critical
For hospitals and other healthcare facilities, which often operate continuously, having access to a reliable power system is mission-critical.
October 2021 Health Estate Journal 69
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