Communication technology of crisis management in conditions of mass disruption of power supply in the period of «ice rains»

Abstract

A technology is presented for crisis management and handing reputation and image consequences for the JSC IDGC Holding power company in connection with the man-caused accident of 2010 – 2011 (the most extended and painful for power supply of the Russian population), which occurred under the impact of a natural factor in the form of "ice rain" on power transmission engineering systems. Based on the results of a comprehensive analysis of the PR situation, the nature of the crisis has been revealed, which, in terms of its geographical scale, the extent of mass outages of consumers from power supply sources, and the scope of repair and restoration work, was unprecedented in the Russian Federation over the previous 30 year period. It is estimated that the restoration of performance of the electricity network infrastructure took three months (January through March of 2011) and involved huge information and communication resources, mobilization of staff and additional pool of specialists with a total number of more than 3 thousand people. The research methodology is consistent with conventional boundaries, with a full set of approaches typical of research of a systemic social phenomenon, such as the company's communication activities and in interfacing with the essential characteristics of business reputation. As a hypothesis, a convincing and proven assumption has been put forward that mass disruptions of power supply under the influence of natural elements can become a decisive factor for a fundamental shift in public opinion in favor of the power grid company, if the crisis PR program is based on creative ideas for the involvement of journalists, experts, environmentalists, deputies, other stakeholders and opinion leaders in the process of emergency response. By way of example of analysis of communication work in conditions of mass power supply disruption in the zone of responsibility of JSC IDGC Holding, a system of recommendations is suggested for the PR service activities during the crisis period.