Analysis of Simultaneous Operational Failure of Critical Facilities due to Earthquake, for a California Utlity

摘要

This study presents an estimate of the probability that a single earthquake could causesimultaneous operational failure of geographically disperse data centers operated by aCalifornia utility. Three facilities are considered: a grid control facility (denoted herein byGCF), a data processing facility (DPF), and a backup data facility (BDF) that can performthe functions of either GCF or DPF, should either be rendered inoperative. This studyestimates two probabilities: (1) that within the next 5 years a single earthquake could renderboth the grid control and backup facilities inoperative; and (2) that within the next 5 years asingle earthquake could render both the data processing and backup facilities inoperative.The work was performed by researchers at the California Institute of Technology inPasadena, CA, in collaboration with researchers at the United States Geological Survey inPasadena, CA and Golden, CO. Caltech designed and directed the research, examined theseismic vulnerability of the three sites, and quantified the two probabilities desired. TheUSGS performed the hazard analysis.