Achieving Better Healthcare Resiliency With PEER

Climate change has led to an increase in severe weather and power outages. According to Climate Central, the average annual number of weather-related power outages increased by roughly 78% over the last decade.

Such power outages can have a disastrous effect on hospitals and other healthcare facilities. If restoring power takes too long, hospitals may have to evacuate patients, which can lead to poorer overall health outcomes.

Microgrids for more flexible backup power

Hospitals are required to install on-site backup power systems, which are typically diesel or natural gas generators. Because these can take time to reach full power, stored energy devices, which provide short-term emergency power of 90 minutes or less, are used to provide power until the generators come on.

In 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services introduced a waiver that allows a microgrid system to replace traditional emergency generators. Hospitals can now install renewable systems that combine solar panels with batteries. Kaiser Permanente has already installed such systems at several facilities.

PEER for unparalleled resiliency

Hospitals are also turning to the Performance Excellence in Electricity Renewal (PEER) certification program. PEER evaluates power system performance across six categories:

1. Reliability and resiliency
2. Energy efficiency and environment
3. Operations, management and safety
4. Grid services
5. Regional priority
6. Innovation and exemplary performance

It also acts as a tool to help lower costs, minimize risks and improve building efficiency. Projects can earn points toward four levels of certification – Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum.

Case studies in PEER success

NYU Langone Health’s main campus in Manhattan was hit hard by Superstorm Sandy, requiring evacuation. To prevent future evacuations, the organization installed an 11-MW combined heat and power plant, two 150,000-pound-per-hour backup boilers and 25 MWs of emergency backup diesel generation. Other strategies included:

• Installing flood barriers and redesigning the foundation.
• Upgrading the power plant walls to withstand a 500-year flood level.
• Burying 80% of the campus’ electrical cables to protect them from the elements.
• Adding redundant power distribution lines to 90% of their electrical circuits.

These strategies resulted in zero sustained interruptions in over one year and reduced operational and damage costs of $1.5 billion for their campus, which became the first to achieve both LEED Platinum certification and PEER Platinum certification.

The Hershey Medical Center in central Pennsylvania used PEER to implement energy conservation measures, including equipping more than 90% of the campus buildings with advanced metering infrastructure and implementing a load management system. The facility reduced its energy consumption per square foot by approximately 20%, which translates to 153,000 MMBtu or $3.4 million.

The on-site 8-MW cogeneration plant, consisting of two steam generators, provides about half the campus electrical load and saves about $4 million annually. The Center achieved PEER Platinum certification through a U.S. Department of Energy grant.

For more information about healthcare resilience, see these resources from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. For assistance in navigating PEER certification, please contact your Dynegy sales executive.