Operations

Generating plants employ upwards of hundreds, even thousands, of direct employees. Plants are complex, with complex needs. They're built with production capability and system-support roles in mind and with the outright goal of making a profit for their owners while keeping costs low.

This mission comes into play even before generating plants come into being. Decisions on siting, project management, and other issues depend on it. Once a certificate of "necessities and benefits" has been issued quasi-governmental authority allowing cost and earnings recovery and project construction proceeds, the utility traditionally engages an A-E who develops plans and specifications based on needs.

With utility guidance, the A-E refines plant objectives and performs initial scoping of required systems, their capabilities, and other plant requirements. A design takes shape as goals and objectives are reduced to paper specifications. Plant layout and supporting systems are based upon years of experience and proven practice. The A-E uses previous designs and experience for reference, but each new facility is a new design and guidance from the utility takes precedence over the A-E's previous work. Even when a plant is completed, new units are added, one at a time, as loads grow. The focus is on initial cost, so standardized plant designs are rare. Even common equipment such as soot-blowers and boiler feedpumps differ on units adjacent to one another. Yet, for operating organizations, unique designs increase the complexity of operations. Why is it done this way?

Unit design supports...