Emergency Response Procedure for Energy Systems

In the event of an urgent issue or service outage, changes to energy systems may need to be implemented outside of the normal change management process. This helps restore services quickly while minimizing impact and risk.

When to Initiate an Emergency Response

An emergency response should only be initiated for high-priority incidents when:

There is a critical system or grid outage affecting multiple users
There is a security threat that creates significant risk
A temporary workaround is required to restore service while a permanent solution is pending

Emergency responses should be the exception. Efforts should first be made to follow the standard change management process for non-emergency changes.

How to Request an Emergency Change

To request an emergency change, follow these steps:

Open a high-priority ticket in the Service Desk describing:
- The issue or outage
- Why it requires an emergency response
- Proposed change details (rollout plan, downtime, test plan, backout plan)
The Change Manager will review the request urgently.
If approved, follow instructions to schedule and implement the change.
The Emergency Response Team will convene to evaluate next steps.

Emergency changes require final approval from the Operations Director and stakeholders based on criticality and risk assessment.

Rules for Emergency Changes

When implementing an approved emergency change, adhere to the following rules:

Assemble a qualified team to execute the change quickly.
Have rollback plans ready in case of issues.
Provide detailed communication about impacts and downtime.
Follow standard procedures like peer review and testing to the fullest extent possible.
Document all actions during and after the change.

Emergency changes are subject to audit, so meticulous records are required. Don't hesitate to request an emergency change when necessary - our team will work diligently to resolve the issue.