Collaborating with Suppliers
Greg Reardon, PE, is Manager, Technical Support, Association of Edison Illuminating Companies.
The Association of Edison Illuminating Companies' Power Generation Committee meeting was held in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, September 20 - 21, 2017.
The Power Generation Committee provides a forum for interchange between generating equipment manufacturers and users to promote advancements in safety, technology, and operations, and for equipment users to provide candid feedback to manufacturers on the performance of their equipment and service organizations.
This approach provides benefits for both utilities and generating equipment manufacturers. Utility representatives had the opportunity to meet with GE and AMEC Foster Wheeler at this meeting.
Committee Vice Chair Mike Arechabala (Executive Vice President, Power Generation, NextEra) welcomed attendees to the September 20 meeting.
To set the tone for the performance review session with GE, several utility representatives reviewed recent maintenance and upgrade projects performed by GE.
Benny Ethridge, CPS Energy and Al Rudeck, ALLETE
Benny Ethridge (Sr. Vice President, Power Generation, CPS Energy) reviewed an Advanced Gas Path project at CPS's Rio Nogales Plant, designed to improve the plant's efficiency, availability, reliability and flexibility.
Ameren's Kevin DeGraw (Vice President, Corporate Operations Oversight) described Ameren's experiences with recent generator rewind and turbine controls projects performed by GE.
He was followed by Southern Company's Senior Vice President and Senior Production Officer, Jim Heilbron, reviewing the results of Southern Company's AGP projects and the company's performance agreement with GE.
Josh Bennet (Vice President, Technical Services, Dominion Energy) discussed GE's Blade Health Monitoring technology and organizational dynamics associated with the project.
Chris Bentley, Con Ed, Jim Heilbron, Southern Company, and Bill Fontenot, Cleco
These presentations were followed by a comprehensive review of AEIC's survey results with GE personnel regarding GE Power Services performance, conducted in breakout sessions: Service Center, Engineering, Quality, and Steam Solutions.
The afternoon included an update on issues and opportunities related to increased penetration of distributed energy resources, electric transportation, and energy storage presented by AEIC Distributed Energy Resources Subcommittee Chair Jacob Tetlow (Vice President, Transmission and Distribution, Arizona Public Service Company), and a meeting of the PG Executive Committee.
The September 21 meeting began with a safety briefing and a presentation on Consolidated Edison's Human Performance Initiative by Chris Bentley (Mechanical Section Manager).
The goal of this effort is Zero Human Performance Errors related to safety, productivity, quality, and compliance.
Steve Metcalf, Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation and Kevin DeGraw, Ameren
Robbie LaBorde (Vice President, Generation Operations and Environmental Services, CLECO Corporation) followed with a briefing on CLECO's Total Organization Performance Improvement Program based on training, coaching, and performance monitoring.
Matthew Greek (Senior Vice President of Engineering and Construction, Basin Electric) reviewed experiences with AMEC Foster Wheeler on a project to design a temporary bottom ash dewatering system and develop scope, design, and procurement specifications for a permanent system.
Marty Lohan (Rotating Equipment Manager, NextEra Energy Resources) followed with a presentation on NextEra's experiences with GE Wind Turbines.
The meeting concluded with a general feedback session between AMEC Foster Wheeler and the PG Committee, based on AEIC PG Committee survey results and member experiences.
