COUNTERACTING EFFECTS OF A LONG-LASTING ELECTRICAL POWER FAILURE IN THE AREA OF LARGE CITIES. A CASE STUDY FOR THE MUNICIPALITY OF THE CITY OF SZCZECIN

The author’s intention is to show the impact of experience from a specific crisis situation and results brought about by it – in particular a long-lasting and extensive power outage – affecting the activity of entities obliged in terms of prevention of such threats as well as being prepared to respond in the event of their occurrence. Due to the specified research subject, the reflections focus on the activity of the bodies of the Municipality of the City of Szczecin and cooperation with other entities for the prevention of selected threats, with particular emphasis on after-effects of an extensive electrical power failure. The paper refers to applicable laws and official documents addressing competences and tasks assigned to these bodies as part of crisis management, including the protection of critical infrastructure. A lot of attention was given primarily to issues related to organizing, conducting and coordinating training and exercises in the field of crisis management with the participation of representatives of various entities and circles, including academic ones. It mainly presented the conclusions and recommendations formulated on the basis of the exercise carried out on 19 March 2018: “Operation of the City Crisis Management Team in the event of an electrical power failure”, codenamed “Energy 2018”. The preparation and conducting of the exercise resulted from the need to explain the problematic situation expressed in the following question: does facing real effects of a blackout[1] affect qualitative changes in terms of preparation of obligated entities in the event of a similar crisis situation?

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1. Działania obowiązanych podmiotów w sytuacji kryzysowej podczas masowej imprezy sportowej. Wymiar prawny, teoretyczny i praktyczny na przykładzie ćwiczenia dowódczo-sztabowego pod kryptonimem “Widzowie”, Guźniczak C. and Stempiński Sz. (eds.), Szczecin 2017.
2. Guźniczak C., Tuzimek P., Zapobieganie sytuacjom kryzysowym w nowoczesnych obiektach handlowo-usługowych. Studium przypadku na przykładzie Centrum Handlowego “Galeria Kaskada” w Szczecinie [in:] Rola i zadania administracji publicznej w zarządzaniu bezpieczeństwem w Polsce, eds. Kisielnicki J., Płusa T., Rysz S. J., Rajchel J., Rajchel K., Rzeszów 2017.

Newspaper articles

1. “Gigantyczna awaria rozłożyła cały Szczecin” [in:] “Expres Bydgoski” (daily), 9 April 2008 issue.
2. Inwestycje Enei Operator zminimalizowały ryzyko powtórki szczecińskiego blackoutu [at:] portal cire.pl Centrum Informacji o Rynku Energii. Source: https://www.cire.pl/item,161581,1,0,0,0,0,0,inwestycje-enei-operator-zminimalizowaly-ryzyko-powtorki-szczecinskiego-blackoutu.html
3. Szczecin bez prądu! [in:] “Expres Ilustrowany” (daily), 9 April 2008 issue.
4. Szczecin bez prądu [in:] “Gazeta Wyborcza – Szczecin” (daily), 9 April 2008 issue.
5. Śnieg ciężki, jak ołów [in:] “Gazeta Wyborcza – Szczecin” (daily), 9 April 2008 issue.

Other

1. Documentation of the urban exercise in the scope of crisis management codenamed “Energy 2018”, approved on 7 March 2018 by Piotr Krzystek, President of the City of Szczecin. Available in the Department of Crisis Management and Civil Protection of the Office of the City of Szczecin and in the Research Workshop on the Safety of Self-governing Communities of the US Faculty of Humanities.
2. National Crisis Management Plan [Krajowy Plan Zarządzania Kryzysowego]. Source: http://rcb.gov.pl/krajowy-plan-zarzadzania-kryzysowego/
3. National Programme for Critical Infrastructure Protection [Narodowy Program Ochrony Infrastruktury Krytycznej]. Source: http://rcb.gov.pl/infrastruktura-krytyczna/, pp. 24/48-25/48
4. Report on the exercise codenamed “Energy 2018” addressing “Operation of the City Crisis Management Team in the event of an electrical power failure” conducted on 19 March 2018, approved on 25 April 2018 by Piort Krzystek, President of the City of Szczecin. Available in the Department of Crisis Management and Civil Protection of the Office of the City of Szczecin and in the Research Workshop on the Safety of Self-governing Communities of the US Faculty of Humanities.
5. Reports on the Status of the City of Szczecin for years: 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2016 [Raporty o Stanie Miasta Szczecin z lat: 2010, 2012, 2014 i 2016]. Source: http://bip.um.szczecin.pl/chapter_11808.asp
6. Słownik wyrazów obcych i zwrotów obcojęzycznych, Kopaliński W., 9th extended edition, Warszawa 1975.

Acts of law

1. Act of 10 April 1997 Energy law (consolidated text, Dz. U. of 2018 item 755 as amended).
2. Act of 26 April 2007 on crisis management (consolidated text, Dz. U. of 2017 item 209 as amended).

Websites

1. http://bip.um.szczecin.pl/chapter_11808.asp
2. http://buzz.gazeta.pl/buzz/56,163510,9829216,TOP_6_najwiekszych_blackoutow_w_historii__Miliony.html
3. http://rcb.gov.pl/infrastruktura-krytyczna/, s. 24/48-25/48
4. http://rcb.gov.pl/krajowy-plan-zarzadzania-kryzysowego/
5. https://www.cire.pl/item,161581,1,0,0,0,0,0,inwestycje-enei-operator-zminimalizowaly-ryzyko-powtorki-szczecinskiego-blackoutu.html
6. https://www.money.pl/gospodarka/wiadomosci/artykul/blackout-w-polsce-tchorzewski,37,0,2367781.html