Transmission Fire Protection

Fires in substations can severely impact the supply of power to customers and the utility company's revenue and assets. These fires can also create a fire hazard to utility personnel, emergency personnel, and the general public. There are 14 sites managed by Transmission that have fire protection systems to protect their 500-kilovolt transformers. According to TVA management, fire protection systems have been established where needed; however, the risk that fire protection systems will not function effectively is increased by the condition of systems and systems not meeting national code or TVA requirements. The current systems have antiquated equipment that is being replaced as funding allows. The upgrades do not include modifying the current system's water supply which does not meet National Fire Protection Association code or TVA Standard Process and Procedure requirements. While TVA management indicated TVA is not required to meet national code, not doing so in the case of the water supply could limit the effectiveness of the fire protection system if it were engaged during a fire. According to TVA management, maintenance on fire protection equipment is performed or requested by personnel at the Transmission Service Center; however, maintenance is not always documented. We found there were no requirements to track the fire protection systems or their condition. In addition, the inspections of fire protection equipment that were part of the preventive maintenance program were not conducted consistently. There is an increased risk an issue could go unrecognized if systems are not being consistently inspected and the condition tracked. We made recommendations to management to address the findings.