ESBI Power Plant Operations and Maintenance Services

ESBI provides power plant operations and maintenance (O&M) solutions for thermal and renewable power plants around the world. We provide a full range of services across the life of the power asset, from plant mobilisation and commissioning to lifecycle management and eventual decommissioning. Our O&M teams are supported by a large in-house team of engineers and technical specialists, all with specific power sector expertise.

Optimising power plant performance

Over two decades, we have developed a proven approach to operating and maintaining power stations, based on our experience of managing over 15,000MW of plant. The plants in our O&M portfolio consistently achieve world-class performance, with an outage rate averaging less than 2% across all plants over the past five years.

Tailored plant optimisation services

We have experience working across a wide range of technologies and energy sources, including combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT), open cycle gas turbine (OCGT), coal, oil, biomass, peat, hydro and wind.

We offer tailored solutions, geared for optimal performance over the lifetime of the plant. Depending on customer needs this can include initial project support, mobilisation, full O&M services, technology transfer solutions or O&M consultancy.

Power plant mobilisation

During plant mobilisation, ESBI ensures that the systems and processes needed to run the plant effectively are in place, and that the O&M team has the skills and competencies to take full responsibility for the plant from commercial operation date.

Activities include:

• Reviewing plant requirements and plant familiarisation
• Establishing the O&M organisation structure
• Staff training and development
• Developing and installing management systems and procedures
• Participating in plant commissioning activities
• Negotiating of long-term service agreement (LTSA)
• Developing the O&M plan and budget

Power plant operations and maintenance

Full O&M services begin on the commercial operation date when EBSI takes full responsibility for operating and maintaining the plant in line with the owner’s business objectives.

Activities include:

• Day-to-day operations and maintenance
• Plant performance monitoring, diagnostics and efficiency enhancement
• Management and evaluation of maintenance contracts, including the LTSA
• Managing interfaces with market operations and trading
• Technology evaluation and spares management
• Health, safety and environmental management
• Planned and unplanned maintenance (including overhauls)
• Plant performance and efficiency enhancements
• Asset management planning
• Site management
• Management of fuel contracts
• Management of O&M budget and costs

Technology transfer solutions for power plants

Our technology transfer solutions aim to equip local O&M teams with the knowledge and skills to operate and maintain the plant unassisted. This involves documenting procedures, providing training programmes and transferring knowledge from our staff to local staff over an agreed period of time.

Activities involve:

• Competency assessments
• Skills transfer programmes
• Documentation of processes and procedures
• Handover and follow-on support

O&M consultancy services

ESBI offers a range of O&M consultancy services, including operational audits and organisational and performance reviews. Benefits of ESBI’s power plant O&M solutions include:

• Optimise plant performance: our plants consistently deliver high availability and low forced outage rages. We adopt a shared risk model, which reinforces our commitment to optimising plant performance for our clients
• Manage risks: our in-house engineering capability ensures that issues are dealt with rapidly and effectively by people with specific power plant expertise
• Meet commercial objectives: as part of a vertically integrated utility, ESBI understands our clients’ commercial objectives and how to support them through effective power plant O&M
• Protect your interests: as ESBI is not tied to any one supplier or OEM, we offer expert, independent advice on technology choices and spares management, based on our experience of a wide range of technologies
• Meet safety, health and environmental standards: ESBI is committed to ensuring a safe and healthy environment for all people associated with our company’s operations. The ESBI Integrated Business Management System (IBMS)™ is certified to ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001
• Learn from our experience: ESBI facilitates shared learning between the power plants in our portfolio to improve the performance of all plants

Utility background

ESBI is fully owned by ESB Group, the Irish State-owned vertically integrated electricity utility. ESB owns a portfolio of power plants totalling over 6,000MW in Ireland, the UK and Spain, and is the transmission system owner in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. ESB, through its supply business ESB Electric Ireland, supplies electricity to 60% of the Irish residential market.

Global track record in power plant O&M

ESBI has an international track record spanning over 35 years in 115 countries, including countries in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia and America. During this time, we have worked across many diverse cultures and technologies, and have built strong relationships with our clients by working in partnership to solve their technical and business challenges.