Handbook For Practitioners and Decision Makers

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OPERATION &

MAINTENANCE
STRATEGIES
FOR HYDROPOWER
Handbook for Practitioners
and Decision Makers

10033_ESMAP_CVR Main report.indd 1 2/5/20 9:23 AM


© 2020 International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/The World Bank

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Cover photo/illustration: Pierre Lorillou


Cover design: Duina Reyes

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Operation and Maintenance
Strategies for Hydropower
Handbook for Practitioners
and Decision Makers

10033_ESMAP_Hydropower_Main Report_new.indd 1 2/5/20 2:05 PM


CONTENTS
Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi

Abbreviations and Acronyms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii

Executive summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viii

Background and rationale for O&M strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xii


A. Handbook audience and objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
B. Key ingredients of O&M for hydropower . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
C. Consequences of poor O&M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
D. Why and when to prepare an O&M strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
E. Proposed step-by-step methodology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Step 1: An informed O&M diagnosis as a prerequisite to the strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
1.1 Diagnosing O&M performance and key performance indicators (KPIs) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
1.2 Systemic risk assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
1.3 Condition assessment of assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
1.4 Root cause analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
1.5 Diagnosis of O&M capabilities, organization, and practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Step 2: Defining objectives of the O&M strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
2.1 Anchoring objectives in KPIs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
2.2 Influence of public or private ownership on strategy’s objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
2.3 Valuing expected benefits from objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Step 3: Identifying activities for building the strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
3.1 General considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
3.2 Approaches to O&M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
3.3 Selecting the appropriate maintenance approach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
3.4 Planning repairs and refurbishments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
3.5 Improving or upgrading the operation of facilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
3.6 Modernizing existing facilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
3.7 Integrating O&M in the design of new projects and major refurbishments . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
3.8 Selecting adequate quality standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

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Step 4: Exploring strategic models for implementing O&M strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
4.1 Types of O&M strategic models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
4.2 Strengths and weaknesses of different O&M models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
4.3 Guidance for selecting O&M model adapted to local context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
4.4 Structuring O&M services and management contracts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
4.5 Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Step 5: Organizational and staffing options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
5.1 Organizational structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
5.2 Staffing levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
5.3 Education and training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Step 6: Estimating financial costs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
6.1 Factors affecting O&M costs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
6.2 Estimating OPEX budgets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
6.3 Estimating CAPEX budgets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
6.4 Benchmarking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
6.5 Impacts of outsourcing (Models 2 and 3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Step 7: Validating and financing the strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
7.1 Cost-benefit analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
7.2 Financial/funding assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
7.3 Validation of the strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Step 8: Implementing the strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
8.1 Supporting contracts and agreements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
8.2 Annual operating plans (including five-year capital program) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
8.3 Monitoring implementation of the strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Summary of case studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
9.1 Statkraft Energias Renovaveis, Brazil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
9.2 Mount Coffee Hydropower Project, Liberia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
9.3 Kainji-Jebba Hydropower Complex, Nigeria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
9.4 New Bong Escape Hydropower Project, Pakistan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
9.5 Nalubaale-Kiira Hydropower Complex, Uganda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
9.6 Salto Grande Hydropower Complex, Uruguay/Argentina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Appendixes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Appendix A:  O&M glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Appendix B:  Sample dashboards from technical diagnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

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Appendix C:  O&M job titles and summary requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Appendix D:  Key O&M job descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Appendix E:  Performance measurement: Key performance indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Appendix F:  Template terms of reference for soliciting preparation of an O&M strategy . . . . 140
Appendix G:  Template for OPEX costs (with illustrative data) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Appendix H:  Detailed case studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153

TABLES
Table 1 Major failures at hydropower facilities, 2005–2017 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Table 1.1 Key O&M performance indicators, by performance area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Table 1.2 Minimum KPIs of fleet O&M performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Table 2.1 Typical objectives of an O&M strategy (for illustration only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Table 3.1 Approaches to O&M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Table 3.2 Checklist for deciding whether to repair or replace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Table 4.1 Strengths and weaknesses of Model 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Table 4.2 Strengths and weaknesses of Model 2 (some O&M is outsourced) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Table 4.3 Strengths and weaknesses of Model 3 (all O&M is outsourced) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Table 4.4 Strategy selection based on owner capabilities to implement adequate O&M . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Table 4.5 Example of performance measures used to calculate incentive payments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Table 5.1 Staffing levels at case study schemes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Table 5.2 Training requirements for technician and engineer at typical utility in North America . . . . . . 71
Table 6.1 Average life expectancy of plant parts and systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Table 6.2 O&M cost per unit of capacity and energy of case study facilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Table 8.1 Contractual arrangements to legally frame implementation of the O&M strategy . . . . . . . . . . 87
Table 8.2 Difference between a strategy plan and an operating plan for O&M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Table 9.1 List of case studies and models adopted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Table B.1 Example of output from technical diagnosis on the need for major repair/replacement . . . . 104
Table B.2 Sample from site observations as part of diagnostic (Step 1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Table C.1 Typical hydropower O&M organization chart at the facility level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Table C.2 Typical hydropower O&M support organization chart at the corporate level . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Table E.1 Commonly used key performance indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Table E.2 Two key indicators on performance, costs, and staffing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137

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FIGURES
Figure E.1 Step-by-step approach to O&M strategy development and implementation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . x
Figure 1 Accident at the Sayano–Shushenskaya hydroelectric facility in the Russian Federation, 2009 . 6
Figure 2 Timing of O&M strategies for new facilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Figure 3 Flowchart to establish whether a new O&M strategy is required . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Figure 4 O&M strategy process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Figure 1.1 Matrix of risks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Figure 1.2 Example of a risk matrix for condition of hydropower components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Figure 1.3 Extract technical diagnosis for major repairs/replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Figure 3.1 “Bathtub curve” of reliability of typical hydropower over time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Figure 3.2 Types of maintenance included in a maintenance program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Figure 3.3 Operation of a hydropower reservoir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Figure 3.4 Floating solar plant setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Figure 4.1 Options for outsourcing some O&M activities and responsibilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Figure 4.2 Scope for outsourcing O&M services in a service contract (Model 2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Figure 4.3 Influence of labor laws and employment restrictions on staffing plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Figure 4.4 Public utility decision tree for selection of model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Figure 4.5 Private owner decision tree for selection of model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Figure 5.1 Centralized management and support services for a fleet of generation facilities . . . . . . . . . . 66
Figure 5.2 Organizational structure of typical hydropower site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Figure 5.3 Number of staff compared with installed capacity for case studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Figure 6.1 Capital expenditure budget for a Canadian hydropower facility, 2018–2117 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Figure 6.2 Cost ranges and capacity-weighted averages for large hydros by country/region,
2010–2018 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Figure 6.3 Cost ranges and capacity-weighted averages for small hydros by country/region,
2010–2018 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Figure 8.1 Typical annual planning process to implement the O&M strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Figure 8.2 Sample timeline of annual operating plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

Contents  |  v

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This report was prepared by the World Bank Muhammad Khaleeq ­Siddiqui and Muhammad
(WB) with support for the case studies from the Asif (Laraib Energy Limited), Pakistan case; George
International Hydropower Association (IHA). The Mutetweka (UEGCL), Uganda case; and Fernando
WB team was led by Pierre Lorillou and included Alcarráz/Daniel Perczyk (Salto Grande Hydroelec-
Juliette Besnard, Babar Khan, Mike McWilliams, tric Complex), Uruguay/Argentina case. For more
Nigel Wills, Jean-Noël Cavallero, Luciano Canale, information on the case studies, please write to the
Nicolas Sans, Ruth Tiffer-Sotomayor, Ian Men- following address: iha@hydropower.org
zies, and Felipe Vicente Lazaro. The IHA team
was led by Richard Taylor and included William We are grateful for the guidance and valuable
Girling, David Samuel, María Ubierna, Amina feedback provided by public- and private-­sector
Kadyrzhanova, and Claire Nakabugo. participants during workshops organized by
(i) the International Hydropower Association
The report greatly benefitted from the stra- in Switzerland, Ethiopia, and France between
tegic direction of members of the WB Energy 2016 and 2019 and (ii) the International Renew-
and Extractives Global Practice, including Ric- able Energy Agency (IRENA) in Abu Dhabi in
cardo Puliti (Global & Regional Director), Lucio 2018. We are also grateful to all members of the
Monari (Regional Director), Charles Cormier IHA Asset Management Knowledge Network.
(Practice Manager), Ashish Khanna (Practice We thank Barbara Karni and Sara Pasquier for
Manager), and Joel Kolker (Program Manager editing the report and Shepherd Incorporated, as
for the Global Water Security & Sanitation well as Duina Reyes, for production and layout.
Partnership—GWSP).
Lastly, sincere thanks to GWSP and SECO for
We express our sincere gratitude to the following financially supporting this report.
WB colleagues and consultants (in alphabetical
order) who provided incisive comments and guid- This publication received the support of the
ance on this report: Pedro Antman, Jean-­Michel Global Water Security & Sanitation Partner-
Devernay, Pravin Karki, Pier Mantovani, Gerhard ship (GWSP). GWSP is a multidonor trust fund
Soppe, and Mahwash Wasiq. We also appreciate administered by the World Bank’s Water Global
the valuable inputs of ­Valentin Pfäffli and Fran- Practice and supported by Australia’s Depart-
coise Salame from the Swiss State Secretariat for ment of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Bill &
Economic Affairs (SECO). Melinda Gates Foundation, the Netherlands’
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Rockefeller Foun-
We warmly thank the following individuals for dation, the Swedish International Development
their contributions to the case studies in this Cooperation Agency, Switzerland’s State Secre-
report: ­Gutierrez Alfio (Statkraft), Brazil case; tariat for Economic Affairs, the Swiss Agency for
Laurent Mouvet (Hydro Operation International Development and Cooperation, the U.K. Depart-
Ltd., Mount Coffee), Liberia case; José Villegas ment for International Development, and the
and Lamu Audu (Mainstream), Nigeria case; U.S. Agency for International Development.

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ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS
AF Availability factor IHA International Hydropower
AFNOR Association Française de Association
Normalisation INEEL Idaho National Engineering
BAU Business as usual and Environmental Laboratory
CAPEX Capital expenditures IPP Independent power producer
CMMS Computerized maintenance ISO International Organization for
management system Standardization
E-flow Environmental flow KPI Key performance indicator
EPC Engineering, procurement, and MSC Management service contract
construction MTG Low-impact micro turbine generation
ESF Environmental and social framework technology
ESIA Environmental and social impact MW Megawatt (1 thousand kilowatts)
assessment NPV Net present value
ESMP Environmental and social O&M Operation and maintenance
management plan OEM Original equipment manufacturer
FMECA Failure mode, effects, and criticality OPEX Operating expenditures
analysis PPA Power purchase agreement
FOR Forced outage rate RCA Root cause analysis
GW Gigawatt RCM Reliability-centered maintenance
GWSP Global Water Security & Sanitation SECO State Secretariat for Economic
Partnership Affairs, Switzerland
ICOLD International Commission on Large SOP Standard operating procedure
Dams TOR Terms of reference
ICT Information and communications TWh Terawatt-hours (1 billion
technology kilowatt-hours)
IEEE Institute of Electrical and Electronics WHC World Hydropower Congress
Engineers

Abbreviations and Acronyms  |  vii

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Executive summary
Photo Credits: Pierre Lorillou.

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Hydropower is the world’s largest source of This handbook seeks to raise awareness among
renewable energy generation; installed capacity utility managers, decision makers, and other
continues to grow, reaching 1,290 GW in 2018 stakeholders of the benefits of developing robust
(IHA, 2019), and accounting for more than O&M strategies for all existing hydropower plants
60 percent of global renewable energy genera- and those under development. Unlike many other
tion. Its importance is also increasing as its dis- forms of generation, the cost of implementing a
patchability facilitates integration of intermittent robust O&M strategy for hydropower accounts for
renewables into power systems, enabling decar- a relatively small percentage of the value of elec-
bonization of electricity generation. tricity generated. However, failure to implement
adequate and sufficient O&M can result in very
However, operation and maintenance (O&M) of high costs due to increased losses of production
hydropower facilities are not always undertaken (direct and indirect) and higher needs for rehabil-
effectively, especially in developing countries, itation and equipment replacement. Hence car-
meaning that the full benefits of hydropower rying out appropriate O&M strategies and
are not realized. During the Hydropower O&M related programs has a very high return
Workshop in Martigny, Switzerland (October on investment.
2016) and the World Hydropower Congress
(WHC) in Ethiopia (May 2017), key stakeholders This handbook also seeks to provide guidance for
from developing and developed countries agreed owners1 preparing and implementing long-term
on the need for further in-depth discussion O&M strategies. In view of the individuality of
regarding hydropower O&M, focusing on better each hydropower facility, it is not possible to pro-
institutional arrangements and enhanced finan- duce an O&M manual that suits every situation.
cial and human resources. This handbook, rather, sets out the framework
and processes that should be adopted to establish
Whereas most generation technologies have a life an appropriate O&M strategy. It also presents the
of 20–30 years, a well-maintained hydropower basic principles of O&M for hydropower and pro-
facility can operate for more than 100 years. vides some examples of the consequences of inad-
Good O&M practices are essential to maintaining equate O&M policies, programs, and procedures.
this longevity. Facilities that are continuously
maintained in good condition can operate for When considering improving or mobilizing
decades without major work, whereas facilities adequate O&M arrangements, it is important to
allowed to deteriorate require constant attention be able to separate upstream strategic consider-
and frequent major refurbishment. ations about what is the optimum option for a

1  The handbook uses the term owner to define any party that might trigger and/or supervise preparation of an O&M strategy, including asset

owners, developers, and concessionaires.

Executive summary  |  ix

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given hydropower facility or fleet, from the actual The guidance in this handbook is structured
preparation and implementation of O&M pro- though a step-by-step approach illustrated in
grams and plans (whether multi-annual, annual, Figure E.1.
or even monthly). In order to ensure effective
O&M, an O&M strategy first needs to be estab- The following steps outline the process for pre-
lished, from which O&M programs and plans paring and implementing an O&M strategy:
can then unfold. As identified as a priority at the
2017 World Hydropower Congress (WHC) by ■ Step 1: Carry out a diagnosis to determine
representatives of the hydropower community, the current state of the O&M program and
this handbook focuses on the issues that need assess the performance of the plant. A tech-
to be considered in selecting and building up an nical evaluation will also be conducted to
O&M strategy before discussing the actions that review the condition of major equipment
can be taken to support its implementation. and infrastructure, and to assess the need for
replacement and/or repairs. The diagnosis
As O&M performance is a critical issue, espe- is anchored in the evaluation of key perfor-
cially in developing countries and emerging mance indicators (KPIs). In the case of a
economies, the handbook focuses on strategy greenfield project, a diagnosis is carried out
development and recommendations that rec- to establish the capability of the new owner to
ognize the challenges inherent in environments put in place a sustainable O&M strategy.
where further training and capacity building are ■ Step 2: Establish the objectives to be
needed. The handbook also recognizes the chal- achieved through the implementation of the
lenges that business and political environments O&M strategy. Objectives will target (i) meet-
pose for O&M performance. ing technical operating rules, as well as legal

FIGURE E.1  |  Step-by-step approach to O&M strategy development and implementation

Step 1
Diagnosis

Step 8 Step 2
Implementation of Definition
the strategy of objectives

Step 7 Step 3
Validation of Key blocks
strategy of activities

Step 6 Step 4
Estimation of Exploration of O&M
costs contractual models

Step 5
Human
resources

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and regulatory requirements; (ii) establishing ■ Step 6: Calculate financial resources needed
modern maintenance management systems for a sustainable O&M program. This step
to preserve and prolong the life of the assets; seeks to ensure that adequate funds are
and (iii) ensuring the safety of assets and in place to support the implementation of
people while protecting the environment. the strategy, including funding for routine
■ Step 3: Determine activities and measures O&M and the provision of capital funds
to reach the strategic objectives established for major maintenance, refurbishment and
in Step 2 based on the diagnosis completed modernization.
in Step 1. Capacity building, enhanced bud- ■ Step 7: Validate the strategy through a cost-­
geting, improved corporate management, benefit analysis. If the cost-benefit analy-
technical activities, etc., can be considered at sis indicates the strategy is not viable, or if
this stage. funding is not available, some of the previ-
■ Step 4: Explore O&M contractual models ous steps may need to be revisited. Internal
based on the findings from Steps 1–3. Con- and external stakeholder consultations are
tracts could be structured as follows: also strongly encouraged at this stage for
validating the O&M strategy. The handbook
❑ Model 1: The owner retains sole respon-
also provides advice on supporting actions,
sibility for O&M.
contracts, agreements, and special provisions
❑ Model 2: The owner outsources some
required to ensure that an enabling business
O&M responsibilities to consultants,
environment is created for the chosen O&M
contractors, or suppliers.
strategy.
❑ Model 3: The owner outsources all
■ Step 8: Implement the O&M strategy,
O&M responsibility to an independent
including by developing operating plans.
operator.
These steps are illustrated by six case studies
The owner’s capabilities, the availability of local
summarized in the final chapter of this report.
human resources, and the current business and
They cover a range of types and sizes of facilities
political environments are all factors that should
and show the practical application of the models
be considered when determining which model to
described in Step 4. More detailed descriptions
apply. The careful distribution of responsibilities
of the case studies can be found in a companion
and the balanced allocation of risks should also
report titled Operation and Maintenance Strate-
be taken into account, particularly when formu-
gies for Hydropower—Six Case Studies.
lating external service contracts.
The appendixes of this handbook include helpful
■ Step 5: Investigate organization and staffing
tools for O&M development, such as an O&M lex-
options. Ensuring that the right people, with
icon (Appendix A), sample dashboards for tech-
the right skills and experiences are available
nical diagnoses (Appendix B), typical job titles
at the right time is essential to a successful
and profiles within O&M teams (Appendixes C
O&M program. This step provides advice on
and D), performance indicators (Appendix E),
staffing needs and timing of recruitment and
and a terms of reference (TOR) for development
training relative to construction schedules. It
of an O&M strategy (Appendix F). A template
facilitates the development of an organization
operating expenditure (OPEX) budget is also
and staffing plan that identifies the internal
provided (Appendix G).
and external resources needed, as well as the
recruitment and training required.

Executive summary  |  xi

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Background and rationale
for O&M strategies
Photo Credits: Arne Hoel.

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Hydropower is the largest renewable energy centuries. Hydro Review’s “Hydro Hall of Fame”2
source, accounting for 62 percent of the world’s lists some 50 hydropower facilities in the United
renewable energy generation, ahead of wind States and Canada that have operated continu-
(21%) and solar photovoltaic (7%) (REN21, ously for over 100 years. There are many more
2018). Hydropower is recognized for providing examples worldwide. Most of these facilities have
a wide range of grid-support services, such as been modernized to some extent over the years,
energy storage, climate adaption, load following, but much of the original civil works and struc-
and system inertia. It is also a low-cost and sus- tures remain unchanged, and turbine scrolls,
tainable source of energy. The ability to dispatch draft tubes, and other heavy equipment may still
hydro generation when needed and its flexibility be in service. This exceptional longevity is unique
of operation mean that it can facilitate grid inte- to hydropower.
gration of intermittent wind and solar generation
and other non-dispatchable generation, through However good O&M practices are critical to
balancing services. maintain this longevity. Facilities that are
continuously maintained in good condition
The development of hydropower continues can operate for decades without major work,
throughout the world, with some 22 GW of whereas plants that are allowed to deteriorate
hydropower being added in 2018 (IHA, 2019), require constant attention and frequent major
bringing the world’s hydropower capacity to refurbishment.
around 1,290 GW (IHA, 2019). In 2018, the esti-
mated generation from these facilities amounted For new hydropower projects, putting in place
to 4,200 TWh, or some 16 percent of the world’s appropriate O&M strategies and programs
electricity production. remains a challenge, particularly in low-­capacity
countries where owners and operators face
A key distinguishing feature of hydropower is its adverse conditions to technical and financial
potential longevity. A hydropower facility can self-sustainability. In these plants, the full ben-
operate for 100 years or more, compared with efits of existing hydropower facilities are not
20–30 years for most other generation technol- being realized. This is even more evident for
ogies. In fact, nearly half of the world’s hydro- state-owned utilities in developing countries,
power capacity is over 30 years old and many where many of the new projects are located.
facilities are over 100 years old. Over 85 percent of the new hydropower capacity
in 2018 was installed in Asia, Africa, or South
There are many hydropower facilities that have America (IHA, 2019).
operated since the late 19th and early 20th

2 https://www.hydroworld.com/index/hall-of-fame.html

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Lack of effective O&M can result in loss of elec- and can guide owners who are assessing their
tricity production and revenues, high replace- own O&M practices.
ment fuel costs, high outage rates, performance
losses, and premature large refurbishment costs. During the Hydropower Operation and Mainte-
The consequent lack of reliable power can have nance Workshop in Switzerland (October 2016)
severe economic and development costs for and the World Hydropower Congress (WHC) in
communities. In some countries, breakdowns Ethiopia (May 2017), stakeholders from develop-
in hydropower plants lead to increased use of ing and developed countries identified key chal-
thermal resources, with detrimental environ- lenges related to O&M and agreed on the need
mental consequences. Poor O&M practices can for further guidance regarding hydropower O&M,
also affect employee and public safety. Serious with a focus on better institutional arrangements
failures can result in fatalities and environmental and financial and human resources. After partic-
and property damage. ipatory brainstorming, stakeholders consulted
at the 2017 WHC ranked the development of a
O&M is of particular importance for hydropower handbook to support preparation of O&M strate-
facilities, due to their capital-intensive nature. As gies as a priority for the sector.
a result of their bespoke design and the extensive
construction works required, hydropower facil- With the support of SECO through the Global
ities typically take a long time to develop. When Water Supply Partnership (GWSP), the World
complete, they have a high value as a result of the Bank agreed to facilitate the development of this
low-cost (close to zero short-run marginal cost) handbook to assist stakeholders, especially in
energy that they can produce over their lifetime. developing countries, in preparing an O&M strat-
In order to preserve this value, the facilities need egy for existing and future hydropower assets.
to be operated and maintained well. Facilities
that are allowed to degenerate will lose value and
may undermine the security of the power system
A.  Handbook audience
they serve. It can also take many years to restore and objectives
a degenerated facility to good condition, and to This handbook seeks to support all stakeholders
return it to reliable and sustainable operation. engaged in O&M activities for existing facilities
and new hydropower projects, particularly stake-
In this context, the World Bank, with the support holders in developing countries and emerging
of the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs economies, where O&M performance is partic-
(SECO) and in collaboration with the International ularly critical, O&M capabilities are often low,
Hydropower Association (IHA), is supporting the and the business environment is challenging. The
promotion of good O&M practices and models and targeted audience includes asset owners, facility
an integrated approach for adequate services and and utility managers, and decision makers from
asset-life management in hydropower. authorities, including the following:

IHA, working in conjunction with other stake- ■ state-owned power utilities


holders, has also developed general guidance ■ national public entities such as ministries
for sustainable development and operation of and regulatory authorities
hydropower facilities within their Hydropower
■ regional public authorities managing
Sustainability Guidelines (Hydropower Sus-
cross-border assets
tainability Assessment Council and IHA, 2018).
These guidelines aim to define how good indus- ■ private developers and independent power
try practice for hydropower should be assessed producers

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■ specialized O&M operators ■ preparing annual operating plans
■ engineering, procurement, and construction ■ preparing organizational and staffing plans
contractors ■ identifying and preparing outsourcing sup-
■ financial institutions, including development port and O&M contracts
banks ■ planning adequate financial resources.
■ developers.
For readability, the handbook takes the perspec-
O&M service providers and consultants (who tive of asset owners concerned with how their
might prepare an O&M strategy) may also benefit assets will be operated and maintained and, in
from this handbook. the case of a concession arrangement, in which
state their assets will be handed back to them.
Each hydropower facility is individual in nature As concessionaires often have similar long-term
due to its size, location, age, configuration, interests to those of an asset owner, they are
purpose, environment, equipment, and a wide included in the term “owner,” although specific
range of other parameters. Hence a bespoke differences between public and private owners
and detailed O&M strategy is required for each may apply, as discussed in the document.
hydropower facility. Although this handbook is
not able to provide detailed guidance for every Once owners decide to proceed with develop-
situation, it does set out the general processes, ment of an O&M strategy, they will appoint
approach, and framework for developing an internal or external experts to prepare the strat-
O&M strategy. egy and to implement some or all of the steps
proposed in this handbook.3
The first objective of this handbook is to raise
awareness of the benefits that can be achieved Note: O&M in this report refers to all activities
through good O&M practice for (i) existing facil- needed to operate and maintain hydropower
ities or fleets, especially those with low perfor- facilities, including repair and refurbishment.
mance and poor O&M, and (ii) for new projects Even though hydropower operation and main-
under development. A strategy for O&M should tenance should comply with a comprehensive
be prepared as early as possible, and the hand- dam safety program, dam safety aspects are
book is expected to support stakeholders in their not addressed in detail in this series of reports
commitment to long-term sustainability of assets since guidelines are already largely available on
and energy services. dam safety (some of them being listed in sec-
tion 1.3). Hydropower facilities are therefore
The second objective is to provide practical mentioned in this report as all infrastructure
guidance for preparing an O&M strategy and and equipment that deserve O&M (except
engaging in downstream activities required to dam safety) attention. It typically embodies
implement the strategy, including: the hydropower plant (civil works and equip-
ment), penstocks, canals, spillways, hydro-­
■ putting in place a comprehensive set of oper- mechanical, electrical and electronic equipment,
ating procedures the dam, reservoir and their vicinity (including
■ designing and implementing maintenance hydro-meteorological stations).
programs

3  To define and supervise the scope of work of the team, the owner may use the template terms of reference (TOR) found in Appendix G.

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B.  Key ingredients of O&M ■ Safety failures can result in injuries and/
or deaths and have environmental and social
for hydropower impacts. Hydropower facilities typically
In this handbook, O&M refers to all activities involve water retaining structures (dams),
needed to operate and maintain hydropower equipment operating under high pressure,
facilities, including repair and refurbish- high voltage, and large rotating machinery.
ment. Modernization, including upgrades and The potential for safety failure is great, with
­repurposing, is generally excluded from O&M a range of hazards inside and around the
daily activities, and should be incorporated into a plant. Safety risks can result from equipment
plant’s capital works program. or structural failures but may also occur due
to deficient design and planning, poor oper-
O&M guidelines in this handbook seek to: ation, inadequate operating guidelines, and
lack of communication. Public safety risks
■ improve efficiency and reliability of hydro- often occur downstream of the facility, where
power by taking into account the full life hazardous conditions may result from uncon-
cycle of a hydropower plant, from project trolled water releases and inadequate warn-
design, construction, commissioning, oper- ing systems.
ation, and refurbishment, to end-of-life
■ Environmental failures can adversely
decommissioning
impact the environment or local commu-
■ protect the natural environment, employees, nities. Hydroelectric facilities may release
and surrounding communities polluting chemicals (for example from
■ maximize stakeholder benefits, including explosions of transformers), and poor man-
the provision of low-cost, reliable, renewable agement of water, sediment releases, and
energy. inappropriate operation of reservoirs can
have adverse ecological impacts. Older
At the heart of these guidelines, and to O&M, for facilities may use potentially polluting or
that matter, is good management. Measures to carcinogenic lubricants and consumables,
enhance management capability are crucial to which require containment and careful dis-
the development and implementation of an O&M posal. People who are displaced as a result
strategy. Examples of substantial improvements of environmental or safety failures should
in performance and cost reduction through be resettled and receive livelihood compen-
managerial reforms are explored in Case Study 1 sation. Such programs require management
(Statkraft) and Case Study 2 (Mount Coffee). and support.
■ Regulatory failures result from non­
C.  Consequences of poor O&M compliance with laws, license conditions,
and regulations. A wide range of issues are
Failure modes covered by these regulations, including
Poor O&M can endanger employee and public working conditions, health and safety, river
safety, threaten the integrity of the facility, cause management, grid codes, dispatch proce-
environmental damage, breach regulatory rules, dures, labor laws, and corporate governance
and hamper financial sustainability of the utility and compliance. While direct revenue loss
by compromising revenues and profits. The fol- may not result from regulatory failure, the
lowing are examples of the kinds of failures that sanctions applied can include financial or
may occur in a hydroelectric facility: commercial penalties, loss of licenses, and
imprisonment.

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■ Economic failures can result from loss the harmful impacts of unsatisfactory O&M.
of power production, high equipment Although some of the failures were a conse-
replacement, and/or reconstruction costs. quence of flawed design, poor O&M compounded
These situations may result from equip- the design defects with catastrophic conse-
ment failures (such as the breakdown of quences. Moreover, these failures could have
stator windings, main unit transformers, or been prevented or mitigated through effective
high-voltage cables), but can also result from implementation of a strong O&M strategy and
poor practices, such as failure to clear trash adherence to procedures.
screens and desilting chambers, or subopti-
mal operation of reservoirs. These failures Figure 1 shows some of the damage caused by an
can generally be predicted through monitor- accident at the Sayano–Shushenskaya hydroelec-
ing, testing, and trending, which then allow tric facility in the Russian Federation in 2009.
timely actions to be taken to reduce eco- This accident is one of the most notorious failures
nomic impacts. due to inadequate O&M and illustrates the conse-
quences of persistent lack of maintenance.
Examples of O&M failures
There are approximately 36,000 large hydroelec-
In recent years, incidents at hydropower facilities
tric dams worldwide and around 300 accidents
have resulted in loss of power, damaged assets,
have been reported since the International Com-
third-party property damage, and loss of life. A
mission on Large Dams (ICOLD, n.d.) started
selection of incidents illustrated in Table 1 shows

TABLE 1  |  Major failures at hydropower facilities, 2005–2017

COMMISSIONING FAILURE
HYDROPOWER FACILITY, LOCATION DESCRIPTION
YEAR YEAR
Faulty gauges and inadequate control systems led to overtopping of the upper
reservoir and failure of a large section of the embankment, draining more
Taum Sauk Hydroelectric Power
than 4 million cubic meters in less than 30 minutes. There were no fatalities, 1962 2005
Station, Missouri, United States
but five people were injured. The failure resulted in permanent damage to the
surrounding landscape. Power generation did not resume until 2010.
An estimated 300,000 people had congregated to bathe downstream from the
Indira Sagar dam on the banks of the Narmada river near Dewas. Water levels
rose after the dam operator opened the flood gates at night without ample
Indira Sagar, India 2005 2005
warning downstream. More than 150 people were swept away. Human error
and lack of dam and public safety guidelines were the main causes attributed
to this accident.
A long chain of O&M failures culminated with excessive vibrations of one
Sayano–Shushenskaya Dam, Russia of the turbines and failure of head-cover bolts, causing destruction of the 1978 2009
powerhouse, loss of 6 GW of power generation and 75 fatalities.
Unprecedented flash floods in June 2013 in the State of Uttarakhand caused
Dhauliganga Hydroelectric Station, the complete submergence of the powerhouse. The failure resulted in massive
2005 2013
India debris accumulation, electrical equipment replacement, and loss of total
generation capacity (280 MW) for more than six months.
The spillway of the United States’ tallest dam failed during operation after
heavy winter rains. The emergency spillway came into operation and the
Oroville Dam, United States 1967 2017
slope downstream eroded rapidly. 188,000 people living downstream of the
dam were evacuated.

Background and rationale for O&M strategies  |  5

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FIGURE 1  |  Accident at the Sayano–Shushenskaya hydroelectric facility in the Russian Federation, 2009

Source: ©REUTERS/Ilya Naymushin (2009).

keeping records in 1928.4 ICOLD reports that where at the time of privatization in 2013, none
the failure rate has been reduced by a factor of of the eight installed units were available for
four over the past 40 years. Failure or inadequate generation. A facility with a theoretical value of
capacity of the flood discharge structure is the USD 2 billion, which should have been capable
most common cause of dam failure, which is typ- of generating electricity valued in hundreds of
ically a design flaw rather than a consequence of million dollars annually, was producing noth-
inadequate O&M. However, there is a need to peri- ing. After privatization, the status of the plant
odically assess the operating parameters of existing has improved substantially, as shown in the case
facilities, especially with the new knowledge and study.
understanding of the impacts of climate change.

Major failures can follow from a chain or cascade D.  Why and when to prepare
of minor events, resulting in a pathway leading an O&M strategy
to a major incident. These may be caused by Expected benefits from an effective
improper maintenance or inadequate repairs, O&M strategy
and failure to certify that repaired equipment is
fully operational and in satisfactory condition. Hydropower plants should have a very high level
of availability and longer life expectancy when
In addition to catastrophic failures as illustrated compared with most other generation technol-
above, major economic failures are relatively ogy, with over 95 percent availability possible
common. Facilities such as Inga 1 and 2 in the under favorable conditions. Such high levels of
Democratic Republic of Congo have suffered availability will only be achieved if the facility is
from years of underinvestment. Case Study 3, operated and maintained using good practices.
summarized in the final chapter and presented
in detail in the companion report Operation An effective O&M strategy will safeguard the
and Maintenance Strategies for Hydropower— environment and the safety of employees and
Case Studies, illustrates such a failure at Kainji, the public while maximizing the benefits of the

4 
International Commission on Large Dams—ICOLD. 2017. Dams’ Safety is at the very origin of the foundation of ICOLD. Available at http://
www.icold-cigb.org/GB/dams/dams_safety.asp.

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hydropower facilities through efficient operation When to prepare an O&M strategy
and maintenance practices. It will preserve the
The main reasons for developing a new O&M
longevity of the facility and ensure a high level of
strategy for a hydropower facility include the
availability.
following:
In particular, an effective hydropower O&M ■ Owners and management may recognize that
strategy will seek to: the hydroelectric facility is not performing to
its full potential and desire to increase reve-
■ improve public, staff, and plant safety
nue and profitability and reduce O&M costs.
■ safeguard investment (and return on invest-
■ Owners may wish to benchmark the existing
ment) throughout the life of the facility
O&M practices against international best
■ have a long-term (> 10 year) plan for major practice.
maintenance and rehabilitation to extend the
■ Funders of new facilities or of refurbishment
facility’s useful life
projects may require assessment of the O&M
■ ensure reliable and efficient operation to capabilities of the owners in order to ensure
meet or exceed expected generation and reve- sustainable operation of the facilities.
nue targets for the facility
■ Regulators may instigate the assessment to
■ adhere to legal, regulatory, environmental, ensure security of supply for the power grid,
and social safeguard responsibilities and as well as legal/safety compliance.
obligations
■ provide effective human-resource capabili- Most facilities would benefit from improvements
ties, including training for all O&M staff and to their O&M strategy, and it should not be
access to all required tools and information regarded as a failure to instigate the process out-
■ identify external factors that hamper the per- lined in this handbook. The O&M diagnosis and
formance of O&M services and that deserve strategy development will also help owners and
attention and communication managers to improve the performance through
training, application of modern tools, software
■ raise awareness of relevance of O&M within
and processes, and establishment of appropriate
the owner’s organization and utility’s staff
budgets.
■ support and sustain financial viability of the
owners and operators. Existing facilities: When an existing hydro-
power facility is not performing as expected, an
The commercial benefits of an effective O&M
O&M strategy is typically required to enable it to
strategy are clearly illustrated in the case stud-
return to its target performance. Diagnosis of the
ies summarized in the final chapter of this
problems based on condition assessment, pro-
report and detailed in the companion report
duction records, and other data will enable the
Operation and Maintenance Strategies for
strategy to be formulated. Some actions, such as
Hydropower—Case Studies. For example,
changes to operation, can be introduced imme-
in Case Study 1 covering Statkraft’s assets in
diately at little cost, while actions requiring asset
Brazil, greater availability (one of the parame-
replacement, major refurbishment, and recon-
ters on which revenue is based in Brazil), over
struction may take years to implement.
30 percent workload (staff-hour) reductions and
almost 40 percent overall cost reductions have
New projects: For a new project, the approach
been achieved through implementation of an
to O&M needs to be considered at the earli-
improved O&M strategy.
est stages of development, as the strategy will

Background and rationale for O&M strategies  |  7

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FIGURE 2  |  Timing of O&M strategies for new facilities

Preparing Implementing
O&M strategy
O&M strategy

Concept Pre-Feasibility Feasibility Financing Construction Commissioning


COD

influence project design. Collaboration between For a new facility, an O&M strategy should be
the project stakeholders, including owners, prepared at the feasibility stage as illustrated in
operators, designers and, where possible, equip- Figure 2.
ment suppliers and contractors, will help define
the concept, including the choice between a When undertaking feasibility and detailed design
manned or unmanned facility, requirements studies, it is now standard practice to prepare
for data acquisition and telemetry, provision risk management matrices in order to identify,
of accommodation, control rooms, and other mitigate, and manage project risks at all phases,
personnel-­related facilities. It will also influ- from development, construction, and opera-
ence the design of major components such as tion, to decommissioning. Such a matrix should
the type of dam, choice of spillway, approach to include all aspects of operation and maintenance,
sediment and trash management, and the extent including technical, safety, commercial, environ-
of maintenance facilities to be provided on site. mental, and reputation risks. The matrix should
The concept should be developed to take into be a dynamic document, updated regularly.
account the environmental and socioeconomic
constraints that emerge from such stakeholder The issue of not considering the full requirements
discussions. for O&M early enough are discussed in the case
study for Mount Coffee (Case Study 2). Some of the
A well-developed O&M strategy is also likely capital costs of key components, such as the oper-
to give confidence to funders, off-takers, and ators’ village, workshop, and heavy maintenance
authorities, by demonstrating that contractual, equipment, were not covered by the funding for
human resource, and organizational require- reconstruction of the project. It has subsequently
ments for effective O&M were considered early proved difficult to finance these components from
in the project’s design. Such a strategy will also the revenues of the facility, leading to difficulties
ensure that the costs for preparation and imple- with staff retention and operations.
mentation of the O&M functions are accounted
for in the project’s costs and the business model. In order to help owners determine whether it is
In the case where the O&M capability of the appropriate to develop a new O&M strategy for
owner/developer is poor, the formulation of an a hydropower facility or fleet of several hydro-
O&M strategy, possibly including appointment power facilities, the flowchart in Figure 3 may
of external contractors, may be a precondition be used.
for funding. In this case early market soundings
are advisable to determine the appetite of O&M Whether for existing plants or for a new hydro-
contractors or advisors to participate. power fleet, all O&M strategies should be

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FIGURE 3  |  Flowchart to establish whether a new O&M strategy is required

Start

Does the Are targets Are there The facility is


Is there a Does the operated in
coherent Yes facility meet Yes Yes in line with Yes opportunities to No
facility meet legal line with best
O&M strategy? its performance requirements? international best improve
targets? standards? O&M? practice and no
action is needed.

No No No No Yes

O&M can be
improved and
would benefit from
a new strategy.

reviewed periodically, taking into account his- ■ capabilities of the owner(s)


toric achievements, changing conditions, and ■ single facility or addition to an existing fleet
potential new challenges. ■ role of each plant within the energy mix (of
the owner and of country) and requirements
E.  Proposed step-by-step for ancillary services
methodology ■ technical and managerial capacity of the local
workforce
There is no O&M strategy that would apply to all
■ power sector maturity and facility’s
hydropower facilities. An O&M strategy must be
autonomy
adapted to take into account a variety of often
unique, influencing factors, including: ■ political stability and transparency in gover-
nance of O&M expenditures
■ country (or countries) and the scale of eco- ■ degree of regulatory independence and level
nomic development of political interference.
■ location (national or multinational) and
access/remoteness These factors need to be analyzed in order to
provide insight into the design of a suitable O&M
■ type, age, size, and capacity of the facility
strategy, and later into more detailed O&M plans.
■ operating constraints for the facility or
fleet (grid codes, Power Purchase Agree-
A step-by-step approach
ment (PPA) requirements, Environmental
impact assessment (EIA) environmental This handbook provides step-by-step guidance to
license, e-flows, flood protection, gradient help decision makers and practitioners navigate
controls ...) the complexity of developing an O&M strategy.
■ environmental regulations imposed by the It includes the following eight steps and actions
energy authority in the region (Figure 4):

■ transboundary and multipurpose issues; e.g., ■ Step 1: Diagnose existing O&M arrange-
basin management, irrigation demands, etc. ments, budgets, and owner/operator capabil-
■ local transmission constraints affecting ities. For existing hydropower fleets, assess
hydropower operations the condition and performance of the assets
■ number of machine-units in the facility and services, including risks related to major
equipment and need for replacement and
■ owner of the facility and its approach to O&M
repairs.
and safety

Background and rationale for O&M strategies  |  9

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FIGURE 4  |  O&M strategy process

Step 1
Diagnosis

Step 8 Step 2
Implementation of Definition
the strategy of objectives

Step 7 Step 3
Validation of Key blocks
strategy of activities

Step 6 Step 4
Estimation of Exploration of O&M
costs contractual models

Step 5
Human
resources

■ Step 2: Based on this diagnosis, define the for economic viability, it may be necessary to
objectives to be achieved through the imple- go back to Step 2 to adjust objectives, activ-
mentation of the O&M strategy. ities, and resources. Once financial viability
■ Step 3: Explore various activities to be of the proposed strategy is achieved, internal
undertaken to achieve these objectives. and external validation can be sought.
■ Step 4: Depending on the capabilities ■ Step 8: Implement the strategy and prepare
identified in Step 1, and activities selected in annual and rolling five-year operating plans
Step 3, explore O&M contractual models to and longer-term capital programs. Overall
identify which activities will be implemented performance of the strategy will be monitored
internally and which will be outsourced. through key performance indicators (KPIs).
■ Step 5: Explore organization and staffing
The final O&M strategy will include the key find-
options (and organograms) according to
ings from each of the eight steps, namely a(n):
owner capacity and requirements for external
training and human resources. 1. comprehensive diagnosis of the fleet, its
■ Step 6: Estimate financial resources environment, O&M practices, and resources,
required for implementing the selected including issues with dam safety and
model, including any external contracting. socio-environmental aspects
■ Step 7: Carry out cost-benefit analysis to 2. clear definition of objectives based on KPIs
assess the economic viability of the proposed 3. concrete set of activities that will ensure
strategy. If the strategy does not pass the test delivery of expected performance

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4. selection of contractual arrangements Preparing the O&M strategy
with adequate mobilization of outsourced
Most organizations embarking on development of a
operators
new O&M strategy will procure an external consul-
5. human resources plan, including train- tant to undertake a study to prepare the strategy. A
ing, recruitments, and reorganization where template terms of reference (TOR) for these ser-
needed vices is provided in Appendix F and can be adapted
6. cost estimate of the financial resources to the needs of the owner or authority that will
needed to deploy the strategy trigger such exercise. If the organization has the
7. cost-benefit analysis, including a fund- capabilities to undertake this study in-house, the
ing plan and risk management plan TOR can provide guidelines for this internal study.
8. implementation plan, including monitor-
ing and evaluation arrangements.

Background and rationale for O&M strategies  |  11

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Step 1:
An informed O&M
diagnosis as a prerequisite
to the strategy
Photo Credits: (Top left): Babar Khan.
(Bottom right): Pierre Lorillou.

10033_ESMAP_Hydropower_Main Report_new.indd 12 2/5/20 2:06 PM


The objective of Step 1 is to assess (i) the capabil- Diagnosis of an existing fleet’s performance can
ity of the O&M teams and service providers and focus on contractual or standard industry KPIs.
(ii) the performance and status of the hydro- When financing a new facility to be added to an
power facilities (through condition assessment). existing fleet, consideration should be given to
The diagnosis, including root cause analysis, the current fleet’s O&M performance record. This
identifies issues that will require particular will help guide the O&M strategy for the new
attention in the O&M strategy. For new green- facility, and possibly trigger changes to the O&M
field facilities, diagnosis focuses on determining strategy for the existing fleet. Where the new
the capability of the owners/operators through project is a stand-alone facility, including those
assessment of existing plants for which they developed by an independent power producers
have or have had responsibility. (IPP), the same KPIs can be assessed on past or
existing facilities for which the IPP team has or
had responsibility.
1.1  Diagnosing O&M
performance and key Many different performance measures are used
performance indicators (KPIs) by electricity utilities to monitor performance of
their facilities.
For a hydropower owner or operator seeking
to improve safety and O&M performance of an
Table 1.1 provides commonly used KPIs for each
existing fleet, it is recommended to start the
area of performance.
preparation of an O&M strategy with a compre-
hensive diagnosis of existing performance. This In existing facilities, ideally three to five years of
assessment aims to determine whether safety performance indicators will be available to estab-
metrics and measured performance are meeting lish trends, although twelve months of indicators
internal and external targets, as well as the stan- is enough to provide a snapshot of performance.
dards of good industry practice. In many facilities, however, particularly poor-­
performing ones, this level of data may not be
The intended outcome of the diagnosis is to iden-
available. Lack of data is itself a performance
tify what aspects of O&M need to be improved,
indicator. In these cases, improved data collec-
and to establish whether the owner needs exter-
tion should be an important part of the new O&M
nal assistance for operation of its assets. Carrying
strategy.
out the diagnosis is also a good preliminary tool
for assessing the status of the existing equip- The diagnosis step of strategy development
ment, prioritizing rehabilitation and, if needed, does not need to be exhaustive. Rather, it
launching related feasibility studies to improve can be a relatively high-level review that
performance and ensure future safe operation. focuses on a list of the most relevant KPIs.

Step 1: An informed O&M diagnosis as a prerequisite to the strategy   |  13

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TABLE 1.1  |  Key O&M performance indicators, by performance area

TYPE OF PERFORMANCE KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS


■ Number of lost-time injuries: accident frequency rate—number of accidents at worksite resulting in worker
not being able to work in the following day(s)
■ Number of person days lost due to injuries (accident severity rate)
■ Number of high-risk incidents
■ Number of fires, explosions, or safety issues recorded per month
Health and safety ■ Number of car accidents within the access roads and premises of the project
■ Number of near-misses reported (number of near accidents)
■ Other indicators:
❑ Percentage of worksite visits performed by crew supervisors
❑ Staff participation in safety meetings/safety training program
❑ Implementation of accident investigation recommendations

■ Expenditures for O&M activities versus O&M budget (expressed as a percentage)


Financial ■ Cost of capital expenditures versus capital budget (expressed as a percentage)
■ Cost of special maintenance versus special maintenance budget (expressed as a percentage)

■ Plant availability factor


■ Planned outages versus actual maintenance outages
■ Unit-forced outage rate
■ Amount of water spilled (cubic meters or percent of average plant inflow)
■ Generation achieved versus theoretical output (using actual hydrology)
Plant (unit) ■ Other indicators:
❑ Emergency O&M work/total O&M work (expressed as a percentage)
❑ Maintenance work completed/maintenance work planned (expressed as a percentage)
❑ Percentage of outages investigated (root cause analysis performed)
❑ Percentage implementation of outage investigation recommendations
❑ Inventory stock levels (matching planned levels or supplier’s recommendations)

■ Number of incidents of noncompliance with environmental flow obligations per week


■ Number of releases of environmentally damaging products (oil, sf6, etc.)
■ Number of violations of dam safety regulations
■ Number of domestic water and sewage treatment noncompliance occurrences
■ Number of incidents involving fish mortality and strandings
Environmental impact ■ Other indicators:
❑ Percentage of staff trained in emergency response
❑ Percentage of staff trained in dam safety
❑ Percentage of staff that have reviewed the spill response manual (annually)
❑ Number of emergency calls due to high flows and risks of overtopping

■ Number of claims submitted by local communities and NGOs


■ Number of visits arranged for local stakeholders to the facility
Social impact ■ Number of benefit-sharing actions for local communities
■ Number of activities in which power plant staff have participated to promote communication with the local
community
■ Percentage of staff who have a personal development plan
■ Percentage of performance reviews completed
■ Percentage of staff who have met the development plan objectives
Employee skills and relations ■
Employee survey staff satisfaction index
■ Staff retention data (average number of years)
■ Days lost due to strikes or industrial action

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TABLE 1.2  |  Minimum KPIs of fleet O&M performance

KEY PERFORMANCE
DESCRIPTION METHOD OF CALCULATION
INDICATOR

AF (expressed as a percentage) = (available hours/reporting


Indicates how well the utility has managed the period hours) × 100
maintenance program to keep the generating
Availability factor (AF) Available hours are the sum of service hours (hours where the
units (station) and/or associated transmission
line (if applicable) available for operation. unit/line is connected to the grid) and reserve shutdown hours
(unit is available but shut down for economic, hydrological, or
dispatch reasons).

FOR (expressed as a percentage) = forced outage hours/(forced


outage hours + service hours) × 100

Indicates the frequency of unplanned outages FOR is the sum of all hours a unit (or line) was out of service
Forced outage rate (FOR) and correlates closely with the health of the because of immediate, delayed, or postponed forced outages. A
equipment. forced outage is an outage caused by an unplanned component
failure or other condition within the station that requires that a unit
or line be removed from service immediately or before the next
regular standstill. Service hours are the sum of all hours during
which the unit is connected to the grid.
Number of noncompliance incidents with environmental regulations, environmental license, and/or corporate
Environmental-social impact
environmental and social policies, including pollution prevention and abatement,5 catchment management, reservoir
performance
management, downstream and compensation flow management, water quality, and social action plans.

(Number of injuries × 100,000)/exposure hours (hours worked)

Indicates the frequency of lost-time injuries in a A lost-time injury is an injury resulting in a worker not being able
Accident frequency rate
specified period. to work for some day(s) following the injury as a direct result
of an occupational activity (including a journey to and from the
workplace). A fatality is not considered a lost-time injury.

(Number of lost days × 100,000)/ exposure hours (hours worked)

Indicates the seriousness of workplace injuries The number of lost days represents calendar days the employee
Accident severity rate
and/or number of injury-related fatalities is unable to work beyond the day of the injury. A lost-time injury is
an injury resulting in lost days beyond the date of injury as a direct
result of an occupational Injury.

Table 1.2 shows KPIs that provide a sufficiently identified above, additional information can be
high-level picture of fleet O&M performance (but sought with respect to human resource manage-
not the underlying drivers). ment, such as ratios of staff to energy production,
installed capacity, and investment in training.
Long-term trends should be identified in the
diagnosis whenever possible to determine Financial metrics may be useful in understanding
whether the KPIs are improving or deteriorating. the adequacy of funding for plant operations and
Assuming that sufficient information is avail- capital budgets and whether tariffs are returning
able to carry out a high-level review of the KPIs enough funds to support sustainable O&M.

5 https://www.ifc.org/wps/wcm/connect/topics_ext_content/ifc_external_corporate_site/sustainability-at-ifc/policies-standards/

ehs-guidelines

Step 1: An informed O&M diagnosis as a prerequisite to the strategy   |  15

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1.2  Systemic risk assessment The five impact categories in this example are:

If a risk assessment does not already exist, it 1. insignificant


is strongly recommended that one is prepared. 2. marginal
In preparing a risk-assessment matrix, each of
3. moderate
the functional system components is assessed
4. critical
for the likelihood of failure and the impact/­
consequences of this failure on safety and reve- 5. catastrophic
nues. Based on the combination of the likelihood
The four levels of risk’s criticality used in the
and impact, the risk’s criticality level is classified.
example are:
Risk analysis could be undertaken in more depth
1. low
using failure mode, effects, and criticality analy-
sis (FMECA), where failure modes are identified, 2. medium
the consequences defined, probabilities assigned, 3. high
and criticality quantified. This process is under- 4. extreme
taken before failures occur as a planning tool, as
opposed to root cause analysis (RCA) discussed In order to provide consistency in the assess-
in section 1.4, which is undertaken after a failure ment, probabilities of occurrence may be associ-
has occurred. If FMECA has not already been ated with the likelihood categories, and financial
undertaken for the facility, it is unlikely to be and/or other measures (such as potential for
undertaken solely for the purpose of defining the deaths or duration of outage) can be assigned to
O&M strategy due to cost considerations. the impact categories.

The number of categories for likelihood, impact, In carrying out the analysis, numerical values
and risk level varies according to the practice are assigned to each category of likelihood and
of individual organizations, but it is common to impact. These are factored to derive a “risk
use four or five categories for each. The example score.” A range is assigned to each level of risk,
illustrated in Figure 1.1 uses five categories for and the risk level for each component is then
likelihood and impact, and four categories for defined according to the range in which the risk
levels of risk. score lies. The numeric values for the catego-
ries and the ranges may be varied to ensure that
The number of categories and their nomencla- appropriate risk levels are assigned for the com-
ture should be established to match the termi- bination of likelihood and impact.
nology used by the organization in other types of
risk analysis. This can be seen in Figure 1.1. In this example,
any risk with insignificant impact is classed
The five likelihood categories in this example are: as low, and any catastrophic risk is classed as
extreme unless it is unlikely, in which case it is
1. unlikely classified as high. There are 25 combinations of
2. seldom likelihood and impact.
3. occasional
An illustration of a high-level risk analysis for
4. likely
the condition of hydropower components using
5. definite these categories is shown in Figure 1.2. This

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FIGURE 1.1  |  Matrix of risks

IMPACT

INSIGNIFICANT MARGINAL MODERATE CRITICAL CATASTROPHIC

UNLIKELY Low Low Low Medium High

SELDOM Low Low Medium High Extreme


LIKELIHOOD

OCCASIONAL Low Medium High High Extreme

LIKELY Low High HIgh Extreme Extreme

DEFINITE Low High High Extreme Extreme

high-level analysis does not consider individual the nature and scope of any works required to
risks to each component (i.e., different types of restore, secure, and/or modernize the facility.
failures). Instead, it groups all units together. The need for refurbishment does not by itself
Typically, each unit in a multi-unit facility would indicate that there are O&M shortcomings,
be assessed separately, as they may have differ- but the need for refurbishment could be one
ent ages, operation and refurbishment history, of the key indicators if the components are not
and other distinguishing features. life-­expired; investigation is required to deter-
mine whether refurbishment needs are reason-
More sophisticated analysis can define individual able given the age and operating hours of the
risks (often several potential failure modes for an facilities or whether refurbishment is needed
individual component), assign probabilities and because of inadequate O&M practices. In the
revenue loss impacts, and consider mitigating case of major hydro-mechanical or civil struc-
measures such as insurance cover. Such analysis tures, the need for rehabilitation may also arise
enables the risks to be ranked in quantitative due to site conditions, a fault in the original
terms. When combined using Monte-Carlo type design, or inadequate quality or construction
analysis, a revenue loss-probability profile can methods.
be produced. However, such detailed analysis
is not generally conducted as part of an O&M These findings help formulate the O&M strat-
strategy development. High-level assessments egy and are important to determine the owner’s
are sufficient. capability to bring about changes in the operat-
ing business environment. Carrying out a con-
dition assessment of the facility will add value
1.3  Condition assessment in determining current and future investment
of assets requirements, particularly where plant perfor-
Condition assessment of most critical compo- mance indicators may not be available.
nents of the fleet is essential for understanding

Step 1: An informed O&M diagnosis as a prerequisite to the strategy   |  17

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FIGURE 1.2  |  Example of a risk matrix for condition of hydropower components

RISK CLASSIFICATION
ID DISCIPLINE EQUIPMENT HAZARD LIKELIHOOD IMPACT RISK LEVEL
ELECTRICAL
E1 Station service Powerhouse AC station service Plant operation failure Occasional Moderate High
E2 Station service Station lighting Plant and staff safety Occasional Marginal Medium
E3 Station service Powerhouse DC system Unplanned outage Seldom Moderate Medium
E4 Station service Powerhouse diesel generator No blackstart capability Seldom Marginal Low
E5 Station service Powerhouse battery system Plant operation failure Occasional Moderate High
E6 Station service Powerhouse station service transformer Plant operation failure Seldom Moderate Medium
E7 Station service Fire detection system Plant and staff safety Seldom Critical High
E8 Protection and controls Protection and control systems Unplanned outage Occasional Moderate High
E9 Governor Unit 1 governor controls Unplanned unit outage Occasional Moderate High
E10 Substation 115 kV CBs (circuit switcher) Unplanned outage Seldom Moderate Medium
E11 Substation 115 kV surge arresters Unplanned outage Seldom Moderate Medium
E12 Substation 115 kV VTs and CTs Unplanned outage Seldom Moderate Medium
E13 Substation GSU transformer Unplanned outage Seldom Moderate Medium
E14 Substation DGA monitor on GSU Unplanned outage Seldom Moderate Medium
E15 MV system 4.16 kV switchgear Unplanned outage Seldom Moderate Medium
MECHANICAL
M1 Sluice gates LLO gate, hydraulic actuator and HPU Public safety failure Unlikely Catastrophic High
M2 Intakes Intake gate, hydraulic actuator and HPU Unplanned outage Seldom Moderate Medium
M3 Intakes Trashracks and cleaner Increased maintenance costs Likely Marginal High
M4 Draft tube gates Draft tube stoplogs and follower Cannot perform maintenance Seldom Marginal Low
M5 Ancillaries Cooling water systems Increased maintenance costs Occasional Marginal Medium
M6 Ancillaries Unit HPU Increased maintenance costs Unlikely Marginal Low
M7 Generators Generator stator Increased maintenance costs Unlikely Moderate Low
M8 Generators Generator rotor poles and exciter Increased maintenance costs Seldom Moderate Medium
M9 Turbines Turbines unit (including runner) Unplanned unit outage Seldom Moderate Medium
M10 Water systems Powerhouse service water system Plant and staff safety Occasional Marginal Medium
M11 HVAC Powerhouse HVAC system Unplanned outage Seldom Moderate Medium
M12 Water systems Sump pumps and oil water separator Environmental hazard Likely Marginal High
M13 Crane Powerhouse OH crane (elect and controls) Cannot perform maintenance Occasional Moderate High
CIVIL
C1 Access road Access road formation Public and staff safety Definite Moderate High
C2 Safety boom Safety boom structure and floats Plant safety Likely Moderate High
C3 Debris boom Debris boom structure and floats Plant safety Likely Moderate High
C4 Water conveyance Diversion, intake and tailrace channel Increased maintenance cost Definite Marginal High
C5 Bridge Bridge structure Public and staff safety Seldom Moderate Medium
C6 Main dam Rockfill dam structure Plant safety Unlikely Catastrophic High
C7 Main dam Instrumentation Plant safety Seldom Moderate Medium
C8 Overflow spillway Overflow spillway concrete structure Plant safety Seldom Critical High
C9 Overflow spillway Overflow spillway channel Plant safety Occasional Critical High
C10 Low level spillway Low level spillway concrete structure Plant safety Seldom Critical High
C11 Low level spillway Low level spillway waterways Plant safety Seldom Critical High
C12 Low level spillway Low level spillway equipment building Increased maintenance costs Occasional Insignificant Low
C13 Intake Intake pier Increased maintenance costs Seldom Marginal Low
C14 Intake Intake deck Staff safety Occasional Marginal Medium
C15 Intake Intake superstructure Increased maintenance costs Likely Marginal High
C16 Penstock Penstock pipework Plant safety Seldom Critical High
C17 Penstock Penstock ancillary structures Plant safety Occasional Moderate High
C18 Powerhouse Powerhouse substructure Increased maintenance costs Unlikely Moderate Low
C19 Powerhouse Powerhouse superstructure Increased maintenance costs Seldom Marginal Low
C20 Powerhouse Powerhouse roof Increased maintenance costs Likely Marginal High
C21 Powerhouse Turbine discharge chamber Plant cleanliness—hygiene Definite Marginal High
C22 Powerhouse Domestic water and septic system Staff safety Likely Marginal High
C23 Powerhouse Tailrace piers Public safety Seldom Moderate Medium
C24 Powerhouse Tailrace deck Staff safety Occasional Marginal Medium
C25 Fish habitat Fish habitat structures Environmental compliance Likely Marginal High
C26 General Dam safety Public safety Likely Catastrophic Extreme
C27 General Public safety/security Public safety Seldom Critical High

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A condition assessment should provide suffi- 158–2018 Dam surveillance guide
cient information to inform stakeholders of the 154–2017 Dam safety management: Opera-
following: tional phase of the dam life cycle
138–2009 Surveillance: Basic elements in a
■ the physical condition of all assets, including
“dam safety” process
electrical, mechanical, hydro-mechanical,
and civil structures; associated transmission 130–2005 Risk Assessment in Dam Safety
lines; switching stations; staff housing com- Management. A reconnaissance
plexes; administrative buildings; and related of Benefits. Methods and Current
infrastructure such as access roads, water, 180–2019 Dam Surveillance—Lesson learnt
and wastewater management plants from case histories—Preprint
■ the availability of appropriate consumables,
Other useful references include:
capital spare parts, and other critical replace-
ment parts ■ Best Practices and Risk Methodology
■ the availability of proper equipment, tools, (USBR, 2018)
and vehicles. ■ Dam Safety Guidelines (Canadian Dam Asso-
ciation, 2013)
The diagnosis will identify unit availability,
■ Dam Safety Reviews Technical Bulletin
planned and forced outages, and the resulting
(Canadian Dam Association, 2016)
impact on electricity production and revenue
if business as usual (BAU) O&M practices con- ■ Guidelines for Instrumentation of Large
tinue. This BAU time series will indicate the need Dams (Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement
for improvement and to benchmark potential Project, 2018a)
benefits that a new O&M strategy could bring. ■ Guidelines for Preparing O&M Manuals for
Dams (Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement
Dams often present a particular safety hazard, Project, 2018b)
and hence there are special requirements for ■ Role and Duties of Dam Warden (Swiss Com-
their inspection and assessment, focused on mittee on Dams (CSB), 2015)
safety, rather than on commercial consider-
ations. These are often covered by national legis- If routine inspections have recently been carried
lation, and international guidelines and guidance out in accordance with national requirements
are available, including from the following or corporate policy, it may not be necessary to
ICOLD bulletins: repeat them. Otherwise, guidance such as that of
ICOLD provides a good model for the condition
178–2017 Operation of Hydraulic Struc-
assessment of dams.
tures of Dams—Preprint
175–2018 Dam Safety Management: Among the items that should be covered in rou-
Pre-operational Phases of the tine inspections are the following:
Dam Life Cycle—Preprint
170–2018 Flood evaluation and dam safety ■ identification of the legal representative(s)

168–2017 Recommendations for operation, ■ identification of the responsible technical


maintenance, and rehabilitation expert

167–2016 Regulation of dam safety: An ■ evaluation of the instrumentation available


overview of current practice at the dam, indicating the need for mainte-
world wide—Preprint nance, repair, or procurement of equipment

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FIGURE 1.3  |  Extract technical diagnosis for major repairs/replacement

Time-based
Planned interval
maintenance

Usage-based

Inspection-based
Preventive Condition-based
maintenance maintenance

Based on continuous
monitoring

Inspection- and
Predictive monitoring-based
Maintenance maintenance
program
Trending analysis

Immediately

Corrective
maintenance

Delayed

■ evaluation of any anomalies that may cause ❑ emergency: when the anomalies repre-
failures or malfunctions, including deterio- sent a risk of imminent rupture, requir-
ration or defects in the dam and appurtenant ing urgent measures to prevent and
structures mitigate human and material losses.
■ comparison with previous safety inspections ■ indication of measures necessary to guaran-
■ diagnosis of the level of safety of the dam tee the dam and structure safety.
and appurtenant structures according to the
following categories: Examples of the outcomes from conditions
assessment are provided in Appendix B and illus-
❑ normal: when there are no signifi-
trated in Figure 1.3:
cant anomalies; routine monitoring is
required
The diagnosis should also include assessment of
❑ attention: when the anomalies do not whether appropriate tools and equipment needed
compromise the safety of the dam and for the proper O&M of the plant are available and
structures in the short term, but require in good condition, and an inventory of spares
monitoring, control, or repair over time should be produced, including:
❑ alert: when the anomalies represent a
risk to the safety of the dam and struc- ■ large spare parts (like spare main bear-
tures, requiring measures to maintain ings, spare cooler coils, spare stator wind-
safety conditions ings/bars, field poles, slip rings, breakers,

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excitation equipment, and possibly spare unit ■ Are other external factors affecting perfor-
transformer) mance, e.g., hydrological variability or trans-
■ small spare parts and consumables (such as mission constraints?
cleaners, coatings, and lubricants, etc.)
Analysis should be carried out to determine the
■ maintenance devices such as stop logs, bulk-
root cause of defects, failures, or inability to per-
heads, lifting devices, and trash-rack rakes.
form, for critical assets and for noncritical assets,
if warranted, on a cost-benefit basis.6 Analyses of
Another approach to condition assessment is
malfunctions and incidents at hydropower facili-
illustrated in Case Study 6 of the Salto Grande
ties indicate the following common causes:
facility. In this case, HydroAMP methodology has
been used to classify the condition of the facility’s ■ lack of short-, medium-, and long-term plan-
components, with color coding used for visualiza- ning for O&M activities
tion of the results.
■ lack of human capital (number, skills,
trainings)
1.4  Root cause analysis ■ lack of equipment, tools, materials, spare
Where remedial works are required earlier than parts, and testing equipment
expected, it is important to identify why, i.e., the ■ lack of fiduciary resources (including pro-
root cause. curement and financial)
■ competing interests between operations
Root cause analysis as part of O&M strategy (production, hydraulic flow, revenues) and
development can determine the reasons for the maintenance constraints (costs, extended
poor condition of assets and identify areas where outages)
improvements are needed, including changes to ■ inadequate maintenance
O&M resources and procedures to ensure sus-
■ lack of performance measurement
tainable future operations.
■ lack of efficient and transparent governance
Root cause analysis is the process of drilling or national regulations that require reporting
down to determine the actual cause of failures ■ lack of clarity in O&M procedures, which
or poor performance. If the performance of the should include accurate step-by-step oper-
facility, system, or equipment is not acceptable or ating instructions/procedures and related
in accordance with its designed function, analysis equipment
is required to answer the following questions: ■ failure to analyze the data recorded during
inspection and monitoring to ensure it is
■ Is the asset being operated, inspected, and
within acceptable limits and to identify dete-
maintained correctly as per manufacturer’s
rioration trends
recommendations and/or internet procedures?
■ design deficiencies, installation, and manu-
■ Is the asset able to respond to changing/
facturing quality issues.
updated performance requirements?
■ Is the asset unable to meet designed per- The root cause analysis should also examine
formance due to ageing parts or inherent the schedules of inspections and maintenance
defects? plans in order to check whether they have been

6 Critical assets are assets whose failure would cause loss or reduction in energy output, a threat to employee and public safety, or damage to
the environment. Noncritical asset failures are addressed on a site-specific, cost-benefit basis. The criticality of each asset will vary from facility
to facility, and hence critical assets must be identified individually for each facility.

Step 1: An informed O&M diagnosis as a prerequisite to the strategy   |  21

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implemented on time, and the results adequately can map organizational deficiencies that need
recorded and analyzed. The risks of delays are to be changed or improved. Where poor O&M is
too often underestimated; the accumulation of observed, an operational audit should take place
lapses and delays in repairs can have potentially to determine what changes need to be made to
serious and cumulative consequences. the organization or governance model to ensure
proper asset management.
The root cause analysis can be extended to review
O&M organizational staffing and structures, A review or audit of the function of the whole
which can also contribute to poor performance. organization helps determine the causes and
remedial actions required to facilitate change and
inform the longer-term O&M strategy. It should
1.5  Diagnosis of O&M examine operations from a number of perspec-
capabilities, organization, tives, including:
and practices
■ the owner/operator’s organizational struc-
A key stage in developing an O&M strategy, ture, including governance, roles, responsi-
whether for existing asset owners or developers bilities, retention, and recruitment processes
of new projects, is to assess their capability to
■ staff experience, qualifications, and training
carry out O&M services.
■ the confidence in and efficiency of the man-
For existing owners, a diagnosis of current agement body
performance, as described in section 1.1, is an ■ regulatory settings and impacts (rules,
important indicator for capacity to carry out contractual obligations, restrictions, perfor-
future O&M services. For developers of new mance requirements, reporting, existence of
projects, examination of the composition, struc- independent regulatory/controlling institu-
ture, experience, and capabilities of the devel- tions, etc.).
opment team is essential. Where this experience
and capability is based on operation of existing The business and regulatory environment often
assets, the same diagnosis of the facilities they has a significant impact on the function of the
operate and maintain could be adopted, but tak- organization. Prescriptive regulations, such as
ing into account the different circumstances of those which typically cover dam safety under
the new project. national legislation, will generally encourage
good operating practice. Conversely, environ-
A diagnostic review can indicate a low overall ments which encourage risk taking through
level of performance relative to normal indus- failure to punish operators, either financially or
try standards. In the absence of performance judicially, can lead to poor practice. Hence the
monitoring data, a condition assessment will business and regulatory environment can be con-
indicate the results of poor O&M procedures sidered as contributory factors in the root cause
and resources. Further analyses can determine analysis.
whether the problems are due to technical issues
(such as poor design or poor quality of equip- At the plant level, an operational review would
ment), lack of capacity in the organization, or include examination and determination of the
financial or governance issues. adequacy of policies, procedures, processes, and
resources involving human resources manage-
An operational review carried out by experienced ment, maintenance, operations, financial man-
hydropower managers or external consultants agement, and administrative management and

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procurement. At both the plant and the corporate existing conditions. Where improvements are
levels, the diagnosis should also assess whether required, stakeholders need to make changes to
sufficient funds have been allocated to the overall eliminate the root causes of poor performance,
O&M program. Expenditures should be com- including changes in the business environment.
pared against the allocated budget, and the work These changes should be included in the O&M
executed should be compared with what was strategy. In particular, when the financial condi-
planned. tion of the utility does not allow adequate financ-
ing for O&M, preparation of an O&M strategy
The results of the diagnostic review, the con- and associated budget provides the opportunity
dition assessment, and an operational, organi- to demonstrate the need for adequate tariffs or
zational, and financial audit may indicate the for government subsidies when revenues are
long-term sustainability of the facility under insufficient to cover costs.

THE OUTPUT FROM STEP 1

In this first step for preparing an O&M strategy, the diagnosis seeks to (i) identify missing informa-
tion and required data collection activities to inform the diagnosis, (ii) identify and prioritize key
areas of poor performance and those requiring improvements, and (iii) identify root causes of poor
performance. The results of the diagnostic reviews in Step 1 allow for a better understanding of the
owner’s capacity to deliver effective and sustainable O&M and provide insight into the business
environment in which the O&M strategy and supporting actions must be delivered.

The outputs from Step 1 include the following:

■ analysis of relevant KPIs and root cause analysis for any poor performance
■ high-level technical diagnosis on facility condition (for existing fleet)
■ review of available/existing human, managerial, and financial capabilities
■ organizational/governance audit and recommendations for changes, if applicable
■ review of business environment and regulatory issues identified in KPI root cause analysis.

Step 1: An informed O&M diagnosis as a prerequisite to the strategy   |  23

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Step 2:
Defining objectives
of the O&M strategy
Photo Credits: (Top left): Babar Khan.
(Bottom right): Pierre Lorillou.

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Based on the issues identified in Step 1, together ■ constructive: aimed at improving
with a knowledge of good industry prac- performance
tice, Step 2 seeks to define the objectives to be ■ measurable: expressed in a quantifiable
reached through implementation of the O&M unit of measurement
strategy. ■ achievable: based on available resources
(internally or on the market)
The objectives of the O&M strategy should reflect
■ realistic: outlined concretely and unambig-
the purpose of the facilities, the targets to be
uously and well-targeted
attained, and a long-term vision for O&M appli-
cable to each specific organization. Meeting these ■ time-bound: with a start date and an end
objectives should be seen as a long-term goal that date, or a cycle (monthly, annual)
may require multiple iterations, e.g., changes in ■ inclusive: all stakeholders support achieve-
the operational management of facilities, short- ment of objectives
and medium-term maintenance and refurbish-
ment, or the upgrading of the facilities. In order The objectives of the strategy must be defined by
to ensure that a company’s business plan does indicators to be applied at all levels, including
not become too focused on only one or two per- technical, financial, human resource services,
formance areas (such as finance or reliability), and management, among others. Table 2.1 shows
multiple goals and objectives are required. a typical example of a set of objectives. In this
instance, the existing performance is inade-
quate, and a five-year program is envisaged to
2.1  Anchoring objectives bring the performance in line with good industry
in KPIs standards.
Strategic performance objectives of the O&M strat-
For each facility, the target range for these
egy could be based largely on the KPIs measured in
KPIs should also be established. The target
Step 1. The proposed objectives should be:

TABLE 2.1  |  Typical objectives of an O&M strategy (for illustration only)

STEP 1: LEVEL IN YEAR N STEP 2: OBJECTIVES BY YEAR


INDICATOR
(DIAGNOSIS) N+5
Availability factor  70%  95%
Forced outage rate  12%  4%
Number of releases of environmentally damaging products 12 0
Accident frequency rate 5 0

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range will depend on the nature, age, location, and on whether the organization is commer-
physical environment, and other factors, and cially driven.
should be achievable if the facility is being
operated and maintained in line with good Because they are accountable to their share-
industry practice. holders, private entities may be more likely to
embrace the optimization of operations and
Vision and mission statements may be used, approaches such as reliability-centered mainte-
if they exist, or formulated, if they do not, as nance (RCM). The private owner/operator will
an anchor point for the O&M strategy. Their typically ensure that the necessary expertise is
primary objective is to communicate the used to increase efficiency on an ongoing basis,
company’s strategic goals and is often linked within the objectives and boundaries estab-
to operational performance. For example, lished in concession agreements and/or other
KenGen7 seeks, “to be the market leader in contractual arrangements. For a new entity
the provision of reliable, safe, quality, and entering into its first concession arrangement,
­competitively-priced electric energy in the provision must be made for the procurement
Eastern Africa region.” of qualified resources to manage the O&M of
the facility in order to safely meet objectives,
The related mission statement from the same including the objectives laid out in project
East African utility is, “To efficiently generate agreements by the grantor government.
competitively priced electric energy using
state-of-the-art technology, skilled and moti- Public utilities, however, may be influ-
vated human resources to ensure financial enced more by political and governmental
success. We shall achieve market leadership objectives, which may guide or constrain
by undertaking least cost and environmen- the decision-making processes and make it
tally friendly capacity expansion. Consistent more difficult to implement cost-recovery
with our corporate culture, core values will be approaches. Insufficient funding for operating
adhered to in all our operations.” budgets within a vertically integrated util-
ity is often the root cause of the lack of spare
Such vision and mission statements only have parts, materials, tools, qualified employees,
value if they are used by management as guid- procurement of consulting and contractor
ing principles for the business. services, deferral of rehabilitation and upgrad-
ing capital, and lack of funding for training,
all of which lead to potentially poor operating
2.2  Influence of public performance.
or private ownership on
strategy’s objectives The task of formulating the O&M strategy
provides an opportunity to examine the per-
All performance objectives for technical,
formance of the fleet and establish plans to
finance, human resources, security, environ-
begin a long-term undertaking to restore per-
ment, and other areas are connected to the
formance to an acceptable state. In the event
overarching objectives of the owner. The objec-
of a negative diagnostic outcome for the fleet
tives of public and private owners are broadly
and utility, improvements can be made to the
similar. However, the approach may depend on
operator’s capacity and changes may have to be
whether the owner is a private or public entity,
made to the business environment.

7  The public/private power supply utility responsible for the operation and maintenance of the majority of electricity generation in Kenya.

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Finally, public and private entities face similar day. Increasingly revenue will be derived from
safety and environmental objectives. ancillary services, most of which are based on
capacity and the ability to respond to changes
in demand. For a facility that is part of a fleet,
2.3  Valuing expected benefits the issue is complicated further since the ben-
from objectives efits may accrue at another asset (which may
Based on the listed objectives it will be possible or may not be a hydropower facility), making it
to estimate the financial value of achieving the difficult to assign benefits to a specific facility,
improved performance. Such valuation can be hence the need to have an integrated vision on
derived through preparation of a time series of the whole fleet (and potentially other assets).
energy generation and other income translated Generation from a hydropower facility may
into expected revenues using assumptions on complement production from intermittent
the potential evolution of tariffs and inflation. renewables, enhancing the value of hydro-
It is common for externally funded projects to based production. Beyond real increases in
value the benefits in international currency, energy generation and related incomes, reve-
such as USD, although other currencies may nue enhancement also includes the reduction
be adopted. For ease of analysis, the currency in avoided revenue losses that would (or are
used to value benefits should be the same as likely to) occur in the BAU case (especially due
the one used to value costs. to lower energy generation and/or outages).
These avoided revenue losses often represent
A high-level benefit valuation should be a very high value that needs to be taken into
undertaken for the purpose of defining the account in the cost-benefit analysis.
O&M strategy. However, more analysis will
be required in feasibility studies to prepare Traditionally revenue enhancement has been
detailed cost-benefit analysis, operation plans, based on energy generation, valued at the
and capital expenditure programs. average selling price of that energy. This sim-
ple approach is likely to be adequate for the
In order to establish the value of the expected cost-benefit analysis in Step 7, although a more
benefits from implementation of the O&M sophisticated methodology may be used when
strategy, it is necessary to develop a full under- feasibility studies are undertaken.
standing of the nature of the revenue and
expenditure of the facility (including shared Where revenue gains result from rectification
corporate costs). of existing defects, or result from restoring
KPIs to normal industry levels, the benefits
Revenue enhancement can be predicted with some degree of certainty.
However, where the enhancement results from
For an IPP supplying electricity under a long- avoidance of failures and defects, a proba-
term PPA, the basis of revenue can easily be bilistic approach is required. While complex
established; revenue is most likely derived analysis such as Monte Carlo based modelling
from energy sales or the availability of power has been used for detailed analysis, it is not
capacity. O&M activities that may enhance required for development of the O&M strat-
revenue can be identified. For merchant IPP egy. Simple assumptions may be used for the
plant and utility fleets, revenue generation probability of failure and hence the benefit of
may be more complex: energy may have dif- avoided failure.
ferent values depending on whether it is firm
or intermittent, the time of year, or the time of

Step 2: Defining objectives of the O&M strategy   |  27

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In Case Study 3 on the Kainji and Jebba facil- and with reduced maintenance costs. Hence,
ities in Nigeria, the revenue enhancement unavailability of a hydro asset may impose
benefits can clearly be seen (Appendix B). these additional costs on a utility or fleet
Through implementation of the O&M strat- owner.
egy, including refurbishment, the 482 MW of
generation available when Mainstream took Cost reduction benefits are illustrated by
over in 2013 increased to 922 MW in 2018, by Case Study 1 of Statkraft’s assets in Brazil,
bringing back into operation units that were where O&M costs have been reduced by nearly
out of service. Plans are in place to restore the 40 percent at the same time as improving the
output to the full 1,338 MW installed capacity availability of the facilities.
within five years, and to enhance this by a fur-
ther 200 MW. As well as reduced O&M costs, the avoided
costs of failures need to be estimated. These
Cost reduction may be contractual (such as liquidated dam-
ages or penalties), legal (for example environ-
Cost reductions can be achieved at the plant,
mental or compensation claims), or physical
fleet, or system levels. As discussed in the
(the cost of cleanup and restoration).
introduction, the cost of repair is much greater
than the cost of preventive maintenance.
Nonfinancial benefits
Additionally, with hydropower, there may be
opportunities to shut down units for mainte- Nonfinancial benefits should be evaluated,
nance during low flow periods with little loss of even if they will not be used in the financial
generation. Hence planned maintenance work cost-­benefit analysis in Step 7. These include
can be undertaken at greatly reduced costs improved corporate image, improved environ-
compared with corrective maintenance. mental credentials, and reductions in political
interference and regulatory control. Improve-
As with revenue enhancement, the cost-­ ments in corporate image and credentials
reduction benefits may occur at other assets can have secondary financial benefits, such
by avoiding the operation of more expensive as enhanced credit rating, reduced borrow-
generating units (e.g., thermal or nuclear), ing costs, increased share price, and access to
transmission congestion and losses and pur- Green Bonds and Climate Finance.
chases from neighboring grids may be avoided.
Hydropower, with its ability to ramp quickly Qualitative criteria, which cannot easily
and change output frequently, can allow ther- be evaluated financially, may be used in a
mal stations to operate at higher efficiency multi-criteria analysis to evaluate strategies.

THE OUTPUT FROM STEP 2

Will be the time-bound objectives of the O&M strategy, including targeted objectives (with metrics
on KPIs), and, if possible, a vision statement. Targets may be of a financial nature (budgets, reve-
nues) or related to production (energy generation), human resources (capacity building and staff-
ing), technical and operational issues (plant O&M performance), health, safety, the environment,
other corporate social responsibilities, and any required changes to governance and regulation.

The financial benefits of implementation of the strategy objectives valued in Step 2 are used later
for the cost-benefit analysis that will form part of validation of the O&M strategy.

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Step 3:
Identifying activities for
building the strategy
Photo Credits: (Top left): Babar Khan.
(Bottom right): Pierre Lorillou.

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In Step 3, the core activities to be implemented facilitate sufficient financial resources to
by the O&M strategy are identified and priori- cover all costs, combined with good gov-
tized based on the key root causes identified in ernance free of political interference at all
the diagnosis conducted in Step 1 and on objec- levels.
tives defined in Step 2. The proposed activities 5. Improvements in training and capacity build-
for the O&M strategy should also seek, to the ing are needed in all institutional areas.
extent possible, to eliminate barriers to effi-
ciency as identified in the root cause analysis. The O&M strategy should take a long-term
approach covering the full life cycle of the
hydropower facility, from commissioning
3.1  General considerations through operations and multiple-life extensions/­
Considerations to be addressed while preparing rehabilitation programs to the end of its useful
the list of activities for the O&M strategy should life at decommissioning or reconstruction.
go beyond assessment of asset repairs and refur-
bishment to examine root causes and long-term The following sections illustrate the activities
and sustainable solutions. In that sense, they that should be covered by the O&M strategy. The
should include the following: list is not exhaustive and should be adjusted to
suit conditions specific to the facilities.
1. Improvements in asset management:
technical, financial, and human resources
management; safety, legal/contractual man- 3.2  Approaches to O&M
agement; environmental management; social Targeting hydropower reliability
responsibility; and administration should be
Hydropower facilities typically have physi-
considered.
cal lifetimes of at least 100 years, thanks to
2. A “long-term perspective” and sustainable
the robustness of civil works and the major
approach to O&M planning and contracts,
generation components. Hydropower genera-
staff motivation, O&M awareness, capacity
tion becomes even more competitive once the
building, etc., should be adopted.
capital cost has been amortized. Each compo-
3. Management of spare parts must be ade- nent of a hydropower facility has a different
quate, and equipment standardized; supplies lifespan. Civil components are designed and
must be affordable and made available in a constructed to last 50–100 years, mechanical/
timely manner. electromechanical components have a design
4. O&M needs to be funded sufficiently with life of 20–50 years, and electrical/automation
long-term sustainability in mind, with tariff components have a design life of 10–25 years
(and revenue distribution) structures that (Flury and Frischknecht, 2012). The longevity of

Step 3: Identifying activities for building the strategy   |  31

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FIGURE 3.1  |  “Bathtub curve” of reliability of typical hydropower over time

Break-in period Output period End-of-life period


Failure rate

Time

Observed failure rate Premature (early) failures


Constant (random) failures Wear out failures

hydropower is unique among generating technol- period of the contractor. The output period,
ogies, and the operating life of a well-maintained during which low failure rates are observed,
plant can extend far beyond its design life. should extend over a period of decades. The end-
of-life upsurge in failures can be avoided if the
Hydropower facilities should be highly reliable, plant is maintained in good order and compo-
although the reliability can vary during their life nents are replaced before they start to fail.
cycle. Like most industrial infrastructure, there is
an initial breaking-in period in which any design, Operation of hydropower facilities
material, manufacturing, installation, testing,
Hydropower operation is a continuous activity
and commissioning shortcomings manifest
that requires qualified staff and management
themselves in reduced reliability. These issues
to ensure that the plant or fleet is operated in
tend to be resolved over time, and the facility
accordance with its design, with the applicable
enters a period of relative calm in terms of fail-
agreements, licenses, laws, market rules, and
ures and corrective measures (output period),
regulations, to meet the needs of the energy
until it begins to show its age during the end-of-
system. If the facility or fleet is owned by an
life period. This results in the maintenance life
independent power producer (IPP) as a conces-
cycle following a “bathtub curve” (Figure 3.1).
sionaire, it will additionally be governed by the
concession license and operating agreement,
In the case of hydropower, the break-in period
the requirements of PPAs and by commercial
typically lasts for the first two years of operation,
considerations.
during which most “teething issues” are resolved.
This period is typically covered by the equip-
Each hydropower development is unique in
ment supplier’s warranty and the defects liability
design, reflecting the site location, the type of

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ownership, and the purpose of each facility. This Maintenance of hydropower facilities
uniqueness poses challenges for owners and
Maintenance encompasses the activities carried
operators who must create a unique strategy and
out to ensure safe and reliable operation of assets
set of operating procedures for each facility.
to meet their designed purpose and the required
performance on a continuous basis. The main-
A critical responsibility of the operating staff is
tenance program of a hydropower facility seeks
for control of reservoirs and downstream flows
to maintain assets in a manner that maximizes
for day-to-day generation and during flood
availability and reliability at an optimal life-­cycle
events. Traditionally reservoirs are managed
cost, while protecting employees, the public,
using “rule curves” to achieve optimal bene-
and the environment. The cost of a maintenance
fits. However, these rules are often developed
program needs to be appropriately allocated to
during the feasibility study, and may not have
ensure the right balance between the potential
been altered to take account of changes to the
risks and avoided costs, weighed against the risks
hydrological regime, revised operating role of
of unavailability and safety if the work is not
the hydropower facility, multipurpose usage,
carried out. The cost of maintenance includes not
and changed values of water and energy. Modern
only labor, materials, and equipment, but also
approaches to reservoir operation, including use
the cost of outages to perform the work, includ-
of real-time remote telemetry, are discussed in
ing lost generation and lost revenue.
section 3.6.

In Table 3.1 a progression of increasingly sophis-


Such operation should comply with a compre-
ticated approaches to O&M is illustrated. While
hensive dam safety program, and emergency pre-
the more sophisticated approaches may not be
paredness plans should be in place in the event of
warranted for all facilities, in most cases moving
an emergency arising. These dam safety aspects
to at least Level 3 can be justified, in order to
are not addressed in detail in this note since
maintain good plant performance and conditions
guidelines are already available on dam safety.
at low cost.

TABLE 3.1  |  Approaches to O&M

LEVEL DESCRIPTION APPROACH CONSEQUENCES


Maintenance and repairs are carried out when
Outputs and revenues are lost, assets degraded,
failures occur, or when components are observed
1 Reactive/corrective maintenance and lifespan shortened. In worst cases, plants
to be degraded, sometimes using cannibalized
cease to operate.
parts.
Maintenance is carried out in accordance with
Plants achieve average availability at average
2 Routine/preventive maintenance manufacturer’s instructions, and replacements are
costs, in line with common industry practice.
made after specified running hours.
Plant is maintained in good condition, with good
3 Condition-based maintenance Condition and probability of failure are assessed.
operating efficiency at low O&M cost.
Revenue loss events are identified, probability
Revenue is maximized at low O&M cost, with
Revenue and risk- based calculated, CAPEX/OPEX plans compared using
4 reduced risk of revenue loss, and the life of
maintenance risks/cost/benefit analysis or reliability-centered
physical assets is preserved.
maintenance (RCM) methodology.
Holistic approach to asset management covering Best-practice approach to O&M: optimal revenue/
organization, qualifications, training, corporate cost balance and life preservation, with robust
5 Holistic PAS55/ISO55000
and social responsibility (CSR), monitoring, and practices, providing investor and stakeholder
reporting. confidence.

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3.3  Selecting the appropriate service. Record keeping and analysis of find-
ings are essential in helping establish optimum
maintenance approach intervention periods and actions to be taken
Finding the right balance between maintenance during future maintenance outages. One of the
costs and acceptable risks is unique to each frequent risks involved with preventive main-
installation and requires the seasoned judgment tenance activities is the failure of the equip-
of hydropower O&M staff and advisors to design ment following a maintenance intervention
a specific program appropriate for each situation. as a result of human error in performing the
maintenance work. Preventive maintenance is
As shown in Figure 3.2, and described further made up of various approaches (to determine
below, there are a range of different approaches the timing and extent of maintenance interven-
to maintenance. tions) that include the following:
❑ Planned interval maintenance:
■ Preventive maintenance: Maintenance
Maintenance activities are carried
activities are planned and carried out preemp-
out on a time schedule or triggered in
tively, to reduce the likelihood of failure and
accordance with an equipment-usage
to prolong the useful life of the equipment.
schedule. This has been the tradi-
Preventive maintenance may require a physical
tional approach to maintenance and is
examination of the equipment being inspected
included in O&M plans produced during
and maintained or tested, normally requiring
a facility’s commissioning.
some dismantling and reassembly while out of

FIGURE 3.2  |  Types of maintenance included in a maintenance program

Time-based
Planned interval
maintenance

Usage-based

Inspection-based
Preventive Condition-based
maintenance maintenance

Based on continuous
monitoring

Inspection- and
Predictive monitoring-based
Maintenance maintenance
program
Trending analysis

Immediately

Corrective
maintenance

Delayed

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❑ Condition-based maintenance: approaches for the past 25 years, as a follow-on
Maintenance is based on the results to the adoption in the early 1990s of Comput-
of inspections, alarms, and the moni- erized Maintenance Management Systems
toring and analysis of the behavior of (CMMS). RCM, which is a predictive mainte-
equipment and structures during nor- nance methodology, had its beginnings in the air-
mal operation. Where degradation of line industry and is now being deployed in other
equipment is likely to lead to failure or industries, including power. The design of a
inefficient generation, maintenance, RCM program is based on comparing the cost of
repair, and refurbishment measures are maintenance against the consequences of failure,
deployed. including revenue loss and the cost of repairs.
❑ Predictive maintenance: This RCM seeks to optimize this balance by applying
approach makes use of condition mon- the right amount of maintenance resources to
itoring data and trending analyses to achieve the desired level of reliability. However,
predict the likelihood and timing of allowance needs to be made for noneconomic
potential failures. Failure prediction failure modes, where cost is not the only determi-
uses condition assessment data and test nant, e.g., hazards that may increase the risks of
results obtained during outages as well failures that could result in violations of regula-
as continuously collected monitoring tory statutes or could cause harm to employees,
data. Modern plants employ online, real- the public, or the environment.
time monitoring of equipment, systems,
and civil structures (movement, leakage, An effective maintenance program is designed
etc.) to provide data which are used to around the principles of preventive maintenance,
plan and continually fine-tune the pre- and it includes timely response to corrective
ventative maintenance program. maintenance required at the site. RCM is the ulti-
mate goal but requires a well-established main-
■ Corrective maintenance: After a fail- tenance program. Therefore, the RCM principles
ure, corrective tasks (including repair and should be strongly considered when preparing an
replacement) are carried out to return an O&M strategy.
asset to a state in which it can perform as
required. In this approach, maintenance of Reinforcing routine inspection
selected assets can be planned under a run- and maintenance
to-failure model (usually with appropriate
Routine inspection and maintenance could be
spares in stock), where preventive mainte-
reinforced during the strategy development pro-
nance is not justified on a cost-­benefit basis.
cess, especially when the diagnosis demonstrates
Corrective maintenance, which is often esti-
weaknesses in this area.
mated to cost three to six times (Ogaji, Eti,
and Probert, 2006) as much as planned, pre-
Routine inspections and maintenance should be
ventive maintenance, should be minimized
carried out on a regular basis in accordance with
by an effective preventive-­maintenance
a time schedule or a run-time schedule. These
program. Run-to-failure strategies should
schedules are typically prepared prior to com-
then be coupled with pre-purchase (or pre-­
missioning and should be updated regularly after
procurement) of spare parts to avoid long
commissioning.
forced outages.
The schedules will detail the frequency of
Hydropower owners have been migrating
inspection, testing, and maintenance of each
toward reliability-centered maintenance (RCM)

Step 3: Identifying activities for building the strategy   |  35

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component of the hydropower facility. Typi- span. Typical costs for a system may include the
cally, there will be an annual schedule that will following:
show the timing of activities required on a daily,
weekly, quarterly, and annually basis, and a ■ acquisition costs (design and development
long-term schedule, which shows the timing of costs)
less frequent activities such as tunnel dewatering ■ operating costs
and equipment dismantling. The schedules are ❑ failures
accompanied by record sheets and forms to be ❑ repairs
used during inspections, maintenance, and repair
❑ spare parts
activities. Further guidance on the preparation of
O&M plans is given in Step 8. ❑ downtime
❑ loss of production
The schedules indicate the minimum frequency ■ maintenance costs
of inspections and maintenance. Frequency
❑ corrective maintenance
should be increased following unusual events
❑ preventive maintenance
such as extreme flood flows, earthquakes, heavy
rainfall, and use of equipment outside of normal ❑ predictive maintenance
operating range, e.g., increased starts/stops. ■ capital rehabilitation costs
Following such unusual events, special safety ❑ major replacement and life extension of
inspections should be undertaken to evaluate equipment
any damage, and to establish actions required to
❑ engineering, environmental impact
restore the security level of the facility.
assessment and lost production

It is important that parameters are not only ■ disposal/dismantling costs.


recorded, but also analyzed. Abnormal readings
The life-cycle cost is equal to (i) the initial
and deterioration trends should be investigated.
(projected) capital costs plus (ii) the projected
It is therefore important that operators under-
lifetime operating and maintenance costs plus
stand the significance of the parameters and are
(iii) the projected capital rehabilitation costs plus
aware of the normal range of readings.
(iv) the projected disposal costs minus (v) the
projected residual value (e.g., residual infrastruc-
3.4  Planning repairs ture such as dams, reservoirs) (WERF, n.d.).
and refurbishments
Life-cycle costing is critical when deciding
The choice between maintenance, repair, over- whether to maintain and repair or to replace
haul, or replacement of hydropower components hydropower equipment. Rarely is it financially
is an important asset management question viable to replace equipment ahead of its end-of-
since it may significantly impact the cost of the life unless it has failed or there is a requirement
proposed O&M strategies and plans. The choice for additional capacity or capability. In most
should be carefully reflected in the long-term cases, it is more economic to maintain and repair
planning of outages, O&M budgets, and CAPEX in order to extend the life as long as possible.
plans. The first step in assessing the need for Table 3.2 includes criteria designed to help users
maintenance or replacement is to understand make decisions on whether to repair or replace
the life-cycle cost of hydropower equipment or equipment. If the majority of answers to the
other assets. A life-cycle cost analysis analyzes questions is “yes,” then replacement may be the
the cost of a system (or a component) over its life preferred option.

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TABLE 3.2  |  Checklist for deciding whether to repair preliminary studies and procurement processes.
or replace They will be taken into account while further
ITEM YES/NO
developing the O&M strategy.

Equipment is near or beyond its expected life.


Equipment reliability and the consequences of 3.5  Improving or upgrading
unplanned failure pose unacceptable risks or the operation of facilities
unacceptable costs (loss of energy and revenues).
There may be a wide range of options for improv-
The repair/refurbishment costs exceed the life-cycle
cost of the equipment replacement. ing, upgrading, or repurposing facilities that can
be considered when establishing the strategy.
The asset’s performance has been unacceptable, and
corrective maintenance measures will not lead to Advances in technology, changes in the power sys-
acceptable performance. tem and increased awareness of environmental and
social impacts and climate change present oppor-
Existing equipment is technologically obsolete, spare
parts are expensive or hard to get, and the skills tunities and challenges that should be addressed in
needed to properly repair and maintain are hard to the strategy. Some of the areas that may be consid-
find. ered and enhanced are described below. 
Existing equipment poses an unacceptable security,
health and safety, or environmental risk, and the Enhancing peaking capacity
cost to mitigate the risk exceeds the asset life-cycle and ancillary services
replacement cost.
Source: WERF (n.d.). Hydropower generating facilities contribute
significantly to grid reliability in term of energy,
If the replacement assessment is positive in capacity, and ancillary services (Key and Rogers,
terms of net present value, the equipment/asset 2013). Hydropower provides many ancillary ser-
is added to the capital improvement program. vices, including dispatchable generation, reactive
An additional risk assessment or prioritization power and voltage control, frequency control,
complements the replacement assessment to and operating reserves. These ancillary services
determine the timing of remedial work compared support the grid and allow integration of variable
with other capital projects. renewable energy (VRE) into the overall power
system. Understanding the peaking and ancillary
Considering the large capital costs and large potential of the hydropower facilities is therefore
potential impact on revenues (direct from gen- recommended for quantifying the value of hydro-
eration and indirect due to outages), this analy- power generation and to assess potential future
sis (associated with planning of outages linked development and optimization.
to maintenance and capital works) will require
highly-skilled resources, with technical, sched- Even hydropower facilities with relatively small
uling, and economic backgrounds. It will also reservoirs can provide peaking support to the
require refined comparative economic analyses grid by operating at high output during peak
of different scenarios. hours and either reducing output or completely
shutting down during off-peak hours (while
An output of this exercise should be a list of minimum environmental flow is still released).
major repair and replacement activities that Increasing peaking capacity requires hydrological
represent major financial expenditures but that studies, as well as socio-environmental assess-
make sense economically, environmentally, ments to determine upstream and downstream
legally, or in terms of safety, together with ten- impacts (especially linked to discharge gradients
tative dates for implementation and necessary and potential safety risks for population). In

Step 3: Identifying activities for building the strategy   |  37

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FIGURE 3.3  |  Operation of a hydropower reservoir

Source: Australian Government (2019), https://www.mdba.gov.au/river-murray-system/running-river-murray/flood-management-dartmouth-dam

cascading hydropower facilities, peaking can be Increasingly, hydropower operators are employ-
implemented at the upper site, with the lower ing remote telemetry to transmit meteorological
site acting as a re-regulating reservoir and thus and hydrological data from the reservoir catch-
reducing downstream impacts. ments to provide inflow data. The data can be
used to augment data from the hydropower site
Typically, the spot pricing of power is highest to provide up-to-date records for planning opera-
during peak hours. Hence the benefits of pro- tions and for developing new rule curves. How-
viding peak power are likely to include higher ever, it can also be used in real-time to program
revenues and support to the grid. Detailed generation, thereby optimizing the use of the
hydrological, market, and financial analyses are available water.
required to optimize the selection of such option.
Reservoir optimization studies can be performed
Optimizing reservoir operation (or at least recommended in the strategy) to
more accurately predict short- and long-term
The purpose of hydropower reservoirs is to store
inflows, optimize power generation for meet-
water to control energy production over time.
ing domestic demand whilst maximizing export
Simulating reservoir inflows is important in
revenues, improve flood management, and
order to assess the full range of inflows into the
balance multipurpose use of the reservoir by
reservoir and when storage is being utilized to
meeting environmental and social obligations.
meet the required outflows (Figure 3.3). Inflows
These obligations should include the ecological
are usually calculated from changes in storage
flow releases defined in the environmental and
volume and total outflows using the water bal-
social management plans, operating licenses, and
ance equation. The accuracy of the inflow cal-
national legislation.
culation is directly dependent on the reservoir
storage volume estimation, measured outflows,
A useful methodology to establish whether res-
and water elevation measurement in the reser-
ervoirs are being operated well is to run a reser-
voir. Operating a facility within the prescribed
voir power and energy simulation model such as
operating rule curves requires the calculation
HEC-3 (USBR) using actual historic hydrological
of daily inflows and forecasts of weekly and
data and to compare the simulated electricity
monthly inflows.

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output with the actual generation over that same Environmental and social aspects
period. This will indicate whether the theoreti-
As part of the preparation of the O&M strategy,
cal output is being achieved, and analysis of the
it is recommended to follow good international
results can indicate whether any shortfall results
practice for environmental and social manage-
from operational or maintenance deficiencies.
ment of hydropower plants during operations.
The O&M strategy will benefit from compliance
Among the guidelines available to assist with
with the protocols and guidance of the WB’s
operation of hydropower reservoirs is ICOLD’s
environmental and social framework (ESF) and
Bulletin 173-2016: Integrated Operation of
its environmental, health, and safety guidelines8
Hydropower Stations and Reservoirs. Update of
to build and operate sustainable hydropower.9
reservoir operation rules should also be informed
The O&M strategy could in particular benefit
by dam safety analysis and based on FEMCA
from compliance with the following environmen-
(failure mode effects and criticality analysis) and
tal and social standards (ESS):
PFMA (Potential Failure Mode Analysis). Res-
ervoir operation should also be supported by an ■ EES1 on environmental and social assess-
early warning system. ment of impacts and risks
■ ESS2 on labor and working conditions
Optimization software or decision-support
systems (DSS) can help determine long-term ■ ESS3 on resource efficiency and pollution
storage planning and management, short-term prevention and management
(hourly-time resolution) scheduling, and real- ■ ESS4 on community health and safety
time dispatch. ■ ESS5 on land acquisition and involuntary
resettlement
The benefits of using such a system include the
■ ESS6 on biodiversity conservation and
following:
sustainable management of living natural
■ increased energy production and reve- resources
nue from reservoir and plant-operation ■ ESS7 on indigenous peoples
optimization ■ ESS8 on cultural heritage
■ improved automation of work processes ■ ESS10 on stakeholder engagement and infor-
■ improved safety and reduction in the risk of mation disclosure
costly flood-damage repairs
Social inclusion is a key aspect of facility man-
■ increased returns on new capital investments
agement, contributing to smooth and efficient
■ effectiveness in dealing with environmental operation of the hydropower plant. Compliance
issues and improving public image with the ESF, and in particular ESS2, ESS4,
■ reduction in operational and business risks. ESS7, and ESS10, will help to improve social
relationships between the facility owner and local
Therefore, preparing an O&M strategy could communities. Benefits accruing from good com-
provide an opportunity to review existing reser- munity relationships include worker satisfaction,
voir management and review optimization and social cooperation, and potentially support in
automation options. achieving environmental and social obligations,

8 https://www.ifc.org/wps/wcm/connect/topics_ext_content/ifc_external_corporate_site/sustainability-at-ifc/policies-standards/ehs-

guidelines
9 https://www.worldbank.org/en/projects-operations/environmental-and-social-framework

Step 3: Identifying activities for building the strategy   |  39

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such as ecological flows, biodiversity protection, from the Hydropower Sector Climate Resilience
and catchment management. Guide published by IHA (International Hydro-
power Association, 2019). Increasingly, a Climate
Compliance with environmental and social Resilience Management Plan will be required by
guidelines and sustainability protocols is playing lending institutions in support of funding appli-
an increasingly important role under corporate cations for major CAPEX programs.
and social responsibility (CSR) in corporate
governance. While access to finance for the pri- Enhancing watershed management
vate sector has for many years been contingent
Reservoir management is a subset of overall
on compliance with environmental and social
watershed management. Watershed manage-
standards, such as the International Finance Cor-
ment is an adaptive, comprehensive, and inte-
poration (IFC) performance standards and the
grated multi-resource management planning
equator principles, there is increasing pressure
process that seeks to balance safety, ecological,
for improved social responsibility from other
economic, and cultural/social conditions within
sources. It is increasingly common for employ-
a watershed. Watershed management serves to
ees, investors, consumers, service providers, and
integrate planning for land and water. It takes
suppliers to consider CSR performance as drivers
into account both ground- and surface-water
in their relationship with companies.
flow, recognizing and planning for the interac-
tion of water, flora and fauna, and human use
Adaptive management methodology may be
(for example, agriculture in the catchment and
employed, especially for catchment and eco-
recreational use of the reservoir) found within
system management. During operation, the
the physical boundaries of a watershed. This
environmental and social management plan
approach is also likely to further enhance accep-
(ESMP) prepared prior to construction must be
tance of a hydropower facility in the local, envi-
updated and fine-tuned for the operation stage
ronmental, and socioeconomic context.
through an interactive process with regulators
(environmental license and water permit regula-
It is important that the O&M strategy is reviewed
tors), monitoring, analysis, and learning, so that
when upstream or downstream hydropower
the ESMP are progressively adjusted to achieve
schemes are developed on the same river, to
the agreed outcomes (such as ecological flows,
ensure that any interaction between facilities is
offsets, watershed management plans, benefit
taken into account, and that safety and operating
sharing schemes, etc.).
efficiency is maintained.
The O&M strategy may also benefit from the
Sediment management
guidelines in ICOLD Bulletin 159-2012: Dams
and the Environment from a Global Perspective. For run-of-river hydropower facilities or reser-
voirs that have limited storage capacity, sediment
Climate resilience management in some regions is particularly
important and may be revisited in preparing a
When planning improvements to the facility and
strategy. The forebay/head pond is generally
its operation, consideration should be given to
cleaned during a high flow period by shutting
the potential impacts of climate change. Guid-
down the turbines and flushing the sediment by
ance on this aspect is available from sources
drawing down the head pond and/or by manual
such as ICOLD’s Bulleting 169: Global Climate
dredging. It is important to follow environmen-
Change, Dams Reservoirs and Related Water
tal regulations related to water quality during
Resources. Specific Guidance on adaption and
the sediment flushing process. The reduction in
resilience of hydropower facilities is available

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sediment in the forebay helps to minimize sedi- Ecological/compensation flows
ment entry into the headrace, reducing wear on
Hydropower dams are generally required to pass
the penstock and turbine components.
environmental flows (e-flows) which are often
embodied as part of environmental and social
For facilities where sediment is identified as a
management plans (ESMPs), environmental
major issue, initiatives such as upstream sed-
licenses, and national legislation. E-flows are
iment traps or watershed management may
indeed fundamental to maintain basic river char-
be explored for reducing sediment in rivers to
acteristics and functions and to provide some
reduce premature failure of the turbine runners
habitat for biodiversity and for social and cul-
and associated equipment. Not addressing the
tural needs. There are many methods to define
sediment problem may otherwise reduce the
e-flows (Tharme, 2003) and the O&M strategy
benefits of any future rehabilitation and life
will benefit from review of the e-flows adopted
extensions.
in the initial design. The WB and other agencies
have prepared numerous guidelines on e-flows.11
For hydropower facilities with larger storage, it
is important to have a sediment management
Historically e-flows were seldom used for gener-
plan to ensure the long-term management of the
ating electricity. The installation of low-impact
reservoir with respect to storage capabilities and
micro-turbine generation (MTG) technology in
operation of the powerhouse and associated dis-
regulating dams to generate power with e-flows
charge structures. For existing facilities, bathy-
can also provide a beneficial use of this resource.
metric and water quality data will be mobilized
The MTG turbines are fitted with a bypass valve
to estimate the total volume of sediment and
so that the e-flows are never interrupted as a
determine an average rate of sediment deposi-
result of power rejection or turbine shutdown.
tion. Sediment management measures include
For example, the Reventazón hydropower plant
options to remove or flush out the sediment in a
(315 MW) located in Costa Rica installed an
safe manner based on data collected during field
additional turbine and powerhouse at the foot of
investigations (sediment volume, distribution,
the dam to use the e-flow to increase the installed
and grain size). Dredging might be considered if
capacity of the project. Another example is the
other measures are not viable.
installation of the 450 kW MTG turbine in a
rock-fill dam in Ontario, Canada, which provides
It is also important to maintain low-level outlets
an additional 3.9 GWh of energy generation
of the dams to flush sediment on a regular basis,
­(Picmobert, 2016).
since failure of low-level outlets could compro-
mise dam safety and lead to larger sediment
Replenishing and improving
problems.
management of spare parts
Guidance on sediment management in reservoirs The diagnosis carried out in Step 1 may indicate a
is available from various sources such as ICOLD requirement to restore stock levels of spare parts
and IHA,10 and from WB’s publication: Extend- and to establish a process and tools to measure
ing the Life of Reservoirs: Sustainable Sedi- and manage stock movement according to the
ment Management for Dams and Run-of-River first-in, first-out principle (FIFO). Procurement
Hydropower (Annandale, Morris, and Karki, for replenishment of spare parts should also be
2016). carefully planned and implemented. It should

10 https://www.hydropower.org/sediment-management
11 http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/372731520945251027/pdf/124234-WP-Eflows-for-Hydropower-Projects-PUBLIC.pdf;

http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTWAT/Resources/Env_Flows_Water_v1.pdf

Step 3: Identifying activities for building the strategy   |  41

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be checked during the assessment whether a procedures should be clearly defined in the PPA
maximum and minimum quantity is set for every and will also be subject to the grid code. The pro-
stock item (a number below the minimum will cedures will allow for emergency control where
generate a re-order action to replenish the stock). changes to the planned dispatch are required due
Tools to be mobilized can include an enterprise to events within the facility or on the power grid.
resource planning (ERP) tool such as SAP. For
small facilities, business accounting software that Many hydropower facilities are operated on the
can handle inventory management could also be basis of “rule-curves,” where the declared avail-
considered. Inventories could be made available ability is based on the water level in the reser-
to staff within the owner organization and con- voir and time of year, or the actual river flow in
firmed during annual inventory taking. the case of run-of-river facilities. Rule curves
are established based on historic hydrological
If there is no ERP or stock management tool records and targeted seasonal generation pat-
available, the process can be undertaken manu- terns and were formulated prior to commission-
ally by stores and maintenance personnel, as has ing the facility. In many cases, the rules have not
been traditionally carried out. been updated to reflect better understanding of
the hydrology, including climate change impacts,
changes to the power system, and the role played
3.6  Modernizing existing by the hydropower facility compared with other
facilities generators. Improved optimization and new
There are many opportunities for modernization approaches to operation are discussed in the
of hydropower facilities that can be explored following sections.
during feasibility studies for refurbishment and
life extension of equipment. This subsection Increasingly, with automated facilities and
includes some, but not all, opportunities. remote control of new and refurbished plants,
these functions are performed centrally, either
Further automation of operational for a group of stations or for an entire fleet.
planning, dispatch, and control
Computerized maintenance
Daily operation of a hydropower facility was management systems
traditionally undertaken by staff on site who had
responsibility for starting, stopping, and varying Installation of and training through a computer-
the power output in accordance with instructions ized maintenance management system (CMMS),
from the system operator. The station operators such as the one used by Statkraft in Case Study 1,
declare in advance the availability in terms of is another opportunity for modernization. CMMS
number of units, power output, energy available, is a software designed to simplify the manage-
planned outages, and other constraints such as ment of maintenance. Historically, data were
environmental limits on cycling and downstream recorded manually, and maintenance, largely
limits on flow changes, etc. Such declarations reactive rather than proactive, was performed
may be required weeks or months in advance for only when something went wrong.
planning purposes and are progressively refined
With computerization, it has become possible to
as the dispatch time approaches.
track work orders, generate accurate reports, and
Utilities will have their own procedures for these instantly determine which assets require preven-
declarations, and the operation will also be tive maintenance, reducing maintenance costs.
covered by the grid code. In the case of IPPs, the

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FIGURE 3.4  |  Floating solar plant setup

Transmission
Lightning protection
system (connected to
Central
metal frames supporting (from other arrays)
PV modules inverter
modules and grounded)

Floats/
pontoons

Transformer

Combiner box

Mooring lines

Anchoring

Source: ESMAP (2019).

The cost of implementing, operating, and main- About 1.5 hectares of reservoir area are typically
taining a bespoke CMMS is relatively high needed to set up a 1 MW floating solar plant
because of the customized nature of the software. (Pickerel, 2016). Many factors might affect this
Standardized cloud-based solutions can also be requirement, such as the type of floats being used
considered since they have a reduced purchase and the distance from the shore for electrical
price and are generally hardware indepen- design aspects.
dent, providing a lower-cost solution for asset
management. Solar land development on the vicinity of the
hydropower facility (hydro-connected solar) can
Floating or hydro-connected solar plant also be considered as another option to benefit
from available land, and existing substations,
A floating solar plant is an array of solar panels
lines, supervisory control and data acquisition
on a structure that floats on a body of water, typi-
(SCADA), and human resources.
cally a reservoir or a lake, as illustrated in Fig-
ure 3.4. The power generated from the floating
solar plant can be transmitted to the grid using 3.7  Integrating O&M in the
an existing hydropower substation, saving the design of new projects and
cost of separate interconnection. Floating solar
major refurbishments
is a relatively new concept. Its benefits include
reduction of evaporation in the reservoirs, which There is a trade-off between initial capital
could be important in large reservoirs in hot and expenditure and the cost of O&M. Typically a
dry climates. high-specification design with high-quality con-
struction and equipment will cost less to operate
World Bank’s ESMAP (Energy Sector Manage- and maintain, last longer, have fewer outages,
ment Assistance Program) has been investigating and produce more energy.
opportunities for installation of floating solar
equipment. There are many aspects to designing for ease of
operation and maintenance and reduced O&M

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costs, which need to consider the specific condi- The method of optimization of the project at the
tions of the facility. A few are listed below: feasibility stage can affect the construction cost-
OPEX trade-off. Economic modelling using a low
■ Adequate room in the loading bay and discount rate will tend to favor initial expendi-
around the units needs to be provided for ture to avoid future costs. However, economic
dismantling, laying out equipment, and modelling using a high discount rate, or finan-
reassembly. cial analysis using a high cost of capital tends to
■ Adequate head room below the crane in devalue future costs and revenues, favoring low
the turbine hall may enable the turbine-­ construction cost facilities.
generator units to be removed without
splitting the shaft, avoiding time-consuming Similar issues are encountered with quality. Low
alignment and balancing procedures during specification, low quality equipment, or poor
maintenance. construction may be favored by financial opti-
■ For Kaplan units in conditions where erosion mization but will have consequences for O&M in
is likely, the ability to remove blades individ- the future. This is one of the challenges noted by
ually from below can substantially reduce the the operators of Salto Grande in Case Study 6.
maintenance time and cost. Although the initial equipment installed 40 years
ago was of high quality, enabling prolonged oper-
■ Redundant systems can allow one set to be
ation at a high level of availability and at a low
maintained or replaced while the facility is
cost, there is concern that financial drivers may
still operating.
encourage procurement of cheaper, low-quality
■ Use of multiple units can allow maintenance
equipment, which might make the current O&M
outages during low-flow seasons without
strategy unviable.
loss of generation, where a single unit would
require a full station shutdown.
3.8  Selecting adequate
Designs should also consider the safety and the quality standards
risks of failure during O&M. Examples include:
Although there is no specific standard for
■ Provisions should be made for double closure hydropower O&M that is publicly available or
(gates and stop-logs) to provide safe work universally adopted, standards are available for
conditions. hydropower procurement, construction, installa-
■ Pipes or openings to the high-pressure side tion, and commissioning of civil, electrical, and
of the waterway, including pressure-sensor mechanical equipment. Some of these standards
openings and pressure-balancing pipework can provide further strategic guidance for various
present a risk of flooding and should be aspects of O&M. They include the following:
avoided or protected by valves.
■ IEEE 492-1999, IEEE Guide for Operation
Sediment management is an area where a bal- and Maintenance of Hydro-Generators
ance must be struck between capital and operat- ■ IEEE 1147-2005 (R2012), IEEE Guide for
ing costs. Desanding facilities often have a high Rehabilitation of Hydroelectric Power Plants
capital cost, especially in mountainous regions ■ FDX 60-000–ICS: 03.080.10–AFNOR
where sediment is often a major consideration. (2002), Maintenance Services/Facilities
Undersizing or not providing desanding cham- Management
bers may result in rapid erosion of runners, lead- ■ ISO 55000:2014, Asset Management: Over-
ing to loss of efficiency and high repair costs. view, Principles and Terminology

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■ ISO 55001:2014, Asset Management: Man- utilities around the world, such as Swiss com-
agement Systems, Requirements pany Alpiq (Rouge and Bernard, 2016), that have
■ ISO 55002:2018, Guidelines for Application a fleet of assets and are looking to manage the
of ISO 55001 whole life-cycle of the hydropower asset. Imple-
mentation of asset management standards can
ISO 55000 is becoming a recognized and uni- result in improved operational performance and
versally accepted asset management standard. asset condition, a high plant availability factor,
It is starting to be adopted by public and private and efficient and reliable operations.

THE OUTPUT FROM STEP 3

Includes identification of the core activities and measures required in order to achieve the strategic
objectives established in Step 2, based on the diagnosis completed in Step 1.

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Step 4:
Exploring strategic
models for implementing
O&M strategy
Photo Credits: (Top left): World Bank.
(Bottom right): Pierre Lorillou.

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In Step 4, various strategic models for O&M are Each option allocates risk differently between
explored. After describing the main features the private party and the owner. Risk allocation
of each model, strengths and weaknesses are should be based on the principle that risks are
compared, and guidance is provided as to which assigned to the party best able to manage and
model is most appropriate in which contexts. bear them. These options are explored in Mod-
The key features of O&M contracts are then els 2 and 3. As illustrated in Figure 4.1, moving
examined. from Model 1 through Model 2 to the various
options of Model 3 progressively transfers risk to
the outsourced contractor, reducing the owner’s
4.1  Types of O&M strategic risk but often increasing overall costs.
models
Three types of models can be mobilized to imple- However, irrespective of the model adopted,
ment an O&M strategy: the owner will generally carry the ultimate
responsibility for external risks such as safety,
■ Model 1: Owner retains sole responsibility for environmental performance and compliance
O&M with regulations, legislation, and contractual
■ Model 2: Owner outsources some O&M obligations.
responsibilities to consultants, contractors,
or suppliers In some cases, models may overlap. For exam-
ple, under Model 1, although the owner is fully
■ Model 3: Owner outsources all O&M respon-
responsible for O&M, he will often commission
sibility to an independent operator.
studies and advisory services to support the
O&M function, or to evaluate refurbishment
Model 1 will generally be the preferred option
and upgrading options. The boundary between
where the owner has the skills, resources, and
Model 2 and 3 is that under Model 3, the out-
capability to undertake O&M, which also aligns
sourced contractor takes full responsibility for
interests of O&M teams with those of the owner.
O&M, potentially including responsibilities for
Model 1 is seen as the ultimate goal, while Mod-
repairing or replacing some equipment.
els 2 and 3 can be broadly considered as interim
arrangements.
The ability to outsource O&M services using
Models 2 and 3 is contingent upon being able to
If Model 1 is inappropriate due to the owner
procure appropriate contractors. Therefore, at
having insufficient skills, resources, or capabil-
an early stage of developing the O&M strategy,
ity, and technical assistance is unlikely to raise
it is appropriate to carry out market soundings
performance to adequate levels, further options
to assess the availability and interest of contrac-
for enhancing private sector participation (PSP)
tors. A number of facilities can be clustered to
in the delivery of O&M services may be explored.

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FIGURE 4.1  |  Options for outsourcing some O&M activities and responsibilities

Owner’s risks
Divestiture

Concession
contract

25–30 yrs
Affermage
contract

8–15 yrs
Management
contract

3–5 yrs
Service
contract

1–3 yrs
Technical
assistance Outsourced
contractor’s risks

Model 1 Model 2 Model 3

Source: IFC (2016).

increase the size of the contract to make it more training enables Model 1 to be deployed follow-
attractive. If there is insufficient interest, it may ing completion of the facility.
restrict the options to Model 1, or to Model 2,
with limited external support. Features and pros and cons of each model are
further analyzed in the following sections.
In the case of multinational ownership, as for
Rusumo Falls, a new entity (such as a special Model 1: Owner retains sole
purpose vehicle) may be formed to develop and responsibility for O&M
operate the facility. In this case, the entity would
Two versions of Model 1 are considered: Model
be analogous to a private-sector owner, but with
1A where the owner is a public entity—typically a
some public-sector constraints. It is important to
vertically integrated public utility, and Model 1B
ensure that this entity has adequate skills, capac-
where the owner is an IPP, or a private conces-
ity, and resources to undertake construction and
sionaire. Although the distinction between the
operation, which can be determined using the
two models is slight, in practice, a public entity
diagnostic process in Step 1.
is seldom able to make decisions purely on a
commercial basis and has greater regulatory con-
Related to Model 2 are the training sessions that
straints and political considerations to take into
are typically provided by the suppliers of electri-
account. In some countries, a public entity may
cal and mechanical equipment or EPC contrac-
not be permitted or may be discouraged from
tors. This training aims to build capability within
contracting out O&M services, and hence may be
the owner’s O&M team, and often starts early
constrained to using Model 1A in circumstances
during the construction contract. Providing that
where Models 2 or 3 might be more appropriate.
the owner has adequate O&M capability, this

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Model 1A: Public-sector owner handles provide services to assist with the optimiza-
all O&M tion of O&M. Large parastatal utilities looking
to improve their fleet O&M performance and
This is the most common model for power-­
enhance the value of their assets can also con-
sector ownership and management in developing
sider partnering or hiring a similar utility with
countries where O&M functions are embodied
high-performing hydropower generation to assist
within government-owned utilities. Electric util-
in implementing improvements.
ities in many developing countries are vertically
integrated, with responsibility for generation,
Model 1B: Private-sector owner
transmission, distribution, system operation,
(independent power producer or
and electricity sales. This vertical integration
concessionaire) handles all O&M
can sometimes obscure the costs and efficien-
cies of each part of the utility, making it difficult In this case, the private owner mobilizes his inter-
to assess whether the assets are being operated nal resources for implementing all O&M activi-
efficiently and profitably. ties and may consider recruiting personnel that
become staff of the owner’s organization. Staffing
The diagnostic exercise in Step 1 will have deter- costs can be highly influenced by whether there
mined whether the utility (and its O&M units) is a need to recruit international expatriate staff,
is required to increase its resources and capa- or whether appropriate skills and capabilities,
bilities, in terms of quantity and skills of staff, augmented by training, are available locally.
for performing sustainable O&M and whether
targeted external interventions are required for For both Models 1A and 1B, owners may consider
improving its delivery of O&M services. mobilizing targeted technical assistance that will
provide ad-hoc advice and support to the owner in
While strengthening or developing its perfor- strengthening its capabilities. Technical assistance
mance under this model, the owner should, in would then be engaged to provide consulting ser-
particular: vices for a time-based or lump-sum fee, normally
on a short-term basis. In the longer term, it may
■ ensure that adequate and skilled resources, include embedding experts within the organiza-
including leaders and managers, are tion to act as advisors to improve operational effi-
mobilized ciency through technical and managerial capacity
■ have strategies in place to manage polit- building. In this case, the contractor only assumes
ical influences on the utility and increase the risks inherent in a consultancy contract,
transparency in financial management and although there may also be some incentives, bene-
procurement fit sharing or variable fees and penalties linked to
■ ensure that sufficient financing is channeled performance indicators. Such contracts represent
to O&M departments, through prioritization a limited engagement usually not exceeding a
within the utility’s budget, together with period of two to three years, and generally utilized
adequate fiduciary delegation at all necessary as a first attempt to build capacity in underper-
levels. forming enterprises.

Irrespective of the level of success an organi- Model 2: Some O&M activities


zation has with hydropower operations, the are outsourced
use of outside consultants to conduct technical Model 2 allows for flexibility in selecting a num-
and business reviews can still help to improve ber of ring-fenced O&M functions to be out-
effectiveness and efficiency, introduce modern sourced in order to augment the capabilities of
approaches to maintenance management, and

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FIGURE 4.2  |  Scope for outsourcing O&M services in a service contract (Model 2)

O&M services

Limited scope Add


employment

Add public
relations

Add
financial and
procurement

Add
compliance

Add
operating
services

Technical
maintenance
Broad scope
services

the owner. Outsourcing some O&M activities engineering firms to carry out maintenance of
can be limited, extended to some specific areas civil works and inspection and maintenance of
of maintenance or functional system such as for hydraulic structures. Contracting such services
electromechanical parts and information and can also be built around coherent functional
communications technology (ICT), or expanded systems, which helps in clarifying responsibilities
to include a larger number of areas of respon- between the owner and service providers.
sibility. This is illustrated in Figure 4.2, where
services are progressively expanded from left to Plant operation
right, until the scope is close to that of Model 3. Responsibility for operation of the plant can also
be outsourced. Plant operations can be managed
Various options for Model 2 are presented in the in a variety of ways, depending on the vintage of
subsections below. the plant and the control, protection, and com-
munication links between the facility and control
Technical maintenance services
center. Modern data links and communication
Technical maintenance services (including systems allow remote and centralized opera-
maintenance of electrical, mechanical, communi- tion, theoretically permitting station control and
cation, control, and protection activities) are the operation to be outsourced. Since local control
most commonly outsourced services. Outsourc- and operation requires continuous staffing on a
ing these services allows the utility to resolve three-shift, 24-hour basis, there are potentially
equipment problems and carry out the mainte- large savings to be achieved from outsourcing
nance program on a pre-established schedule at to a remote operator. However, especially with
predetermined costs. With a modern plant much ­public-sector owners, these savings must be bal-
of the monitoring can be undertaken remotely, anced against the costs of installing modern sys-
such as from an equipment supplier’s head office, tems and the likely resistance and socioeconomic
enabling cost-effective services to be provided. consequences of reducing the level of staffing
This level of outsourcing can include hiring on-site or re-deploying personnel.

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Compliance responsibility contractor is the employer instead of the man-
ager of the owner’s workforce, it has considerable
The owner also may delegate responsibility to
leverage in the event of a dispute. A preferred
the O&M contractor for compliance with laws
model is for the local workforce to be on the own-
and regulations applicable to operations, such as
er’s payroll and seconded to an O&M contractor
restrictions on reservoir levels, ecological flow
for the duration of the contract.
requirements, data recording, flow measure-
ment, environmental compliance, workplace
Outsourced responsibilities could also be
safety, health legislation, labor laws, and social
extended to (i) formulate and update O&M pro-
responsibilities. Such responsibilities would be
cedures and (ii) design and install a maintenance
considered a reasonable addition, as the operator
management system (including spare part inven-
has control over most compliance actions and is
tory and ad-hoc management system).
best able to manage this risk as part of the daily
operation of plants.
Such a service contract would clearly record
Financial management and procurement the specific operational areas to be transferred
to the contractor, but under this Model 2, the
Owners of hydropower facilities can also add contractor’s responsibility should not extend to
responsibility for the management of finances assuming risks related to failures caused by inad-
and procurement. The operator could be made equacies in design, manufacturing, installation,
responsible for invoicing, collecting fees and rev- testing, commissioning, or normal wear failures
enues, and managing related bank and impress of equipment not attributable to poor main-
accounts for funding day-to-day operations. tenance or inappropriate operating practices.
Financial responsibility can also be extended to Contractors would not be willing to take on such
include procurement of services, spare parts, and risks that are outside of their control. Contrac-
consumables, according to an approved budget tor’s remuneration may take different forms but
and relevant procurement rules and policies. is usually tied to performance with a combination
Such outsourcing can support ring-fencing and of fixed and variable fees. Penalties may apply for
improving efficiency and governance of these underperformance against agreed targets. Fur-
procurement and fiduciary services. ther guidance is provided in section 4.4.

Public relations
Model 3: All O&M is outsourced
Although most owners retain control over pub-
This model places all responsibility for O&M with
lic relations, an outsourced operator can be
an O&M contractor.
requested to handle this task when it involves
relations with communities who may be affected
The poor history of hydropower sustainability
by day-to-day operations, environmental and
in some developing economies has increasingly
social issues, and compliance with site-specific
led to greater reliance on the private sector to
laws and regulations.
deliver new or rehabilitated hydropower facilities
Employment of personnel and to operate and maintain them under conces-
sion arrangements or outright ownership. Fully
In a more comprehensive O&M management outsourcing O&M to private sector organizations
package, the O&M outsourced contractor can, however, be problematic and risky. Doing so
could also provide the entire workforce. Doing within a large vertically integrated public utility
so may reduce the risks for the owner, but it may prove to be difficult without first unbundling
increases the risk of losing the entire O&M team the sector and introducing adequate regulations
in the event of a contractual disruption. If the

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for private-sector participation. Despite the chal- insufficient to pay the contractor due to inade-
lenges, private-sector participation in O&M is on quate cost recovery tariffs, the owner will have to
the rise. Successful results have been achieved in fill the tariff gap and/or defer lease fees. While
emerging economies, especially in Latin America. there are many opportunities to quickly improve
Having embarked on Model 3, it might neverthe- operating performance through the introduction
less be difficult for the owner to revert to Model 1 of new processes, procedures, and technology,
and or Model 2 at a later date. the pace of improvement is tied to the owner’s
ability to provide capital for investment in the
Among the options available under Model 3 are longer term. Performance targets generally relat-
the following: ing to service quality standards will also form
part of the arrangement. These contracts would
Management contract normally run for a period of 8 to 15 years.
In this case the contractor assumes responsibility
for O&M of the hydropower fleet, normally by plac- Lease contracts and affermage share similarities
ing its own employees in key positions within the but also maintain distinct differences. Both can be
organization and providing additional short-term used in cases where the owner wishes to engage
technical, administrative, and training services. The the private sector by passing on commercial risk
contract will normally be performance based on and performance incentives without requiring pri-
fixed and variable fees and often has penalties for vate capital. When procured competitively, both
performance lower than targets. The contractor’s are often tendered on the basis of highest payment
risk exposure is restricted to matters within its con- to the owner, either in the form of highest lease
trol and measured against agreed targets. All assets payment or lowest percentage of revenue retained.
remain the property of the owner, and the contrac- The owner remains responsible for investment in
tor is not required to take on any investment risk. assets. In addition to performing O&M, the opera-
This type of contract is often used as an interim tor may be expected to oversee the capital invest-
measure to improve the performance of an asset, or ment program. Often these contracts include
at the start of operation while a new owner devel- minimum replacement provisions toward the end
ops his own capabilities. The engagement is usually of the contract, or requirements that the equip-
limited to a period of three to five years depending ment is handed over in a good operating condi-
on the level of managerial competence in the utility tion. Both structures assume a greater amount of
and the objectives of the contract. regulatory and revenue risk, as they are dependent
on tariff levels to recover operational costs.
Affermage (lease agreement)
In a lease contract, the operator pays the owner
The contractor in this case takes over operational
a fixed rental payment (lease fee) for the asset
responsibility, but the assets remain the prop-
and assumes collection risks but keeps the excess
erty of the initial owner. The owner may be paid
revenue generated. In the case of affermage, the
a lease fee or an affermage fee equivalent to a
operator retains a portion of revenue generated
reasonable rate of return on the assets in order
and then pays the remainder to the owner. Thus,
to allow it to reinvest in capital replacements
as long as collections cover the fee, the opera-
or expansion activities. The contractor is not
tor’s revenue is secured, and the owner takes on
required to invest and receives its remuneration
a larger portion of the revenue risk. The own-
through improvements in operating efficiency
er’s revenue covers his expenses and profit, and
in areas such as billing, metering, collections,
sometimes a portion is ring-fenced or hypothe-
fuel efficiency, loss reduction, and productiv-
cated for investment in the project.
ity. In cases where cash flow improvements are

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The next two options would apply only when the recovery tariffs, the owner or state will have to
owner is a public utility. fill the tariff gap through subsidization. Normally
investments are carried out according to sched-
Concession ules defined in the concession agreement.
A hydropower concession is a public-private
partnership (PPP) arrangement in which the In all above contracts, one of the key challenges
private sector and the public sector share risk. is to clarify (i) how responsibilities will be
Normally a long-term arrangement of at least divided and how parties will be compensated
20 years is granted by the government to a in case of low performance (especially if equip-
­special-purpose company in which the govern- ment fails unexpectedly) and (ii) which par-
ment or parastatal utility may or may not be ties are responsible for repair/replacement of
a shareholder. The concessionaire is granted medium-size and large equipment, the status of
ownership rights and responsibility for imple- which is often not known at the time of signing
menting, operating, and maintaining the facility agreements.12 This has been the source of major
for the concession period. The operator is free difficulties for SOGEM in managing the O&M
to operate and maintain the facility to obtain the contract with ESKOM for the Manantali Dam.
agreed return on investment within the con-
Divestiture
straints of the concession agreements, which
details legal, employment, environmental, and At the extreme end of the outsourcing options,
social obligations. divestiture implies partial or complete sale of the
assets to the private sector or to an autonomous
The concessionaire may also be asked to rehabil- electricity cooperative. The legal and regula-
itate and refurbish some equipment, which turns tory environment should be assessed in order
the concession into a rehabilitate, operate, and to determine whether the transfer of ownership
transfer (ROT) model. In this case the concession- of state-owned essential services infrastructure
aire is conditionally granted asset ownership rights assets is permitted.
over existing and created assets for the term of the
agreement and is responsible for providing, pro- In the event of divestiture, as with other out-
curing, and managing investment funds. Similar sourcing, it is important that appropriate data
to an affermage arrangement, the concessionaire’s and documentation are made available to the
remuneration is based on the sale of electricity (as contractor, in order to ensure continuity in the
regulated by an associated PPA) and depends on management and performance of all aspects of
improvements in operating efficiency in various the facility. This is particularly important for any
areas such as billing, metering, collections, genera- documentation relating to safety.
tion efficiency, loss reduction, and productivity.

Concession agreements usually also transfer


4.2  Strengths and weaknesses
some CAPEX responsibility (and/or commit- of different O&M models
ments) to the concessionaire and include require- In order to support owners in choosing a model
ments on the status of equipment and facilities at adapted to the local situation, Tables 4.1, 4.2,
the end of the concession period. In cases where and 4.3 compare the strengths and weaknesses of
cash-flow improvements are insufficient to pay Models 1 to 3, respectively.
the concessionaire and a reasonable return on
investment is impossible due to inadequate cost

12  This is often the case as complete condition assessment of equipment would often require expensive and lengthy dismantling of units.

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TABLE 4.1  |  Strengths and weaknesses of Model 1

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES
1. Responsibility for O&M lies with the entity, which has the greatest 1. Model subject to government interference, often starving a public
interest in ensuring a sustainable flow of revenues and the long- owner of finance for efficient O&M.
term safety and performance of the facilities. 2. Owner does not benefit from skills, efficiencies, and new processes
2. Cheapest arrangement for the owner. that could be introduced by outsourcing.
3. Owner retains full control over own investments and operating 3. Public sector procurement bureaucracy, currency constraints, and
budget. payment delays can make it difficult to buy spare parts.
4. If utility is not fully qualified to develop a project or conduct O&M, 4. Budgets for public owners seldom include provision for future
it can acquire ad-hoc and flexible technical assistance to improve capital investments, leaving plant reliant on donors for financing of
O&M functions and to meet new technological challenges. life extension, rehabilitation, or refurbishment.
5. Model requires only expansion and training of existing competent 5. Often centralized (and not always transparent) governance of O&M
workforce. budgets which hampers O&M expenditures (especially for remote
6. Labor costs and associated expenses are low. plants).
6. Poor incentives for staff to deliver quality O&M.

TABLE 4.2  |  Strengths and weaknesses of Model 2 (some O&M is outsourced)

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES
1. A way to share and disseminate best practices among owners. 1. Few competent and experienced O&M contractors offer services in
2. Model provides flexibility to the government, the owner, and donors/ developing countries.
financiers in augmenting the owner’s capability. Alternatively, a 2. Model weakens support from government and parastatal utility to
package of services can be outsourced to boost the technical and make significant changes.
financial turnaround of management of the owner’s generation fleet. 3. Weak procurement and technical capacity can result in weak and
3. Reduced responsibilities for the owner: responsibility for certain poorly defined service contract.
O&M functional systems transferred to an independent and liable 4. Difficulties for outsourced operator to commit to performance
operator via an O&M service contract. without knowing the status of equipment.
4. Model builds capacity of the owner’s organization, allowing gradual
transfer of responsibility back to the owner after sufficient periods.
5. Experienced staff can assist with commissioning, eliminating
technical issues during the initial operating period.
6. A full or partial service contract can be set up allowing capacity
building of the owner’s organization with a gradual transfer of
responsibility back to the owner after sufficient periods. This
option allows experienced staff to assist with commissioning and
eliminates technical issues during the initial operating period.

4.3  Guidance for selecting institutional issues that govern the ability to
award concessions and/or divest ownership.
O&M model adapted to local
context The main factors that drive the selection of the
The selection of the model that best fits an O&M model may also include the following:
individual facility (or fleet) depends on the
■ type of ownership
business objectives of the facility owner, who is
ultimately responsible for the safe and effective ■ technical, managerial, and financial capacity
performance of the hydropower facilities. It is of the owner
also strongly influenced by government policy, ■ the availability of local and skilled workforce
the regulatory environment, labor laws, and

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TABLE 4.3  |  Strengths and weaknesses of Model 3 (all O&M is outsourced)

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES
1. Operator has incentives to meet or exceed technical and financial 1. Could result in higher overall cost than undertaking similar services
KPIs agreed to with the owner. in-house.
2. Model is likely to attract concessionary finance and donor interest. 2. Operators may require risk guarantees (for example to secure
3. Model reduces potential for government interference. offtakes).
4. Regulation by contract with respect to tariffs and operating 3. Often negative public impressions (foreign owned business).
agreements. 4. Political point of contention (sovereignty over natural resources or
5. Pre-agreed cost reflective tariff methodology, revenue security, and fear that private sector will outperform public sector).
no rate shocks. 5. May trigger organized labor resistance (public sector job loss).
6. Control of all of its own investments and the operating budget. 6. The financial sustainability of the project is reliant on the success
7. Training of local positions as much as possible to reduce expatriate and bankability of the off-taker and its ability to meet its payment
labor costs and associated expenses. obligations in a timely way.
8. Bonuses and penalties can incentivize operators and 7. Other future projects or concessions may encroach on the operating
concessionaires to perform. boundaries of the facility.
9. May result in quicker and greater improvements. 8. Few competent and experienced O&M contractors offer services in
developing countries.
10. Construction risks often assumed by the concessionaire.
9. Model weakens support from government and parastatal utility to
11. Operating and maintenance performance requirements can be
make significant changes.
jointly established and monitored by concessionaire, financiers, and
grantor. 10. Challenging to establish a fair contract due to diverging long-term
interests of owner versus short-term revenue maximization by
contracted operator.
11. Owner may progressively lose capacity to supervise contractors
and concessionaires and to discuss strategic responsibilities and
orientations, including CAPEX and investment strategies.
12. Difficulties to distribute financial responsibilities for major repairs,
refurbishment, and replacements.

■ the enabling environment (regulations, avail- to develop the required skills and knowledge
ability of skilled resources, institutional and in-house in the short to medium term. Short- to
contractual arrangements, etc.) medium-term technical assistance contracts can
■ the needs for major repair, refurbishment, or then be considered. If such support contracts are
replacement. deemed insufficient or not sustainable, consider-
ation should be given to use of Model 2 or 3 for
1. Type of ownership temporary or longer-term improvements.

Public entities may often want to remain in Private entities often have fewer constraints
Model 1, as they are often reluctant to outsource on outsourcing some or all responsibilities to
O&M because of lack of support from politicians, other private operators specializing in this field.
unions, and trade and professional organiza-
tions. The utility is also often expected to staff 2. Owner’s experience, capabilities,
such public services in traditional ways in order and knowledge
to provide and sustain local employment. Large
parastatals often report to government and are As assessed in the diagnosis in Step 1, the own-
therefore often governed by civil service employ- er’s experience and capabilities will be crucial to
ment norms, sometimes making it difficult to the selection of the model and to the definition
outsource services. In this case, an indepen- of levels of supports to be outsourced. It will
dent diagnosis needs to look closely at how best be easier to apply Model 1 when the owner is

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experienced with a proven record of efficiency, O&M model, a local workforce has to be involved.
service delivery, and skilled staff. In cases where The size and quality of the available workforce
new projects are added to an existing fleet, it will will then influence the choice of model, including
also be easier to remain within Model 1 when the split of responsibilities between local and
the owner has proven experience and efficiency. expatriate staff.
Recruiting necessary staff and reallocating expe-
rienced staff to train them should be possible Countries such as Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Kenya,
for such owners. However, an inexperienced or Mozambique, and Pakistan have developed the
inefficient owner may then consider using either necessary education and skills and created local
Model 2 or 3 (at least as an interim measure) to workforces with experience in hydropower O&M
ensure safe, reliable O&M from the outset. Train- that are trained and ready to be hired by an
ing of local technical and managerial staff can owner, concessionaire, or operator. In Pakistan
also be carried out over time, with the vision of for example, the New Bong Escape hydropower
increasingly localizing most labor and reducing facility (Case Study 4) was staffed by a private
O&M costs. owner through recruiting skilled staff from the
large national workforce developed by Pakistan’s
Given that hydropower-forced outage rates are Water and Power Development Authority. In
usually greatest in the period following commis- the first few years of operation, until the owner’s
sioning, the O&M strategy will need to ensure internal management team was ready to take
that appropriately skilled personnel are avail- over management of the workforce, it con-
able from the start of operation that can make tracted O&M management assistance from TNB
experience-­based decisions, resolve technical (Malaysia).
problems, and continue training local staff until
they are able to both manage and carry out all Other countries may face capacity challenges,
O&M tasks safely. Depending on the owner’s including lacking a local workforce with hydro-
comfort level with the O&M management and power experience, which may result in depen-
workforce (in-house or contracted), consider- dence on regional and international personnel
ation can be given to strengthening the workforce under outsourcing Models 2 and 3. This is partic-
with an O&M support service contract (Model 2) ularly the case in post-conflict countries, where
through the original equipment manufacturer whole generations have lost access to education.
(OEM) during initial operations. In these settings, outsourcing (regionally or
internationally) for basic skills to implement the
3. Availability of the necessary skills O&M strategy over the short to medium term is
in the national workforce common. Staffing of the Bumbuna hydropower
facility (50 MW) in Sierra Leone, for example,
The level of hydropower development as well
was carried out by bringing in a workforce from
as the ability to develop robust curriculums on
Ethiopia Electric Power (EEP). Overall manage-
hydropower are key determinants in the avail-
ment of the facility was vested in Salini Costrut-
ability of skilled O&M staff on the local labor
tori, the EPC contractor. Counterpart local staff
market. Research will be required to ascertain
were put in place for training and shadowing
the quality and quantity of local skills to staff
EEP and Salini staff, with the aim of eventually
future hydropower development or to make
replacing most expatriates.13
improvements in existing facilities. Regardless
of the choice between an in-house or outsourced

13 http://jouleafrica.com/projects/bumbuna-phase-ii

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4. Enabling environment and Governance: Existing governance systems
governance may also highly influence the selection of a
model. If the owner wants to transfer some
Labor laws and employment requirements:
responsibility to the outsourced operator
Consideration must be given to the country’s
(Model 2 and 3), it should be supported with
labor laws and immigration and employment
associated governance systems and delegation
regulations when selecting an O&M model. A
that will allow the operator to implement his
new hydropower owner needs to understand
duties and vision and deliver efficiently.
at the planning stage these requirements and
restrictions, including laws regarding trade and
5. Needs for major refurbishment
professional unions, in order to anticipate the
or repairs
barriers to expatriate recruitment, cost implica-
tions, and risks involved. Offshore O&M service The needs for major refurbishment or repairs
providers under Models 2 and 3 will have to con- may also influence the selection of model
sider similar market-specific requirements and or at least the type of external support to be
constraints in delivering services in the targeted sought. In the case where major works are
country, which may influence their appetite for foreseen, the owner may wish to include in
such services. the refurbishment contracts some O&M ser-
vices, such as training and O&M support after
The government or utility granting a service con- commissioning.
tract or a concession (Models 2 and 3) may also
include rules and requirements on local hiring in Selection of O&M strategy
the concession agreement, including for potential As described above, the main factors determin-
transfer of staff to the owner at the end of con- ing the choice of O&M strategy are the owner’s
cession. It is normal for employment terms and capacity, the regulatory environment in the
conditions for these staff to be transferred during country, and the management approach of the
the transition. institution. Table 4.4 provides strategy options
based on the capacity of the owner to execute
Figure 4.3 illustrates how the organizational the implementation and ongoing O&M of a
structure and staffing plan need to be adjusted to new or rehabilitated facility in a developing
take account of the restrictions to labor employ- country.
ment due to national legislation and contractual
obligations, that may influence the formulation These recommendations are illustrated in the
of the O&M strategy. decision trees shown in Figures 4.4 and 4.5.

FIGURE 4.3  |  Influence of labor laws and employment restrictions on staffing plan

Evaluate employment
Develop organizational Review restrictions on Assess education
Process restrictions in contracts
structure and staffing employment of foreign quality, capability and
or concession
plan and assess costs and local labor skills of local labor
agreement

Organization
Adjust staffing Adjust staffing Design training
Outcome structure, staffing
plan and costs plan and costs program
plan, and labor cost

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TABLE 4.4  |  Strategy selection based on owner capabilities to implement adequate O&M

OWNERSHIP AND CAPABILITIES POSSIBLE STRATEGY OPTIONS


■ Continue operations with internal and external capacity building support if private operators
Public utility with a fleet of poorly managed are not allowed (Model 1A)
hydropower facilities ■ Employ technical advisors/contractors for strengthening weak areas (Model 2)

■ Employ a full-service management contractor (Model 3)

Public utility with a well-functioning and well- ■ Continue BAU (Model 1A)
managed fleet of hydropower facilities ■ Seek outside assistance in select areas requiring specialized skills or knowledge (Model 2)

Private entity and first-time concessionaire, or ■ Build internal capacity and seek support in selected areas (Model 2)
newly created government unit managing a single ■ Procure a full-service O&M contractor, at least initially, localizing employment over time
hydropower facility (Model 3)
Private, experienced concessionaire with a fleet of ■ Continue BAU (Model 1B)
hydropower facilities ■ Seek outside assistance in select areas requiring specialized skills or knowledge (Model 2)

FIGURE 4.4  |  Public utility decision tree for selection of model

O&M by
public
utility

O&M by O&M by
Yes Good fleet No
performing nonperforming
performance?
utility utility

Consider specialist Diagnostic identifies


Optimization
Yes advisors to optimize poor performance
opportunities?
O&M (Model 2) and root causes

No

Sustain or replicate
O&M for new facility Private sector
(Model 1) No allowed? Yes

No

Identify internal Procure


Outsourcing
improvement specialist
O&M
programs contractors
(Model 3)
(Model 1) (Model 2)

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FIGURE 4.5  |  Private owner decision tree for selection of model

O&M by
private owner

Review business
Experienced Assess local
Yes environment and
operator? capacity
labor laws

No

Contract Prepare staffing,


management recruitment and
services training plan
(Model 2 or 3) (Model 1)

4.4  Structuring O&M services Africa and (ii) World Bank management services
sample prequalification15 and bidding docu-
and management contracts ments,16, 17 the following guidance is proposed
O&M contracts for hydropower facilities are sim- when considering Model 2 or 3:
ilar in many respects to other utility management
services contracts (MSCs). The terms of reference Service or management contracts?
(TOR), which defines the scope of services, varies
The use of management contracts can be a good
depending on the needs of the client. There are
strategic option when the owner is an:
not yet any standard contracts for hydropower
O&M services. However, examples of O&M ■ inexperienced, first-time concessionaire, or
contracts for other sectors can be accessed on the a newly created parastatal unit (managing a
World Bank’s website.14 single hydropower project implementation)
■ existing parastatal utility with a poor perfor-
MSCs are structured in a similar fashion to a
mance record of operating and maintaining
consulting services contract. They are usually
its fleet of hydropower facilities
issued for a fixed duration at a lump-sum price
with defined milestones and deliverables and ■ experienced hydropower concessionaire that
performance incentives. Expenses, including does not wish to be responsible for recruit-
consumables and spare parts, may be reimbursed ment, staff management, and operation of a
separately. particular facility.

Service contracts are the preferred option for


Based on the authors’ experience and review of
existing entities (whether private or public) who
(i) hydropower O&M contracts from Canada,
wish to strengthen their capacity in certain areas
Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sub-Saharan
or outsource specific activities or responsibilities.
14 https://ppp.worldbank.org/public-private-partnership/sector/water-sanitation/management-operation-maintenance
15 http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/297191467998780726/pdf/multi-page.pdf
16 http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/458841468739545677/pdf/multi-page.pdf
17 Particularly the Technical Note provided for guidance in preparing procurement documents, prequalifying bidders, and tendering the
services. The Technical Note provides systematic advice not only on the preparation of documents and the management of the procurement
process, but also provides examples of utility MSC service contracts from developing countries and describes the pros and cons of different
options when formulating the key components of an MSC for a utility.

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Scope of services ■ subsidiarity: risks should be shared based on
who is best able to manage and bear them
The scope of services will depend on which
services are to be outsourced and which respon- ■ detailed description of responsibilities for
sibilities are to be transferred. The scope can repairing and/or replacing equipment (espe-
range from managing only technical mainte- cially expensive ones or those which may result
nance functions to managing facility operations, in lengthy outages or large generation losses).
financial and administrative affairs, and external
A public utility may base the contract require-
relations. The contract should spell out the scope
ments on the demarcation of responsibilities
of services in the following areas:
and liabilities that makes them more comfort-
■ operations able and limits outsourcing, assuming that the
situation will improve in the future. However,
■ maintenance (including distribution of
governments and donors may sometimes look
responsibilities for expenditures)
for deeper involvement of the third party, assum-
■ environmental, social, and license
ing that a private contractor will assume greater
compliance
responsibility and accountability for achieving
■ regulatory and legal compliances, including specific targeted outcomes. Such aspects should
interaction with PPAs be addressed carefully through constructive dia-
■ responsibilities in terms of OPEX and CAPEX logue and based on the assessment of capabilities
expenditures carried out in Step 1.
■ procurement and financial management
KPIs
■ public interaction and relations with
communities Improvements in KPIs can be used to trigger
■ human resources and payroll. incentive payments. Areas that can be monitored
for determining success and the payment of vari-
Request for proposals and draft contracts should able fees include the following:
then ensure that outsourced services are well
defined and that the demarcation between ■ energy production and revenues (actual ver-
responsibilities and liabilities is clear. The con- sus planned, taking into account long-term
tract should also embody the following features: hydrology)
■ generation capacity availability (actual versus
■ fair balance between both parties in terms of agreed targets)
risk allocation
■ forced outage rates and durations (actual
■ fair balance between risks and rewards to the versus agreed targets)
contractor
■ capital and operating budget performance
■ variable fees that are sufficient to incentivize (actual versus planned/committed)
the contractor (at a minimum, fixed fees
■ workplace safety indicators such as accident
should cover the contractor’s direct and indi-
frequency and severity indices (actual versus
rect costs, which leaves normal profit levels
agreed targets)
and beyond, as variable)
■ environmental and legal compliance inci-
■ preferring bonuses to penalties for meeting
dents (number and severity)
targets, hence promoting positive incentives
■ maintenance activities (actual versus
(as bidders may otherwise include the risk of
planned)
penalties in the bid price, thereby losing the
incentive while resulting in a higher cost)

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■ store inventory value (actual versus planned) that encourages and rewards good O&M prac-
■ training program performance (actual versus tice. Bonuses typically range from 10–35 percent
planned). of the annual base management fee paid to the
contractor.
Table 4.5 has been extracted from an existing
management contract and provides illustrative O&M contracts should also include the possibil-
figures and thresholds on some of these KPIs. ity of terminating the service as the ultimate pen-
alty for default of the contractor/concessionaire,
Bonuses, penalties, and incentives with an adequate period of handing over, which
in turn is compensated according to its progress
As discussed above, bonuses are preferred to
and success.
penalties or liquidated damages to encourage
good performance.
Procurement
When relevant, penalties and liquidated damages While there is plenty of international capacity
need to be commensurate with the contractor’s and capability to provide support services under
revenue. In virtually all cases for hydropower, Models 1 and 2, there are few experienced oper-
the O&M contractor’s revenue is a small portion ators able or prepared to take on Model 3 O&M
of the facility’s income. Hence, even setting the contracts, especially in developing countries.
level of penalties or liquidated damages at the In setting up procurement processes, it is par-
full annual value of the contract will not safe- ticularly important to ensure that quality and
guard the owner from lost revenue during pro- experience are the main factors for adjudication.
longed outages resulting from poor operation. If price is perceived as the primary criterion for
selection, good quality O&M contractors will not
Conversely, bonuses which provide a share of participate in the process, and only contractors
the improvement in the facility’s income can with poor capability and experience will tender
substantially increase the contractor’s revenue (with often underestimated and insufficient
and provide a good performance incentive. The resources in their proposal). The performance
best protection for the owner against revenue of the outsourced O&M may be little better, if
loss is therefore the selection of a highly compe- not worse, than if the O&M function had been
tent and experienced O&M contractor, appro- retained in-house.
priate insurance cover, and a contract structure

TABLE 4.5  |  Example of performance measures used to calculate incentive payments

WEIGHT IN
INDICATOR TARGET VALUE CALCULATION METHOD PENALTIES/BONUSES
(% OF TOTAL)
Overall availability factor 97% AF = (available hours/reporting period hours) × 100 20%
Transmission availability factor 98% AF = (available hours/reporting period hours) × 100 20%
Overall generation-forced outage rate 1% FOR = (FO hours/FO hours + service hours) × 100 10%
Transmission-forced outage rate 1% FOR = (FO hours/FO hours + service hours) × 100 10%
Budget performance variance ≤+5% Annually not more than 5 percent above approved budget 10%
Increase in store inventory value ≤+5% Annual increase of not more than 5 percent 5%
Accident frequency (per 100,000 hours worked) 1 1 lost-time injury per 100,000 hours worked 15%
Accident severity (per 100,000 hours worked) 10 10 lost-time days per 100,000 hours worked 10%

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Monitoring interruption insurance (BII) is often taken out
during operation to supplement the owner’s all-
O&M contracts should be monitored and admin-
risk policy. The latter will cover the cost of resti-
istered by competent individuals or organiza-
tution of the damaged elements, while the former
tions, either from within the owner’s team or
protects the owner’s revenue stream.
from external companies. This monitoring will
aim to ensure compliance with the contract
When a detailed risk analysis of potential fail-
terms, confirm that performance parameters
ure events is undertaken, as discussed in Step 1,
are met, receive documents and deliverables on
insurance proceeds are considered to mitigate
the owner’s behalf, agree to contract variations,
the impacts when determining the residual risk.
certify payment, and assist with settlement of
disputes.
Insurance may also be available to cover failure
by off-takers to comply with their payment obli-
Regular reporting of O&M performance by the
gations under the PPA.
monitor will provide the owner with data to eval-
uate the success of the O&M strategy, which can
Service and management contracts may include
then be adjusted and improved if necessary.
insurance requirements in order to cover the
main risks to the assets or that may result in
Transfer condition
revenue loss. Public utilities often self-insure
The O&M contract will typically include clauses for revenue loss and reconstruction costs, while
relating to the condition of the facility when it commercial insurance is generally mandatory
is handed back to the owner at the end of the for private-sector owners and operators. Self-­
contract term, or on termination. It will include insurance can lead to prolonged reconstruction
details of tests and inspections that will be periods if funds are not readily available, and
carried out, and the process for valuing defects hence should be discouraged.
to establish penalties or payment deductions.
It should also include details of dispute resolu- Insurance is necessary before project completion
tion procedures in the event that agreement on and during plant operation. Insurance during
condition and valuation cannot be reached by the the pre-completion phase covers construction,
parties. environmental, and political risks, including
reconstruction costs and advanced loss of profit.
Insurance during the post-completion phase
4.5  Insurance covers operational failures, and environmental,
Insurance is a valuable tool for managing and political, nonpayment, and transfer risks. During
mitigating risk in hydropower. A diverse range the operation phase, insurance usually covers
of insurance products are available covering all all risks associated with plant and equipment,
stages of hydropower development and opera- breakdown cover, loss of revenue (business inter-
tion. Some insurances, such as third-party lia- ruption cover), and public liability.
bility and vehicle insurance, are required by law
or are specified in concession agreements and Insurance costs are budgeted under the annual
operating licenses. Other insurances are optional OPEX budget. They typically account for roughly
and will be taken out in order to mitigate costs 0.5 percent of the construction CAPEX. Insur-
or revenue loss. Advance loss-of-profit insurance ance companies typically require hydropower
may be placed during construction in order to owners and operators to maintain the facility in
protect the owner’s revenue stream in the event accordance with the manufacturer’s recommen-
of a delay due to an insurable event. Business dations and good industry practice. This includes

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carrying out preventive, planned-interval main- It is important for developers of new projects
tenance in accordance with the O&M plan. and owners of existing facilities to consult with
insurance advisors and brokers at an early stage,
Increasingly, insurers prefer that operators as aspects of the design will affect the cover avail-
transition to condition-based maintenance, using able and the premium. This can have fundamen-
CMMS. They provide discounts for keeping crit- tal impacts on the configuration of a Greenfield
ical spare parts in inventory. Insurance compa- scheme, or the design of a refurbishment project.
nies generally audit the O&M annually to ensure
compliance with the policy. Among the benefits Insurance typically covers the owner, the oper-
of developing a good O&M strategy and apply- ator, and other named parties on the policy,
ing good industry practice to O&M is a potential including those with a commercial interest, such
reduction in insurance premiums. as lenders.

THE OUTPUT FROM STEP 4

Is the selection of the model to be used for the O&M strategy. This will be a choice from Models 1,
2, or 3, along with their options and variants. A list of contracts/operators envisaged to be mobi-
lized will also be provided, including description of key responsibilities and strategic terms of the
proposed contracts (time-based, lump-sum, performance based, bonuses/penalties, etc.).

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Step 5:
Organizational and
staffing options
Photo Credits: (Top left): Babar Khan.
(Bottom right): World Bank.

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Having selected and structured the O&M model 5.1  Organizational structure
in Step 4, the required organizational structure
is developed in Step 5, giving consideration to The organizational structure of O&M activities
staffing levels, and the training and experience varies significantly depending on (i) whether the
required. owner is responsible for O&M of one or several
sites and (ii) the type of facility.
A sustainable O&M strategy aims to ensure that
qualified technical and managerial resources Multi-site arrangements and corporate
are in place to deliver O&M services effectively support
and safely within a framework of responsible The success of sustainable hydropower O&M
business practices. By doing so, it also seeks for a company with a fleet of facilities depends
to strengthen human resources and ultimately largely on how well the organization functions
improve institutional capacity and corporate gov- in meeting its corporate objectives. The success
ernance, as well as the business environment. of the organization depends on the quality of
its employees (skills, knowledge, and experi-
The owner can develop a recruitment, staffing,
ence) at all levels of the company and how well
and training plan suited to the O&M model
the human resources are selected, trained, and
chosen in Step 4. For a new facility, recruitment,
managed. The differences between the perfor-
staffing, and training takes into consideration
mance of well-run and poorly performing utility
the country-level business environment and the
fleets are evident at multiple levels. The greatest
capability of the country’s workforce to perform
responsibility rests at the senior and manage-
hydropower O&M. For an existing fleet seeking
ment levels. Shortcomings should be identified
to improve its performance, the owner aims to
during the diagnosis in Step 1 and through a
prepare a plan making the best use of in-house
more detailed operational audit.
resources combined with external advisors or
contractors in accordance with the chosen O&M The organizational structure is specific to an
model. individual owner and facility/fleet. It will vary
with the size and number of facilities in the fleet
For all models, whether O&M is outsourced or
as well as the distance between sites and distance
undertaken internally, it will normally be appro-
between communities served. Ken Gen—the
priate to build the capacity and skills of local
publicly traded owner of most of Kenya’s power
personnel. This helps to ensure the sustainability
generation—has, for example, adopted a typical
of the organization through reducing reliance on
O&M organizational structure for public sector
foreign staff and will generally reduce the cost of
multi-facility managers, illustrated in Figure 5.1.
labor.
This structure can also be used for managing the

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FIGURE 5.1  |  Centralized management and support services for a fleet of generation facilities

Corporate resources

Legal
Corporate Administration
generation Human resources
management Procurement
Public relations
Finance/Accounting/Payroll
Environmental monitoring

Maintenance Performance Civil engineering Workplace safety


engineering monitoring Dam safety and health

HPP 1 HPP 2 HPP 3 HPP 4

Other
generation

O&M functions of multiple plants located near responsibility for the planning, justification,
one another, such as facilities in a cascade on and execution of major maintenance and
a river system. The organization chart demon- capital projects.
strates centralization of many corporate func- 2. Performance monitoring: This corpo-
tions that support hydropower O&M activities, rate function is responsible for monitoring
such as human resource administration, finance, the performance of various utility measures,
procurement, legal, regulatory, ICT, security, and including hydropower performance. Per-
transportation. formance monitoring requires hydrological
expertise to ensure that water resources for
As well as the central administrative function, all hydropower facilities are managed in the
support services that are usually provided at the most efficient manner possible.
corporate level to all facilities in a fleet include
3. Dam safety and civil engineering: This
the following:
function is generally separate from other
1. Maintenance engineering: This corporate support services. It is responsible for dam
function assists site and fleet personnel with safety programs and formal monitoring and
the design and monitoring of maintenance inspection of all civil structures, with a focus
programs and provides engineering services on water containment structures. This group
to solve O&M problems. In some organi- works closely with civil maintenance staff at
zations, this group may also be assigned each site.

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4. Workplace safety and health: This group Local O&M structure
is responsible for supporting site safety pro-
As illustrated in Figure 5.2, functions that need
grams and accident investigation in a consis-
to be staffed on-site O&M include the following:
tent manner across the company.
1. electrical maintenance
Each site will have its own staffing structure for
delivery of local O&M services, and the size and 2. mechanical maintenance
strength of this team depends on how much of 3. control, protection, and communications
the services are devolved to the site. For some maintenance
modern facilities, such as SSE’s plc fleet in 4. civil-works inspection and maintenance
Scotland, the entire O&M service is centralized, 5. planning, analysis, and scheduling
and no personnel are specifically allocated to a maintenance
facility.
6. switching and clearing
In the case of individual projects that do not 7. administration and purchasing/inventory
form part of a fleet, including many IPPs, the 8. town-site O&M and administration (if
entire corporate structure must be developed for applicable).
the project. However, the corporate and admin-
istrative functions are often separated from the Depending on the country and location of
generating facility, especially if the hydropower the facilities, staffing may or may not involve
site is at a remote location.

FIGURE 5.2  |  Organizational structure of typical hydropower site

Community
Site manager relations

Maintenance Operations Administration Townsite


management management management management

Plant operations Health, safety, Clerical Housing


Maintenance Electrical
Switching environment, Stores Roads
planner maintenance
Clearing and social Purchasing Building
Vegetation
Fire crew
Spill response

Control
Protection Mechanical
Communications maintenance
maintenance

Civil structures
Hydromechanical
maintenance

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residency at the facility. The company may in modern human-machine interfaces).
some instances provide housing for the O&M Depending on decisions made at the time the
team, except for casual local labor. The more specifications for the plant design or design
remote an installation is, the more difficult it is of upgrades for rehabilitation are finalized,
to staff and the more expensive it is to operate the plant may be modified for remote oper-
and maintain. ation and monitoring. Local plant operators
may not be required if technicians carry out
The organization chart in Figure 5.2 is repre- switching and clearing procedures when
sentative of a single facility contained within a on-site for maintenance purposes. Condi-
larger fleet in a vertically integrated utility—the tion monitoring is also helpful in putting in
norm for most developing countries with state- place efficient maintenance programs with
owned monopolies and centralized-support enhanced predictive capabilities.
functions shown in Figure 5.1. This organiza- 4. Access (remoteness). The remoteness of the
tional structure usually entrusts day-to-day site site affects the owner’s ability to attract and
O&M responsibility to facility personnel, who are retain competent staff, particularly younger
guided and constrained by corporate policies, staff with families, who require access to
operating procedures, and rules, and by technical good education, health care facilities, and
and administrative parameters. recreation services. Another consideration is
the increased response times if staff required
The arrangements for organization and staffing to respond to an emergency or resolve an
for a single plant site depend on six main factors: unplanned outage are not present at site.
Access may be hampered by customs poli-
1. Experience of owner and/or its service
cies that may not allow for visas on arrival
providers. An experienced owner or one
or multiple entry visas, preventing real-time
with an experienced service provider staffs
international assistance from the owner, an
the facility in accordance with the character-
engineering consultant, or a representative of
istics of the facility and the principles of safe
the original equipment manufacturer.
practice.
5. Division of responsibilities between
2. Size of the plant. The size of the plant
central/corporate and site teams.
determines the cost-benefit impacts of having
Centralized office functions may include
staff available on-site to deal with forced or
public relations, contract management
unplanned outages. For smaller facilities,
(PPA, concession agreement, and operating
the value of lost generation caused by longer
agreement), and financial matters, including
response times may not warrant having all
energy billing and banking, human resource
disciplines reside at the facility. For larger
management, purchasing, and environmen-
installations, the costs of having specialists
tal, regulatory, and legal compliance.
on-site (or regionally located to serve sev-
eral facilities) may be justified. In the case 6. Outsourced functions. These will depend
of a private concession, PPA, operating-­ on the model and external supports mobilized.
agreement, or concession-agreement, condi-
Regardless of the ownership structure, it is desir-
tions may need to be considered with regard
able for all stakeholders (including contractors
to staffing, longer response times, and agreed
and service providers) to localize as many jobs
upon availability metrics.
as possible without introducing unacceptable
3. Age of plant and installed technolo- risks. Before making any assumptions about local
gies (remote control, monitoring and data capacity, it is advisable to gain a good under-
acquisition, real-time condition monitoring, standing (through the diagnosis in Step 1) of the

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quality of education and training in the country ■ Labor costs: low labor costs tend to encour-
and the depth and availability of hydropower age high staffing levels rather than efficient
O&M experience. Poor planning can lead to operation.
significantly underestimating O&M costs and to ■ Politics: governments often overstaff facili-
risks that are usually avoidable. ties to boost employment levels.

Classic job titles, profiles, and associated tasks As an example of extremely low staffing, the fully
and requirements are provided in Appendixes D automated and remotely controlled 100 MW
and E. The owner may use these tables as check- Glendoe HEP in Scotland, owned and operated
lists that could provide guidance or feed job by SSE, does not have any full-time employees
descriptions for recruiting key positions that are on-site. The facility is inspected by a roving team
not yet staffed. They can also use them to update of technicians who also cover other hydro facil-
job descriptions for staff already employed. ities in the vicinity. Monitoring and operation
is carried out from a centralized control facility,
where 80 stations with 125 generating units are
5.2  Staffing levels operated by fewer than 20 staff, who provide
The number of staff required to operate a hydro- continuous round-the-clock coverage. Hence the
power facility is largely dependent on the size O&M at Glendoe is covered by the equivalent of a
and number of facilities and degree of automa- handful of staff.
tion, and is also affected by the nature and loca-
tion of the facility and the owner’s approach to This contrasts with 1,330 MW Kainji and Jebba
staffing. Each facility and location are individual, HEP in Nigeria, which, prior to privatization,
and staffing requirements vary widely as illus- employed 450 managers and staff for O&M. Fol-
trated by the case studies. lowing privatization, this number was reduced to
159 staff.
In addition to the six main factors previously
described, the following factors are also among An indication of staffing levels and structures
those driving staffing requirements: for well-run hydropower facilities is provided
in the case studies summarized in Table 5.1 and
■ National capabilities: lack of local capa- in the final chapter of this report. More detailed
bility means expensive expatriates are descriptions of the case studies can be found
required. in the companion report titled Operation and
■ Corporate capabilities: owner/operator Maintenance Strategies for Hydropower—Six
may not have skills and systems for efficient Case Studies.
working.

TABLE 5.1  |  Staffing levels at case study schemes

NAME COUNTRY CAPACITY (MW) NO. OF PLANTS NO. OF STAFF


Statkraft Portfolio Brazil 188 MW 6 45
Mount Coffee Liberia 88 MW 1 36 (18 national + 18 international)
Kainji and Jebba Nigeria 922 MW 2 159
New Bong HEP Pakistan 84 MW 1 69
Nalubaale and Kiira Uganda 380 MW 2 120
Salto Grande Uruguay/Argentina 1,890 MW 1 >300
Source: IHA (2019).

Step 5: Organizational and staffing options   |  69

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FIGURE 5.3  |  Number of staff compared with installed capacity for case studies

350
300

Number of O&M staff


250
200
150
100
50
0
0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000
Installed capacity (MW)

Number of staff Linear (number of staff)

It can be seen from these examples that there the Kafue Gorge Regional Training Centre in Zam-
is a wide range of staffing levels, even for effi- bia offer training in O&M of hydropower facilities.
ciently run facilities. Plotting the number of staff
against installed capacity (Figure 5.3) based on Appendixes D and E provide recommendations
these case studies suggests a tentative correlation for the education and skills required to be con-
between the size of a facility (or fleet) and the sidered for key O&M positions. Table 5.2 gives an
number of staff required to operate it. illustration of these requirements for an electri-
cal engineer and a technician.
However, the plot in Figure 5.3 should be used
with caution, since it is only based on six case In developing countries, it is common practice to
studies and since the number of staff required consider technicians or engineers to be qualified
is driven by many other factors as previously upon completion of the academic portion of their
discussed. It can tentatively be used as a guide training (diploma or degree). In most countries,
to the requirements for an efficiently operated there are no formal practical training require-
facility where most services are provided on-site, ments after graduation. Formulation of the
and the plant is operated locally without support staffing plan requires (i) close examination of the
from a centralized team. quality of education in the country, (ii) appropri-
ate adjustments to ensure that adequate time and
operating funds are allocated to education and
5.3  Education and training training, and (iii) that additional costs of import-
Training requirements ing talent during training periods are included in
the budget.
To be sustainable, an O&M strategy requires the
continuous development of human resources to
Hydropower-specific training
competently carry out O&M functions for the
duration of operations. High-quality, secondary For new hydropower developments, training
education and technical colleges are needed to should be planned before construction starts
produce competent technicians, and accredited and implementation should begin during the
universities are needed to provide the bachelor-­ construction phase, at least one or two years
level education required for professional before commissioning starts. A common model
positions. used when adding a new plant to a fleet is to
select staff with the right credentials within the
Organizations such as the National Power Train- existing organization and to ensure that they
ing Institute of the Indian Ministry of Power, or participate in training programs run by the

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TABLE 5.2  |  Training requirements for technician and engineer at typical utility in North America

ADDITIONAL SITE-
SECONDARY POST-SECONDARY ON-THE-JOB
POSITION SPECIFIC ON-THE- QUALIFICATION
EDUCATION EDUCATION TRAINING
JOB TRAINING
Grade 12 matriculation University B. Sc.
Electrical or Receives professional
with acceptable in electrical or Engineer-in-training,
mechanical engineer status after
standing in math, mechanical 3 years
engineer 7 years
physics, and English engineering, 4 years
Electrical or
Grade 12 matriculation Technical college
Electrical or mechanical technician Receives restricted
with acceptable diploma in electrical Qualified technician
mechanical training program status as technician-
standing in math, and mechanical status after 7 years
technician practical and in-training, 1 year
physics, and English technology, 2 years
academic, 4 years

original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and are ■ the existence of other hydropower facilities in
involved in the installation and commissioning the country and their O&M performance
of the plant that they will eventually operate and ■ the experience of recruits and the relevance
maintain. In addition, local engineers should be of this experience to the tasks associated with
taken on by the owner or the project implemen- hydropower O&M
tation unit for training throughout both the proj- ■ the experience of the facility owner and/or
ect design and construction phase. This type of service providers.
training generally works well for a well-function-
ing utility with staff possessing the required skill Partnering with universities, other utilities
sets to make full use of the practical training. It is (Box 1), and specialized training institutes can
more challenging for a poorly functioning utility. also be part of the strategy for finding and train-
ing staff. International platforms, such as the one
When preparing human resource plans (including provided by the International Center for Hydro-
plans for staffing and training), the owner should power (ICH), can also build and strengthen
take the following factors into consideration: capacity.18
■ the availability of educational opportunities
BOX 1  |  Example of partnership between utilities
■ the quality of secondary and post-secondary
education of available staff
For a year before commissioning, staff of the 76 MW Muela hydro-
■ the quality of the country’s educational power plant in Lesotho were given hands-on training in Ireland at an
institutions ESBI hydropower plant. After commissioning and manufacturers’ train-
ing, they were supported by an operations management specialist
■ the authenticity of educational
from Manitoba Hydro International for another five years of operations.
documentation

THE OUTPUT FROM STEP 5

Is the organization and staffing structure (including job titles and organograms) required for
implementation of the O&M strategy. The staff numbers, grades, qualifications, and status (expa-
triate or local) are used in Step 6 for preparation of O&M budgets.

18 http://www.ich.no/detalj/courses/3579

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Step 6:
Estimating financial costs
Photo Credits: (Top left): Pierre Lorillou.
(Bottom right): Babar Khan.

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The process for estimating O&M costs is defined extensive associated infrastructure cost more
in Step 6. For existing hydropower facilities, to operate than simple compact facilities.
this cost estimate provides a basis for allocating ■ Age: older hydropower facilities with man-
a sufficient budget to ensure that facilities can ual controls, analogue systems, and out-
be operated in accordance with good industry dated equipment cost more to operate than
practice. For new projects, the estimates also modern, fully automated, remotely operated
provide input to the economic and financial digitalized plants.
analysis undertaken to determine the viability of ■ Condition: facilities in poor condition
the project. requiring continuous attention and suffering
frequent failures cost more to operate than
6.1  Factors affecting facilities in good condition. Facilities in poor
condition are likely to require significant
O&M costs
capital investment programs.
O&M costs for hydroelectric facilities are usually ■ Location: facilities in remote locations,
treated in two categories: especially where accommodation, utilities,
and other facilities need to be provided for
■ Operating expenditure (OPEX), which
O&M staff, cost more than hydropower facili-
covers all day-to-day operating costs associ-
ties in urban locations.
ated with normal administration, operation,
and maintenance of the facility, and its asso- ■ Country: since staff costs form a significant
ciated infrastructure. portion of OPEX, the labor costs and avail-
able skill levels in the country have a signifi-
■ Capital expenditure (CAPEX), covering
cant impact on O&M costs, especially if lack
one-off activities such as major refurbish-
of skills means that expatriates are required.
ment, overhaul, upgrades, and replacements.
Some other input costs (vehicles, fuel, etc.)
For the purposes of validating the O&M strategy, also vary by country.
the costs are often estimated in USD. However ■ Regulatory regime: the cost of permits,
local or other international currencies may also licenses, registrations, rents, and other
be used, matching the currency that was adopted administrative outgoings varies from facility
for estimating the benefits in Step 2. to facility and by country.
■ Owner’s approach to staffing: many
The costs of hydropower facility O&M vary con- traditional public utilities carry larger staff
siderably due to a range of factors including: resources than commercial organizations
with leaner operations.
■ Nature of the facilities: complex facilities
with multiple units, extensive civil works, and

Step 6: Estimating financial costs   |  73

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6.2  Estimating OPEX budgets of assets, whereas single station owners must
attribute all these costs to a single hydropower
OPEX budgets are usually prepared to estimate facility.
the cost of operation per annum. As costs reflect
day-to-day operations, which are continuous Power station and control room staff
throughout the lifetime of the facility, these costs
are usually treated as a constant value through- All staff involved in the day-to-day operation
out the lifetime of the plant, although usually of the facility, including the control room, sub-
there are allowances for inflation. stations, transmission interconnector, and all
associated infrastructure (other than staff accom-
Few O&M cost components are dependent on the modation camps) are included in this cost com-
run-time or energy output of the hydropower facil- ponent. The cost of staff should include direct
ity. Apart from spare parts and lubricants, O&M salary costs, bonus and incentive payments,
cost components are mainly fixed costs. Thus, for overheads, social charges, and any allowances.
the purposes of this assessment, there is no need The costs of transport to and from the site should
to separate the OPEX into fixed (per annum basis) be included, together with other costs associated
and variable (per MWh basis) components. with expatriate and remote location packages.
The cost of recruitment, training, leave, and
For an existing fleet, the historic costs of O&M other indirect costs should be added.
can provide a good basis for this cost estimate
adding, where appropriate, components intro- In preparing the budget, it is common to identify
duced in the new O&M strategy. the staff positions for key staff and management
and estimate their salary costs based on the
The primary components of an OPEX budget can required experience and qualifications. The job
be classified as follows: titles, descriptions, and requirements in Appen-
dix C will help with this exercise.
Head office, administration and engineer-
ing costs Staff numbers should include office support and
administrative staff, drivers, security guards,
Head office costs include all administrative cleaners, and laborers. Vehicle maintenance
costs of running the business, such as manage- technicians, stores clerks, and medical staff (at
ment and support staff, office premises and the power station, but not the camp clinic) are
equipment, licenses, permits and other regu- included in this category.
latory costs, rents, property taxes, utility bills,
accounting, auditing and legal fees, including The cost of O&M staff forms a very significant
costs of administering contracts and other costs portion of the OPEX budget. While the cost var-
associated with selling electricity. Provisions ies from facility to facility, it may comprise up to
should also be included for advisory services, 50 percent of the total OPEX cost.
although fees for studies and designs associated
with major projects are typically included in the Planned maintenance and inspection
CAPEX budget. Recruitment and training costs costs
for head-office staff should also be included. The
components of staff costs are described in more Depending on corporate accounting policy,
detail below. planned maintenance works may be included in
either the OPEX or the CAPEX budget.
Public utilities and fleet operators are able to
spread the head-office costs across their fleet

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Planned maintenance and inspection may transport (typically 4WD utility vehicles), buses,
include, but are not limited to: trucks, tractors, trailers, bowsers, and mobile
cranes. The OPEX cost for these vehicles will
■ powerhouse generating equipment repairs include either the rental cost or the amortization
(civil, electrical, mechanical) of the purchase cost, maintenance, fuel, licenses,
■ grid interconnection repairs and insurance, etc.
■ dam repairs (civil, electrical, mechanical)
Insurance
■ access roads/bridge repairs
■ powerhouse building repairs Insurance costs vary depending on the value
■ scheduled inspections (civil, electrical, and insured, the nature of the facility, the location,
mechanical) the quality and strategy of O&M, and the insur-
■ other miscellaneous items depending on pro- ance products purchased (section 4.5).
duction and run-time, such as consumables,
oil, lubricants, and spare parts. Utilities

The planned maintenance and inspection costs The cost of utilities includes the costs of water,
will vary from year to year and may have a cycli- sewerage, and telecoms services provided by
cal pattern. Thus, a five-year or long-term budget external organizations. It may also include the
should help to cover this cyclical pattern. For cost of electricity purchased from the grid when
budgeting of a new facility, an average cost over the facilities are not generating, or at locations
the life of the facility may be sufficient as it will supplied from the grid rather than tapped off
cover the variability of these costs on an annual before the export meter.
basis.
Environmental and social costs
Equipment and vehicle costs
Any costs for environmental or social obliga-
O&M equipment costs to be covered in the OPEX tions, such as monitoring, catchment manage-
budget include: ment, livelihood restoration, or maintenance of
resettlement villages, need to be included in the
■ major maintenance and testing equipment budget. These costs are specific to individual
■ hand tools facilities, and require a bespoke estimate based
■ office equipment (computers, printers, tele- on the results of the environmental and social
coms, portable devices, furniture, etc.) impact assessment (ESIA) and other studies.
■ personal safety equipment, including radios,
O&M camp
satellite phones, and venting equipment
■ workshop equipment (compressors, welding The costs associated with provision of accom-
sets, etc.). modation can vary from zero, in the case where
there is adequate accommodation nearby, to
The cost of this equipment needs to include pro-
a very substantial cost in remote locations. In
vision for consumables and any service fees (such
addition to the cost of houses, costs may include
as for mobile or satellite phones).
the provision of water, drainage and sewerage,
security, education, medical and leisure facilities,
The cost of operating and maintaining vehicles
and other facilities and services needed to run a
used for O&M should also be budgeted. O&M
small village.
vehicles usually include vehicles for personal

Step 6: Estimating financial costs   |  75

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As with the power station, the costs need to the year in which they will be incurred. For IPPs
include provision for staff, vehicles, equipment, it is common to establish a major maintenance
and consumables. account to create a fund that can be drawn on as
needed. The fund accrual is often tailored to suit
Contingencies the envisioned finance structure of new-build
projects, with contributions to the fund grow-
It is normal to include a contingency in the ing as interest payments decline, resulting in an
OPEX budget estimate. The level of contingency investment profile that increases with time.
depends on the stage at which the estimate is
made: during feasibility studies a contingency Whether as a sinking fund or a schedule based
of 10 percent to 20 percent is common, while on the in-year costs, the CAPEX investment plan
during operation, once the costs are more cer- needs to make adequate provision for the costs
tain, 5 percent to 10 percent may be adequate. that are likely to be incurred. These include not
However, care is needed to avoid double account- only equipment purchases and construction/
ing. If a conservative approach is adopted in repair contracts, but any costs for studies, engi-
compiling the budget estimate, a large contin- neering, legal and regulatory services, and envi-
gency should not be included as well. ronmental and social measures.

OPEX template CAPEX budgets should also include smaller cap-


ital items necessary to support the O&M function
A template for estimating the annual OPEX
that are not included in the OPEX budget. These
budget is included in Appendix G. This template
costs may include heavy equipment (cranes,
is for illustrative purposes only. The figures
bulldozers, backhoes, and other earth moving
presented are notional and are not based on any
equipment), new buildings, housing or lease-
real project. The granularity and presentation of
hold improvements, new large tools, machinery
OPEX budgets will vary depending on corporate
and equipment, new (not replacement) major
policy, but the detail given in the template is ade-
spare parts, and replacement of small operat-
quate for the purposes of formulating an O&M
ing equipment. These budget lines are usually
strategy.
straightforward estimates with quantity and
cost information being generally available. Some
As discussed previously, the actual costs will vary
corporate policies include many of these items
greatly from project to project, and the staffing,
within the OPEX budget on the basis that pur-
equipment, and other expenses will differ consid-
chases will be spread out and can be covered by
erably depending on the size, location, age, and
the amortized allowance in the budget. Others
other characteristics of the project.
make provision within the CAPEX budget to
ensure that there is adequate financial provision
6.3  Estimating CAPEX in the year of purchase of these major items.
budgets
Two basic scenarios are considered hereunder for
The CAPEX budget deserves special care and estimating CAPEX:
detailed planning (at least for major equipment)
as it typically accounts for the largest share of ■ new-build project, with costs based on the
the O&M budget. It covers nonroutine expendi- life expectancy of the major components
ture due to major refurbishment, rehabilitation, ■ existing hydropower facility, with a
upgrade, and repair. It is typically presented as capital investment schedule based on the
an investment schedule, with the costs shown in condition of the existing plant, and works

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determined to be required in the initial diag- life. The CAPEX investment budget is based on
nosis (Step 1). the likely cost of the replacement or refurbish-
ment. This can be based on the original cost or
As the purpose of this estimate is for validation of the component adjusted for inflation, but the
the O&M strategy, a high-level approach can be percentage of original cost varies greatly depend-
adopted. This would later be confirmed through ing on the component. Electronic equipment is
detailed feasibility studies. typically budgeted at 100 percent of cost, since it
is likely to be replaced in its entirety by updated
New-build CAPEX estimate equipment. Civil works, heavy mechanical and
The various components of a hydroelectric facil- hydro-mechanical equipment may be budgeted
ity are estimated to reach the end of their useful at 25 percent of original cost, and other items in
lives after different periods of service. This is between, depending on how much of the original
illustrated in Table 6.1. component is likely to be re-used.

For new-build projects, it is assumed that these For stations with multiple units, it is common
components will require major refurbishment to budget for major refurbishment of one unit
or replacement at or near the end of their useful per year. This allows the costs to be staggered
and makes optimum use of low-flow seasons
to enable work to be carried out with minimal
energy loss.
TABLE 6.1  |  Average life expectancy of plant parts
and systems
Figure 6.1 shows a 100-year CAPEX program
EXPECTED designed for a 35 MW low-head hydropower
PLANT PART OR SYSTEM
LIFE (YEARS) facility in Canada, commissioned in 2016 with
Penstocks, gates, stop logs, trash racks 50–100 an initial investment of Can$150 million and
Main generation equipment: turbine equipment other a project life of 50 years. The CAPEX program
than runners, generator, motor; governor, excitation 30–40
system, and main inlet valves
budgeted for the first 50 years is Can$44 mil-
lion (about 29 percent of initial investment
Turbine runners Variable
Kaplan turbine 30–60 costs), with most of the funds being spent at the
Pelton turbine 40–70 end of the project life to refurbish for the next
Francis turbine 25–40 50 years. It is interesting to note that it rep-
Power transformers 40 resents around one-third of the total scheme’s
High-voltage switchgear and switchyard equipment 40 investment (which is typically the cost of the
Medium-voltage switchgear 30 electro­mechanical equipment of a hydropower
Low-voltage switchgear 30 scheme—the other two-thirds being civil works).
Plant auxiliary mechanical and electrical equipment
(drainage and dewatering pumps, cooling system, CAPEX estimate for existing facilities
compressed air system, ventilation and air 30
conditioning system, AC/DC power supply, emergency For existing facilities, the CAPEX program will be
diesel generator, etc.)
based on the condition assessment undertaken
Seals, bushes, small fasteners, small valves, water
15–20 in Step 1. The works will prioritize activities that
strainer
rapidly deliver benefits, taking account of the
Electronic devices and cards/controls, control
and protection system, remote control, SCADA, 20, 15, or less financial capacity of the owner. Ideally, a full
communication equipment, metering feasibility study with cost-benefit analysis would
Painted surfaces 3–5 be undertaken to define and optimize the CAPEX
Source: Adapted from IFC (2016).
program. This is unlikely to be carried out during

Step 6: Estimating financial costs   |  77

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FIGURE 6.1  |  Capital expenditure budget for a Canadian hydropower facility, 2018–2117

Combined CAPEX/MM Annual Totals


16,000

14,000

12,000

10,000
CAPEX/MM [$K]

8,000

6,000

4,000

2,000

0
2018
2021
2024
2027
2030
2033
2036
2039
2042
2045
2048
2051
2054
2057
2060
2063
2066
2069
2072
2075
2078
2081
2084
2087
2090
2093
2096
2099
2102
2105
2108
2111
2114
2117
Combined total Civil Electrical Mechanical Long term civil/mechanical

the selection of the O&M strategy, but at least a facilities. OPEX can be estimated by applying the
preliminary study should be carried out at this IRENA percentages to these construction costs.
stage. At a minimum, it should include a high- Based on an initial capital cost for a medium-size
level cost estimate based on an assumed schedule hydropower facility in Africa estimated at $2,500/
of refurbishment or replacement of life-expired kW, a 50 MW facility would cost an estimated
equipment, using percentages of estimated new $125 million to build, with estimated annual OPEX
costs for the respective equipment. in the range of $1.25–5 million, according to IRENA.

In 2003 the Idaho National Engineering and


6.4  Benchmarking Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) developed
Benchmarking OPEX budgets cost-estimation equations based on a database
of 2,155 hydropower sites in the United States
Benchmarking can be a helpful tool, but it should
(Hall, Hunt, and Carroll, 2003). The equation for
be used with caution and data should always be
OPEX is as follows:
contextualized. Very limited benchmarking infor-
mation is available for hydropower operating costs, OPEX (2002 US dollars) = fixed costs
and the available information is dated. The Inter- (A * [capacity (MW)]B) + variable costs
national Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA, 2012) (C * [capacity (MW)]D)
benchmarks OPEX at 1–4 percent of construction where A = 24,000, B = 0.75, C = 24,000,
costs (2–2.5 percent for large hydropower facilities and D = 0.80.
and 1–6 percent for small facilities). Consultants
typically use 1.5–2 percent as an average for OPEX The result needs to be increased based on the rate
on medium-sized facilities. of inflation between 2002 and the current year.

Figures 6.2 and 6.3 show the total specific construc- Using INEEL’s equation, a 50 MW hydro site
tion cost ($/kW) of large and small hydropower would have estimated OPEX in 2018 of around

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FIGURE 6.2  |  Cost ranges and capacity-weighted averages for large hydros by country/region, 2010–2018

Africa Brazil Central China Eurasia Europe India Middle North Oceania Other Other
America East America Asia South
and the America
Caribbean
2018 USD/kW

Capacity MW ≤ ≥

Source: © IRENA (2019). Used with permission from IRENA. Further permission required for reuse.
Note: Large hydropower projects in this figure are all those with capacity greater than 10 MW.

$1.5 million. This figure is at the low end of the replacement cost) has its limitations, especially
range based on IRENA’s benchmarking method. It where local circumstances or the nature of the
seems likely that IRENA has included major main- facility results in unusually high or low CAPEX.
tenance and refurbishment costs in its estimates, This is illustrated in Case Study 2 for Mount
accounting for the difference between INEEL and Coffee, where the reconstruction cost per MW is
IRENA benchmarking methods. It is therefore rec- nearly double what might be expected elsewhere
ommended that IRENA’s benchmarking approach, for a new project. However, the same factors,
or the 1.5 percent to 2 percent of capital cost used by including lack of skills among the local work-
consultants, is used to benchmark the OPEX cost. force, also results in a high O&M cost.

In the case studies summarized in the final chap- Another indicator for benchmarking O&M costs
ter of this report and detailed in the companion is to consider the cost per kW/year, and the cost
report Operation and Maintenance Strategies per kWh of energy generated. These indicators
for Hydropower—Case Studies, a wide range of are presented in Table 6.2 for the case studies.
budgets is illustrated, from less than 0.5 per- The case studies are also summarized in the final
cent to around 1.5 percent of CAPEX investment chapter of this report and presented in more detail
value. This shows that O&M costs are dictated in the companion report Operation and Mainte-
by the particular circumstances of each facility, nance Strategies for Hydropower—Case Studies.
including its location and the availability of suit-
ably skilled local personnel to staff the facility. Table 6.2 illustrates some of the difficulties in
The use of percentage of construction CAPEX (or comparing O&M costs. Companies have their

Step 6: Estimating financial costs   |  79

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FIGURE 6.3  |  Cost ranges and capacity-weighted averages for small hydros by country/region, 2010–2018

Africa Brazil Central China Eurasia Europe India Oceania Other Asia Other South
America America
and the
Caribbean
2018 USD/kW

Capacity MWe ≤

Source: © IRENA (2019). Used with permission from IRENA. Further permission required for reuse.
Note: Small hydropower projects in this figure are all those with capacity less than or equal to 10 MW.

TABLE 6.2  |  O&M cost per unit of capacity and energy of case study facilities

CAPACITY ENERGY O&M COST O&M COST/MW O&M COST/MWh


SC NO. ASSETS
MW GWh/YEAR US$M/YEAR kUSD/MW/YEAR US$/MWh
CS1 Skanska Statkraft Assets in Brazil 188 959 5.80 32.22 6
CS2 Mount Coffee, Liberia 88 159 5.00 56.82 30
CS3 Kainji and Jebba, Nigeria 1,338 5,500 1.40 1.05 0.3
New Bong Escape hydropower
CS4 84 470 2.75 32.74 5.9
project, Pakistan
CS5 Nalubaale and Kiira, Uganda 380 1,424 7.00 18.42 4.9
CS6 Salto Grande, Uruguay/Argentina 1,890 8,542 16.90 8.94 2.0

own methodologies for allocating costs to CAPEX The benchmarking approach from IRENA or
and OPEX, and in some cases, the costs of cen- the consultant’s typical 1.5 percent to 2 percent
tralized services and insurances are not included. of capital cost may be used at the pre-­feasibility
For example, in the case of Kainji and Jebba stage, but for more detailed assessment a
(CS3), it is unlikely that the full O&M cost is ­“bottom-up” approach, as described in sec-
included in the cost shown. tion 6.2, is appropriate.

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Benchmarking CAPEX budget The cost of undertaking O&M contracts includes:
There is no reliable benchmarking information ■ Cost of labor, equipment, and
available for hydropower capital costs for replace- expenses: this is essentially the same cost as
ment, refurbishment, or rehabilitation during the would be incurred by the owner, although a
operations phase as these costs depend on many private contractor may use a smaller team.
influencing factors. For new facilities, it is import- ■ Cost of administration and overheads:
ant to create a proper operation phase CAPEX again, this is similar to that which would be
plan prior to project financing so that proforma incurred by the owner, although the owner or
budgets include costs for future rehabilitations a fleet operator may be able to take advantage
and replacements in accordance with expected of economies of scale as a result of sharing
life cycle of the equipment. Typically, the owner costs across facilities.
will create a long-term CAPEX budget along with
■ Cost of risk: this is dependent on the level
long-term OPEX budget and use them in financial
of risk assigned to the O&M contractor. The
models for financing and tariff discussions.
risks in Model 2 are likely to be lower than
in Model 3. In both cases, risks will depend
In the absence of feasibility studies, the CAPEX
on the penalty and bonus structure of the
estimates should be based on percentage of the
contract. The cost of risk in a poorly framed
component costs. For example, in a comprehen-
contract may exceed the other hard costs.
sive refurbishment, 100 percent of the control,
protection, and SCADA equipment might be ■ Recovery of investment costs: this
replaced, and 30 percent of the turbine-­generator amount will depend on how much the con-
units, but expenditure on the dam and civil works tractor is required to invest, and the cash flow
might only be 10–15 percent of its original cost. under the payment terms. Contractors charge
As a check, a major refurbishment program might a high premium if their income does not
cost around 25 percent of the overall original closely match their expenses.
construction cost (escalated for inflation). Such a ■ Profit: the operator will expect a reasonable
program is likely to be carried out over a period profit in the range 10–20 percent of the con-
of years and is likely to start 25–30 years after tract value.
commencement of generation.
Bearing in mind these factors, it should be pos-
sible to produce contract terms where the cost of
6.5  Impacts of outsourcing outsourcing is within the 150–200 percent range
(Models 2 and 3) of the cost of providing the services in-house.
While this may seem a high price to pay, the
There is little information available to provide additional cost can easily be recovered through
guidance on the budget for the outsourcing mod- increased revenue and reduced outages. It is
els (Models 2 and 3). However, some guidance possible to make much of the increased cost con-
can be derived by analyzing a breakdown of the tingent on achieving a significant uplift in the rev-
costs of the services involved in undertaking the enue, so that the outsourced O&M pays for itself.
outsourced contracts.

THE OUTPUT FROM STEP 6

Are the cost estimates of OPEX and CAPEX planned under the proposed O&M strategy? These cost
schedules will be used in the cost-benefit analysis to validate the strategy and check whether the
proposed strategy is sustainable and bankable.

Step 6: Estimating financial costs   |  81

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Step 7:
Validating and
financing the strategy
Photo Credits: World Bank.

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In Step 7, the proposed O&M strategy is ana- the benefit stream (positive values) are calcu-
lyzed and validated. The primary method of val- lated. If the NPV is positive, it demonstrates that
idation is economic cost-benefit analysis using the time-weighted value of the benefit stream
the estimated costs derived in Step 6 and the exceeds the time-weighted value of the cost
expected economic benefits from Step 2. If the stream, and hence the investment is yielding
cost-benefit analysis does not achieve a satisfac- positive returns.
tory hurdle rate, an iterative loop back to Step 2
is proposed, to repeat the process until satisfac- The same model can be used to present the
tory balance or marginal benefits are reached. benefit/cost ratio of the investment, which, if
This step also includes a check that adequate greater than one, indicates positive returns on
funding will be available. the investment.

Care is needed in selection of the discount rate.


7.1  Cost-benefit analysis Use of a high discount rate quickly reduces the
In order to validate the O&M strategy, economic value of future benefits and tends to make capital
cost-benefit analysis is undertaken to ensure that investments look unprofitable. However, the use
the benefits derived from the strategy exceed the of an unrealistically low discount rate will show
costs of implementing the strategy. such investments as being profitable, when in
reality the cost of capital renders the investment
It is important that for both cost and benefits, the to be uneconomic.
incremental values of implementing the strategy
are captured. In the case of costs, it is the incre- A discount rate of 6–8 percent is recommended,
mental costs (in excess of the BAU case for exist- with costs and benefits in constant prices. This
ing facilities) that should be used. For benefits, should reflect the weighted average cost of capi-
the uplift in benefits associated with implemen- tal (WACC) for many owners. Sensitivity analysis
tation of the strategy is used. If marginal calcu- can be carried out around this number to assess
lations are not feasible, the balance/financial whether the analysis is robust.
equilibrium of the overall utility’s business model
will be checked. In the event that the cost-benefit analysis does
not validate the proposed O&M strategy, alterna-
Validation of the O&M strategy requires a simple tives should be investigated, starting at Step 1 to
spreadsheet-based model. The net present value ensure that a robust strategy delivering positive
(NPV) of the cost stream (negative values) and benefits is selected.

Step 7: Validating and financing the strategy   |  83

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Private-sector owners may also carry out a finan- (with the support of local or international fund-
cial analysis, evaluating the costs of operating the ing). Debt financing from local private banks
facility with and without the implementation of could also be used with the support of guarantees
the O&M strategy, taking into account financing from development banks or other development
costs and expected revenue streams. The finan- agencies.
cial indicators used to justify the investment will
vary from company to company, but the O&M Escrow accounts are often established to hypoth-
strategy will be expected to show improved ecate revenue from major off-takers, to ensure
financial returns compared with the business-as- that the revenue is available to be used for O&M,
usual case, if it is to be adopted. either to cover the owner’s OPEX costs under
Model 1, or to provide payment security under
Models 2 and 3.
7.2  Financial/funding
assessment Finally, in order to support allocation of ade-
quate funding and budget allocation, a presenta-
In order to determine the financial viability of
tion may need to be made to decision makers on
the proposed strategy, the costs estimated in
the potential costs and implications of poor O&M
Step 6 should be inserted into the financial busi-
practices, as presented in the introduction.
ness model of the utility to check that financial
resources will be available at the required time to
fund the proposed strategy. 7.3  Validation of the strategy
If this proves not to be the case, discussions on At this point in the process, the main outputs
budget allocation/prioritization within the over- from all previous steps should be brought
all structure may need to take place and financ- together in a comprehensive report that will
ing options may have to be explored to balance record key analyses and outcomes including:
the financial model. Such options could include,
■ diagnosis of existing state
among others, the mobilization of subsidies
from the sector or loans that will allow the gap ■ strategic objectives for future situation
between returns from investments and expendi- ■ selection of activities to reach these objectives
tures to be bridged. ■ selection of O&M model to effectively imple-
ment these activities
In case such analysis demonstrates that the elec- ■ identification of staffing and capacity-­
tricity tariff level or structure is the root cause building requirements
of failing to balance the model, communication,
■ cost estimate for implementing the strategy
and representation should be made to the agency
responsible for tariff setting to achieve tariffs ■ funding and cost-benefit analysis.
that will enable sustainable operation and main-
Consultations will then need to take place to
tenance of the hydropower fleet.
inform and obtain buy-in from all stakeholders.
In order to reduce the burden of major CAPEX The report may be issued to solicit feedback and
expenditure on the owner’s balance sheet and comments from internal stakeholders and man-
financial model, these activities could also be agers, so that they validate the reasonableness
externalized and funded as separate projects

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of the findings. Where required or relevant, disseminate key messages within the owner’s
external consultation will also be implemented. organization and other stakeholders.

Once the strategy is validated, targeted com-


munication documents may be prepared to

THE OUTPUT FROM STEP 7

Will be collation of the inputs and validation of the O&M strategy, including cost-benefit analysis
and identification of funding sources for the investments required.

Step 7: Validating and financing the strategy   |  85

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Step 8:
Implementing the strategy
Photo Credits: (Top left): World Bank.
(Bottom right): Babar Khan.

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Having validated the O&M strategy in Step 7, Other methods for underwriting the owner’s pay-
guidance on the implementation of the strategy ment obligations are set out in Table 8.1.
is provided in this Step. This guidance covers
detailed operating plans, contracts, agree-
TABLE 8.1  |  Contractual arrangements to legally
ments, finance mechanisms, and monitoring frame implementation of the O&M strategy
procedures.
CONCESSIONAIRE/ PARASTATAL
ARRANGEMENTS
PRIVATE OPERATOR UTILITY
8.1  Supporting contracts Concession agreement and
✓  
power purchase agreement
and agreements
Partial risk guarantees ✓ ✓
Once approved, the O&M strategy is imple- Sovereign guarantees ✓  
mented by the owner using internal resources Allocation of responsibilities
and appropriate agreements and contractual with respect to upstream/
arrangements. downstream water resource
management jurisdiction, ✓ ✓
environmental issues, and
The terms and conditions in the O&M contract social responsibilities arising
will need to reflect the obligations of the owner out of the project development
under its concession agreement and PPA in the Employment and training
case of an IPP, or the requirements of the elec- requirements for localization of ✓  
tricity regulator in the case of a public utility. positions
Recruitment and training
✓ ✓
programs
A key issue for the O&M contractor will be the
security of payment for its services. Many public
utilities in developing countries have poor credit
ratings. Guarantee mechanisms, such as partial
8.2  Annual operating plans
risk guarantees, may be required in order to pro- (including five-year capital
vide security of payment. program)
Once the O&M strategy has been formulated and
Escrow accounts provide a particularly effective
contractual provisions for implementation have
mechanism of payment security for O&M contracts.
been completed, the owner will need to proceed
Rolling one-year escrows may be funded out of
with preparation of a detailed annual operating
revenues of the facility. In the event that the owner
plan that will describe how the strategy will be
fails to maintain the account, the O&M contractor
implemented. Annual plans will describe the
has one year of funded operation during which the
operation activities to be undertaken on a daily,
account may be replenished. If the account fails to
weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual basis. The
be replenished, the contractor can demobilize.

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subsequent operating plan will also include activ- more-detailed one-year capital plan will set out,
ities required to implement the O&M strategy on a daily basis, the activities to be undertaken
(internal activities, consultancies, training, etc.). during the coming year and will be integrated in
Longer-term plans will cover the activities over the above-mentioned annual operating plan.
subsequent years. It is expected that these plans
should be updated annually on a rolling basis. The operating plan is used to communicate the
organization’s goals for the coming years, the
In order to develop a plan that suits the require- actions needed to achieve those goals, and all
ments of the grid, discussions with the electric- other critical elements developed during the
ity system operator, off-taker, and possibly the planning exercise. This annual planning process
regulator will be required, so that maintenance follows a method similar to that described in
outages can be timed for minimum disruption Steps 1 to 6.
and coordinated with other generators. The com-
munication requirements for this will normally Figure 8.1 provides an example of an annual
be specified in the concession agreement, PPA, or planning process.
grid code.
The operating plan is a management tool that
In addition to the annual O&M plans, a capital facilitates the coordination of the organization’s
works program is required to schedule the non- resources (human, financial, and physical) so
routine capital-investment activities. This plan that goals and objectives in the strategy can be
will typically cover a five-year period, setting out achieved (Isaac, n.d.).
activities and expenditure during this period. A

FIGURE 8.1  |  Typical annual planning process to implement the O&M strategy

Vision Statement

O&M
strategy

Validate

Stakeholder
Progress consultation Five-year Five-year
Reports
reporting and OP operating and
input CAPEX plan

One-year
OP

Annual operating
plan and budget

Source: Adapted from ICANN.org (2015). https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/operating-plan-budget-2015-06-12-en

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In Table 8.2, the differences between the O&M allocation; as the last step, it may be modified to
strategy and the operating plan are described. reflect policy decisions or financial changes made
during the budget-development process.
TABLE 8.2  |  Difference between a strategy plan and
an operating plan for O&M The operating plan is prepared with inputs from
all entities involved in O&M. It can be limited in
O&M STRATEGY OPERATING PLAN scope to looking at a single facility or multiple
A specific plan for the use of facilities, depending on the structure of an orga-
A general and strategic guide for
the organization’s resources in nization. Operating plans work for both in-house
O&M management.
pursuit of the strategic plan.
management of O&M and outsourced O&M or
Suggests strategies to be Details specific activities and
employed in pursuit of the events to be undertaken to
any combination of the two. In case of outsourc-
organization’s goals. implement strategies. ing major responsibilities, contracted operators
A plan for the pursuit of should deliver and share such comments to the
A plan for the day-to-day
the organization’s mission in the owner for feedback (and validation if required in
management of the organization
longer term (three to five years, or the contract).
(one-year time frame).
even longer).
An operating plan should not be
Enables management to In order to implement the plan, it is necessary
formulated without reference to a
formulate an operational plan. to establish a detailed O&M budget. The typical
strategic plan.
Operating plans may differ O&M budget process begins three to four months
The strategic plan, once before the end of the year. Figure 8.2 shows a
significantly from year to year
formulated, tends not to be
depending on changing O&M typical timeline for this process with a sample fis-
significantly changed every year.
circumstances. cal year starting January 1.
The operating plan is produced by
The development of the strategic
management of the organization
plan is a shared responsibility
and involves different categories
and approved on an annual basis
for directing activities for the
8.3  Monitoring
of stakeholders. implementation of the strategy
current operating year.
Source: Isaac (n.d.). The last step is to put in place mechanisms to
capture data on a continuous basis in order to
The operating plan shows: inform management on progress in meeting the
objectives of the O&M strategy and operating
■ what: strategies and tasks that must be plan. This is normally undertaken through mea-
undertaken surement and monitoring of KPIs and prepara-
■ who: people who have responsibility of each tion of monthly and quarterly reports. Analysis
of the strategies and tasks19 of the reported KPIs enables decisions to be
■ when: timelines in which strategies and made on the success, or otherwise, of the O&M
tasks must be completed strategy, so that continuous adjustments may be
■ how much: financial resources are needed made.
to complete each strategy and task.
Many of the KPIs are only meaningful once
The operating plan is both the first and the last several years of records are available. Hence
step in preparing an O&M annual budget. As initial assessment of success of the operator will
the first step, it provides a plan for resource need to be based on the operator’s approach and
methodology, and assessment of the operator’s

19  For this purpose, a RACI responsibility matrix could be developed as mentioned at the end of Step 3.

Step 8: Implementing the strategy   |  89

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FIGURE 8.2  |  Sample timeline of annual operating plan

• Draft annual O&M budget (including OPEX, CAPEX)


• Draft outage and maintenance schedule
Oct 15 • Update major maintenance and major capital expenditure programs

• Finalize O&M budgets (review and seek management approval)


• Finalize outage and maintenance schedules
Nov 15

• Draft annual operating plan


Nov 30

• Finalize annual operating plan


Dec 15

• Present to senior management/governance for approval


Dec 20

performance in carrying out the services in sufficient length of record, they can be compared
compliance with his obligations under the O&M with the targets in the strategy and with industry
contract. Later, when the KPIs are based on norms.

THE OUTPUT FROM STEP 8

Include the documentation required for implementation of the O&M strategy. The documents
include the supporting contracts and agreements, the five-year capital program, the annual oper-
ating plan, and the monitoring plan, including the KPIs that will be measured and included in
regular reports.

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Summary of case studies
Photo Credits: (Top left): World Bank.
(Bottom right): Pierre Lorillou.

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Case studies hereunder showcase different mod- training is provided to enable the utility to revert
els for implementing O&M strategies and illus- to Model 1.
trate practically some of the recommendations
and good practices described in this handbook. The following subsections summarize each
These six case studies (Table 9.1) have been pre- case study while further details are provided in
pared with public utilities and private companies Appendix H: Detailed Case Studies.
and are structured around the key steps and top-
ics covered in the preceding steps, including stra-
tegic models, management of human resources
9.1  Statkraft Energias
and financial aspects. They also bring lessons Renovaveis, Brazil
learned from the implementation of O&M strat- In July 2015, Statkraft took over control of the
egies that had been chosen and applied, while Statkraft Energias Renovaveis (SKER) Brazilian
sharing views on remaining challenges and company, increasing their shares up to 81.31 per-
future directions. cent, in partnership with FUNCEF, a Brazilian
pension fund (18.69 percent). SKER is an exist-
The case studies illustrate the options available ing company with almost 316 MW installed
under these models, including facilities like capacity, of which 128 MW is onshore wind
Statkraft in Brazil (Case Study 1), where major generation and 188 MW is hydropower genera-
improvements were achieved through transition tion. SKER has successfully operated six facilities
from Model 3 to Model 1. Mount Coffee in Libe- (180 MW) at an average availability of 97.7 per-
ria (Case Study 2), illustrates a strategy where cent over the last three years (2015–17). This
Model 3 is adopted as an interim measure while

TABLE 9.1  |  List of case studies and models adopted

CASE INSTALLED
COUNTRY NAME MODEL KEY FEATURES
STUDY CAPACITY—MW
1 Brazil Statkraft’s Assets 180 MW (six facilities) 1 O&M taken in-house and Statkraft’s systems adopted
Interim measure while staff are trained to implement
2 Liberia Mount Coffee 88 MW 3
Model 1
Most O&M activities by the owner, but some specialist
3 Nigeria Kainji and Jebba 1,338 MW (two facilities) 2
activities outsourced
Notionally Model 3, but outsourced O&M is now
New Bong Escape
4 Pakistan 84 MW 3 undertaken by a subsidiary of the owner, so similarities
hydropower project
to Model 1B
5 Uganda Nalubaale and Kiira 380 MW (two facilities) 3 Fully outsourced concession
6 Uruguay/Argentina Salto Grande 1,890 MW 1 O&M by the in-house team

Summary of case studies  |  93

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is considered to be an optimum level for these a 360-degree risk process. The long-term and
hydropower assets. short-term planning processes take into account
operational conditions and maintenance require-
In 2015, the O&M model was structured with ments and determine the OPEX and CAPEX
limited ownership representation, and out- resources necessary to fulfil the company busi-
sourced management and execution (Model 2). ness plan. The annual O&M budget is allocated
By 2017 it transitioned to a model with full own- at the plant level, including all O&M expenses,
ership control, with management and execution administrative and financial requirements, and
carried out in-house (Model 1). This aligned the overhead, commercial, and tax expenses. In Stat-
O&M processes with Statkraft’s business plan kraft Brazil, each plant functions as an individual
and its long-term goals. company in order to optimize benefits.

SKER’s O&M strategies focus on operating on The Weighted Maintenance Object20 (WMO)
a commercial basis with profitability as a key benchmarking model, developed by Statkraft
objective, ensuring that health, safety, and and PA consulting in 1989, was applied in South
human rights of employees are valued and America and Asia over the last decade, improving
protected. the performance of their assets. The model rates
hydropower assets based on technical and OPEX-
The occupational health and safety system is CAPEX expenditures from high cost to low cost,
aligned with the guidelines in OHSAS 18001 and to improve efficiency and reduce operating costs.
ISO 14001 or equivalent national standards and Guidance from the WMO method reduced the
regulations. Efficient use and development of yearly OPEX by 3.7 Million USD, representing a
expertise and continuous improvement processes 40 percent reduction of the annual O&M bud-
underscore SKER’s O&M program. get across all six facilities. SKER’s facilities are
among the most efficient of Statkraft’s assets,
The in-house human resource planning process when compared using the WMO benchmarking
deployed within SKER evaluates workers from system.
a technical perspective and potential for career
progression in the Statkraft Group. To optimize Challenges faced by SKER in the coming decades
O&M staffing, a maintenance optimization pro- include managing O&M costs to ensure cost com-
cess was implemented, based on the TSW O&M petitiveness, further applying Statkraft corporate
model, resulting in a significant reduction in the contract and business models, and the need to
maintenance workload. adopt digitalization solutions for revenue opti-
mization and cost reduction through automation
The financial resources allocated annually to the and smarter O&M.
company’s O&M program are primarily based on
the corporate energy management plan, which
in turn is defined largely by basin hydrology and 9.2  Mount Coffee
market conditions. Once the financial resources Hydropower Project, Liberia
are allocated, an annual energy production fore-
The Mount Coffee hydropower project in Liberia
cast is prepared. Thereafter, the O&M work plan
has been fully restored, with a new four-unit,
is prepared, based on the condition of assets and
88 MW powerhouse coming online between
a risk and vulnerability assessment that includes

20  Technical infrastructure complexity is reflected in the WMO number. To compare companies with significantly different technical infrastruc-

ture, there was a need to normalize the comparison. Comparing technical infrastructure and related costs enables benchmarking of execution
and effectiveness within different regions.

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2016 and 2018, after the plant had been partially completion of the first-generation training
destroyed and totally disabled through years of program, after which the HOI staff will leave
civil unrest. After the facility was destroyed in the site. It is anticipated that after three years
the early nineties, Liberia Electricity Corporation of training, the operation shifts will be solely
(LEC) lost its in-house experience and expertise staffed by LEC personnel.
for operating the facility. In 2016, LEC signed a ■ Maintenance staff, under the responsibil-
five-year operations, maintenance, and training ity of HOI senior staff, each have a position
(OMT) contract with a Swiss firm, Hydro Opera- matched with an LEC counterpart trainee.
tion International (HOI) to operate and maintain
the Mount Coffee hydropower facility while pro- Some of the challenges with this ongoing O&M
viding theoretical and hands-on training to LEC’s arrangement have included: retention of newly
Liberian O&M staff. This training covers plant trained staff, lack of funds for day-to-day oper-
management, operations, maintenance of gener- ation and maintenance, lack of reserve funds to
ation equipment, and other associated skills. cover major maintenance works and future over-
hauls, operating issues related to grid instability,
Operation of the Mount Coffee Hydropower and challenges managing low inflows during the
station is focused on maximizing availability by dry season due to the lack of a storage reservoir.
ensuring that best practices and standards are
incorporated into the daily operation and main- O&M has been hampered through not including
tenance of all utility components (e.g., spillway, some of the infrastructure required for efficient
intake, production units, controls, etc.) and in O&M in the original refurbishment budget.
the training of 18 local staff by the contractor, Electricity production is currently constrained
HOI. by demand, and hence revenue is insufficient to
procure this infrastructure.
Maintenance strategies are developed on the
basis of regularly scheduled inspections of key Looking ahead, HOI has suggested that a spe-
components and systems, with replacement or cific O&M company with its own management,
repair of parts whenever required. Minimiz- financial, and operational targets and sources of
ing outage time and forced outages is achieved revenue might be a more optimal O&M strategy,
through planned inspections of all equipment which could guarantee the performance, reliabil-
(serviceable and non-serviceable) to establish ity, and sustainability of the plant over the longer
condition and to identify potential risk of failure. term.

Training of staff is designed to ensure that an


adequate transfer of skills is achieved through 9.3  Kainji-Jebba Hydropower
the five-year period. The following describes Complex, Nigeria
staffing arrangements: Mainstream Energy Solutions Ltd. (MESL) took
over the 1338 MW Kainji-Jebba hydropower
■ The management team, under the respon-
complex on November 2013. At the time of
sibility of an experienced plant manager,
acquisition, the Jebba plant was operating at
is staffed by HOI, with an LEC counterpart
460 MW, while the Kainji plant was completely
assigned to each position.
inoperable. To date, under their ongoing capac-
■ Operations staff are comprised of HOI shift
ity recovery plan (CRP), MESL has restored
supervisors, each with an LEC counter-
over 69 percent of the installed capacity of the
part. A second generation of LEC trainee
Kainji-Jebba complex to 922 MW. MESL has
staff has been added recently to prepare for

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improved the performance of the combined sys- ■ grid instability issues leading to accelerated
tem, with availability rates exceeding 99 percent equipment wear
over the period 2014 to 2018, and a forced outage ■ water resource management challenges
rate of only 0.53 percent. related to greater climate extremes
■ difficulties in sourcing spare equipment due
Before privatization of the power sector, Nigeria
to obsolescence
operated a vertically integrated power utility.
■ conflicts of interest with the downstream
Under the public governance model, hydro-
water users and riparian communities
power facilities were operated with a lack of
well-­defined O&M strategies, and a focus only ■ emergence of a more competitive electricity
on energy production, resulting in poor main- market.
tenance and a lack of safety and environmental
practices. Under this model, the Nigerian power MESL has implemented measures to achieve
sector suffered persistent power outages and continuous improvement in their O&M program
unreliable service, which compelled the govern- through the implementation of a computerized
ment to privatize the unbundled National Power maintenance management system (CMMS), and
utility in an effort to achieve a stable and ade- utilizing reliability centered maintenance princi-
quate supply of electricity at a reasonable cost. ples (RCM), with a target of achieving certifica-
tion ISO 9001. MESL is working to improve its
MESL was incorporated and licensed as a power water management strategies through an opti-
generating company in 2011, acquiring the mized inflow forecast system, to produce more
Kainji and Jebba hydropower facilities through a accurate generation projections and an improved
30-year (2013–2043) concession agreement with flood warning system.
the government of Nigeria. Under this arrange-
ment, O&M is in the hands of the private owner/ MESL has instituted a recruitment and reten-
concessionaire, MESL. MESL employs prudent tion program to encourage promotion within the
management to ensure the company prioritizes organization and facilitate knowledge transfer.
and achieves its annual financial targets and This has been achieved through a number of
minimizes costs. MESL strives for continuous training programs, e.g, leadership training for
improvement in its overall O&M strategies by middle managers as part of succession planning,
utilizing the Deming’s (PDCA) cycle concept and power plant operation and maintenance
and by benchmarking its O&M program against training for O&M personnel at both local and
world-class standards through key performance international levels, etc. Recruitment is assisted
indicators (KPIs) measuring plant availability by a national technical institution NAPTIN
and reliability. MESL monitors the performance (National Power Training Institute of Nigeria).
of its facilities, with safety as a priority, and with
targets of zero accidents and no environmental 9.4  New Bong Escape
damage, while optimizing reliability and energy
Hydropower Project, Pakistan
production.
Laraib Energy Limited (LEL) is a subsidiary of
Some of the challenges MESL has experienced in the Hub Power Company (HUBCO), the first
implementing their O&M program include: hydropower Independent Power Producer (IPP)
in Pakistan, and owner and developer of the
■ non-compliance with market rules by some 84 MW New Bong Escape (NBE) Hydroelectric
market participants Power Complex on the Jhelum River in Azad
■ instability in the Nigerian electricity market Jammu and Kashmir (AJ&K). HUBCO owns

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75 percent shares in LEL and has a portfolio of Training requirements are assessed annually
over 2,900 MW within the country. for technical and soft skills development. Spe-
cialized skills are developed through reliability
Laraib Energy Limited owns the 84 MW NBE centered maintenance (RCM) training organized
hydroelectric power plant, developed under the on-site for operators and technicians. LEL has
Build-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT) mech- signed a technical services agreement (TSA) with
anism. The facility will be transferred to the Andritz Hydro, which provides access to training
government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (trans- related to hydropower facilities, knowledge and
feree) at the end of a 25-year term. learning sessions, sharing of root cause analysis,
and improvement projects carried out at similar
Laraib Energy Ltd. had initially signed an O&M facilities.
agreement with TNB REMACO Pakistan in May
2011 to operate the facility in accordance with An annual plan is submitted by the O&M oper-
the lender’s requirements. This agreement was ator to the owner/concessionaire and an oper-
terminated in March 2018, after which the Hub ating budget is prepared, with final approval by
Power Services Limited (HPSL), a private sector the lenders and the board of directors. At the
O&M company and a wholly owned subsidiary of end of the year, the annual budgets are recon-
HUBCO, took over the role of O&M operator. ciled against quarterly expenses and compared
against the annual plan approved at the begin-
The O&M strategy for NBE is notionally aligned ning of the year. The annual plan incorporates
with Model 3, with virtually all of the O&M the anticipated plant improvement projects.
responsibilities outsourced under an arm’s- The O&M budget typically ranges between 2.5
length contract. However, since the O&M con- to 3.0 million USD per annum which represents
tractor is a subsidiary of the owner, the strategy ­1.1–1.3 percent of the construction cost.
shares many similarities with Model 1B.
Discussions are underway with global automa-
NBE is the world’s first hydropower facility to tion leaders to devise a predictive approach to
be implementing the globally renowned DuPont address aging of plant equipment in a proactive
Safety Management System and is the first manner, which could improve reliability using
hydropower project in Pakistan registered with expert diagnostics and predictive analytics,
the United Nations Framework Convention on resulting in early warning detection of equipment
Climate Change (UNFCCC) as a Clean Devel- failure, avoiding unplanned outages, and provid-
opment Mechanism (CDM) project. The NBE ing better risk management.
hydropower complex has maintained availability
levels at greater than 98 percent for the last three
consecutive years. 9.5  Nalubaale-Kiira
Hydropower Complex, Uganda
A total of sixty-nine staff, comprised of the Sta-
Uganda Electricity Generation Company Ltd.
tion Manager and Head of O&M, seven section
(UEGCL) has executed a 20-year concession
managers and sixty O&M staff work at the plant
with Eskom Uganda Limited (EUL) for opera-
site. The O&M team reports to the Plant Man-
tion, management, and maintenance of the Kiira
ager and is comprised of seven departments:
and Nalubaale power stations. Eskom sells the
Health, Safety, and Environment; Operations
electricity it generates to the Uganda Electricity
and Maintenance; Projects and Engineering;
Transmission Company Limited. The agreement
Human Resources; Finance; Business Support;
will be in place until 1st April of 2023.
and Administration.

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Currently, the Kiira and Nalubaale power sta- concessionaire with a focus on asset management
tions have a combined capacity of 380 MW. and (ii) skills retention.
Availability for the Nalubaale and Kiira complex
has been maintained from 94–97 percent, and
the combined annual energy production is on
9.6  Salto Grande Hydropower
average 1,424 GWh per year. Complex, Uruguay/Argentina
The Salto Grande Complex (SGC), located a few
The general O&M policy adopted by EUL for kilometers upstream from the cities of Concordia
maintaining the Nalubaale-Kiira hydropower (Argentina) and Salto (Uruguay), is comprised of
complex is comprised of two maintenance cycles. 14 Kaplan turbines rated at 135 MW per unit for
The first is a general maintenance and overhaul a total installed capacity of 1,890 MW. Average
completed during a 30-day planned outage on annual availability was 94.3 percent in 2017 and
a 36-month cycle for each unit. The second are 95.6 percent in 2016, with an overall average
more detailed inspections completed during a availability of 93.4 percent from 1983–2017.
15-day planned outage on an 18-month cycle for
each unit subsystem, to establish the condition The Salto Grande Complex is a binational facility
of each unit. The success of the O&M program is with the site and equipment jointly owned by
measured using a set of performance metrics that Uruguay and Argentina and the energy generated
include availability, reliability, lost-time injury divided equally between both countries. Because
rate, oil spills, waste disposal, water quality, of this unique arrangement, Salto Grande oper-
security, and annual profits. ates in an integrated coordination between two
separate load dispatch centers, with operation
EUL introduced a recruitment program offering and maintenance processes carried out with a
a three-year training program for up to 10 train- binational team.
ees at each of the two sites, Nalubaale and Kiira
HPP. This program has been successful at facil- SGC utilizes the Infor-EAM21 enterprise
itating knowledge and skills transfer to internal asset-management system to improve productiv-
staff. Exposure to the parent company is pro- ity, safety, and efficiency across the organization;
vided, with assignments under the supervision of to optimize asset records; perform asset-­
senior personnel. intervention analysis; and to ensure environmen-
tal and human safety while decreasing time and
Planning for financial resources to support the costs in work and license permits for workers.
annual O&M plan is the responsibility of the These EAM processes are complemented by
concessionaire, who submits an application for ­reliability-centered maintenance (RCM) analy-
generation O&M costs for a given period, indicat- sis of critical equipment, HydroAMP-condition
ing details of the maintenance to be carried out assessment, and external evaluations made by
and the technical plan for that period. This appli- turbine and generator manufacturers. Since
cation is reviewed by UEGCL and UETCL and is 2003, SGC has embarked upon a multiyear
then issued to the regulator for approval. modernization project to update major assets
such as primary breakers and unit-excitation
Challenges faced under the current conces-
systems, protections systems, sluice gates, and
sion arrangement include (i) lack of contrac-
other key components. A 20-year plan for mod-
tual performance measures instituted by the
ernizing the other major components will include

21  For more information, see link: https://www.infor.com/content/casestudies/salto-grande.pdf/

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digitalization of control and supervisory systems investments and other common expenses, are
and integration of all control and monitoring financed in equal parts by each country.
equipment.
The financing of the first five years of the mul-
Currently the SGC complex employs over tiyear modernization program at SGC has
300 O&M personnel, comprised of 84 mainte- been obtained through loans from the Inter-­
nance staff and 66 operating staff, together with American Development Bank. The financing
other staff involved in maintenance of the trans- of a longer-term modernization program, to
mission system and operation planning. Mainte- cover the 20-year period from 2024 to 2043 will
nance training is offered to staff on certification be addressed in the next five years with gov-
of crane operators, certification of welders, and a ernments, international financial entities, and
number of other key skills. Operational training suppliers.
is undertaken by pairing new operating person-
nel with experienced operators for a period of at One of the more significant challenges facing
least five months. Although there is no formal SGC in coming years will be the planning and
succession planning strategy, knowledge transfer coordination of the O&M processes during the
is achieved through internal workshops, led by plant modernization. Human resources assigned
experienced staff on specialized systems. to this project will need to strategically integrate
and communicate parallel activities such as
Governance of O&M budgets within SGC is writing specifications, working with consultants,
achieved with representatives from each coun- testing, and commissioning.
try. The overall budget is approved on an annual
basis. Common costs, including staff salaries,

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Appendixes
Photo Credits: Statkraft.

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Appendix A:  O&M glossary
Ancillary services: the capacity and energy services provided by power plants, such as hydropower plants,
that are able to respond on short notice, ensure stable electricity delivery, and optimize grid reliability.

Capital expenditures (CAPEX): the investment associated with refurbishment, rehabilitation,


replacement, and purchase of equipment or major spare parts.

Concession: a public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement in which the private and public sectors share
risk. Normally a long-term arrangement of at least 20 years is granted by the government to a special-­purpose
or private company, in which the government or parastatal utility may or may not be a shareholder. The
concessionaire is granted ownership rights and responsibility for implementing, operating, and maintaining
the facility for the concession period. The operator is free to operate and maintain the facility to obtain the
desired/agreed return on investment within the constraints of the concession agreements, which details legal,
employment, environmental, and social obligations. The concessionaire can also be asked to rehabilitate and
refurbish some equipment, which turns the concession into a rehabilitate, operate, and transfer (ROT) model.
A concession agreement should also detail the expected status of the plant at the end of the concession.

Condition-based maintenance: is based on the results of inspections, alarms, and the monitoring
and analysis of the behavior of equipment and structures during normal operation. Where degradation
of equipment is likely to lead to failure or inefficient generation, maintenance, repair, and refurbish-
ment measures are deployed.

Corrective maintenance: is carried out after a breakdown for the purpose of restoring an asset to a
condition in which it can perform the required function.

Failure modes: include security, dam, environmental, regulatory, and economic failure modes.

Fleet: single or several hydropower facilities under single ownership.

Hydropower O&M: refers to all activities needed to run and maintain good physical and operational
statuses of hydropower facilities (excluding replacement or construction of new facilities). It usually
includes the rehabilitation of existing components and maintenance overhauls.

Independent power producer (IPP): a nonpublic, nonutility generator that owns facilities to gen-
erate electric power for sale to utilities and end users. The IPPs sell power to utilities under long-term
feed-in tariffs or power-purchase agreements (PPAs).

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Key performance indicator (KPI): a measurable value that demonstrates how effectively a com-
pany is achieving key business and operational objectives. KPIs include availability factor, forced-­
outage rate, etc. See Appendix E for details.

Major maintenance: planned rehabilitation interventions to perform detailed inspections and or repairs
to refurbish the equipment and extend its operating life. Major maintenance costs can either be part of the
OPEX or CAPEX budgets based on the accounting principles of the owner, and the magnitude of the works.

O&M management contract: an agreement between the owner and the operator to provide partial
or full outsourced O&M services. O&M management services contracts are structured in a similar fash-
ion to consulting services contracts and are usually issued on the basis of a fixed duration, lump-sum
price (in terms of management fees) with milestones and deliverables (sometimes paid for separately),
and performance incentives usually calculated on an annual basis.

O&M strategic-model options: include Model 1 (owner retains sole responsibility of O&M), Model 2
(partial outsourcing of O&M by the owner), and Model 3 (full outsource of O&M to an independent
contractor).

O&M strategy: an informed set of high-level information and decisions toward sustainable O&M of
hydropower facilities, including (i) objectives to be reached, (ii) activities and organizational decisions
to reach these objectives, and (iii) adequate resources (human, financial, etc.). An O&M strategy is
based on (i) a diagnosis of existing situation and stakeholders and (ii) risk assessment and targets to
eliminate barriers and provide an enabling environment for success.

Operating plan: provides organization personnel with a detailed program of the tasks and responsi-
bilities in line with the goals and objectives within the O&M strategy. It is a management tool that facili-
tates the coordination of the organizational resources (human, financial, and physical) so that goals and
objectives in the O&M strategy can be achieved.

Operation expenditures (OPEX): covers the routine O&M costs for day-to-day facility operations
and maintenance. OPEX costs are budgeted on an annual basis with a five-year forecast. OPEX are
expensed in the corporate income statement.

Organizational structure: are typically hierarchical arrangements of lines of authority, communica-


tions, rights, and duties of an organization. Organizational structures determine how the roles, power,
and responsibilities are assigned, controlled, and coordinated, and how information flows between the
different levels of management.

Planned-interval maintenance: are carried out on a time schedule or triggered in accordance with
an equipment usage schedule. This has been the traditional approach to maintenance and is included in
O&M plans produced during the commissioning of projects.

Power purchase agreement (PPA): a contract between two parties: one that generates electricity (the
seller) and one that looks to purchase electricity (the buyer). The PPA defines all commercial terms for
the sale of electricity between the two parties, including (i) when the project will begin commercial opera-
tion, (ii) the schedule for delivery of electricity, and (iii) penalties for under delivery, payment terms, and

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termination. A PPA is the principal agreement that defines the revenue and credit quality of a generating
facility and is thus a key instrument of project finance. There are many forms of PPA in use today and they
vary according to the needs of the buyer, seller, and financing counterparties (Ross, 2018).

Predictive maintenance: makes use of ­condition-based monitoring of data and trending analysis to
predict the likelihood and timing of potential failures. Failure prediction uses condition assessment data
and test results obtained during outages as well as continuously collected monitoring data. Modern plants
employ online and real-time monitoring of equipment, systems, and civil structures (movement, leakage)
to provide data which are used to plan and continually fine-tune the preventative maintenance program.

Preventive maintenance: carried out at predetermined intervals or in accordance with established


criteria for the purpose of reducing the probability of the failure or degradation of the function of an
asset. Planned interval maintenance, condition-based maintenance, and predictive maintenance are
subheadings of preventive maintenance.

Reliability-centered maintenance (RCM): a process of determining the most effective main-


tenance approach. The RCM philosophy employs corrective and preventive maintenance techniques
(planned, condition-based, predictive) in an integrated manner to increase the probability that a
machine or component will function in the required manner over its design life cycle with a minimum
of maintenance. The goal of the philosophy is to provide the stated function of the facility, with the
required reliability and availability at the lowest cost. RCM requires that maintenance decisions be
based on maintenance requirements supported by sound technical and economic justification. To be
effective, RCM requires use of real-time condition monitoring and CMMS.

Root-cause analysis (RCA): the process of drilling down to determine the actual cause of failures or
poor performance. RCA goes hand in hand with RCM to improve reliability of equipment and reduce
maintenance costs.

Standard operating procedures (SOPs): are a set of step-by-step instructions compiled by an


organization to help workers carry out complex routine operations. SOPs aim to achieve efficiency,
quality output, and uniformity of performance, while reducing miscommunication and failure to com-
ply with regulations and or set standards. As an example, SOPs may include the operation of civil works
and hydro-mechanical equipment such as spillways controlling reservoir or forebay levels within a
set of reservoir operating rules. Operations may also in some cases be responsible for management
of procedures related to shoreline erosion and in some cases managing the ongoing social impacts on
­project-affected populations, including flood and release warning systems.

Technical review: refers to hydropower engineers/maintenance staff performing condition assess-


ments of the equipment using nondestructive testing methods (NDT) to assess the remaining life of
the equipment and replacement options with original equipment design or different designs to achieve
optimal results.

Work order: authorization of maintenance, repair, or operations work to be completed. Work orders
can be manually generated through a work request submitted by a staff member or automatically gen-
erated through a work order management software or preventive maintenance (PM) schedule. Work
orders can also be generated via follow-ups to inspections or audits.

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Appendix B:  Sample dashboards from technical diagnosis
TABLE B.1  |  Example of output from technical diagnosis on the need for major repair/replacement
STATUS MAJOR REPAIR/ DURATION STUDIES
YEAR INSTALLED/
DISCIPLINE EQUIPMENT (NOT REPLACEMENT BY YEAR & PROCUREMENT RISKS OF ACTIONS NOT IMPLEMENTED
COMMISSIONED
FUNCTIONING) NEEDED? (MONTHS)
ELECTRICAL
Station service Powerhouse AC station service upgrade 1990 ! 3 No
Station service Station lighting 1990 x 4 Yes 2020 2 Plant and staff safety
Station service Powerhouse DC station service upgrade 1990 x 4 Yes 2020 4 Extended unplanned outage
Station service Powerhouse diesel generator 1990 ! 3 No
Station service Powerhouse replace battery bank (2) & chargers (4) 1990 ! 3 No
Station service Powerhouse replace station service transformer 1990 ✓ 1 No
Station service Fire detection system 1990 ! 3 No
Protection and control upgrade (protection panels, relays, x Obsolete equipment—limited spares—extended unplanned
Protection & controls 1990 4 Yes 2021 7
communication equipment) outage
Unit 1 governor Unit 1 governor controls upgrade 1990 x 5 Yes 2019 5 Extended unplanned unit outage
Unit 2 governor Unit 2 governor controls upgrade 1990 ! 3 No
Substation Replace 115 kV CBs (circuit switcher) 1990 ! 3 No
Substation Replace 115 kV surge arresters 1990 ! 3 No
Substation Replace 115 kV VTs & CTs 1990 ! 3 No
Substation Replace GSU transformer 1990 ! 3 No
Substation Install DGA monitor on GSU 1990 ! 3 No
MV system 4.16 kV switchgear complete with gen breaker and load break switch 1990 ! 3 No
MECHANICAL
Sluice gates LLO gate 1, hydraulic actuator and HPU 1990 ! 3 No
Sluice gates LLO gate 2, hydraulic actuator and HPU 1990 ! 3 No
Unit 1 intake Refurbish intake gate, hydraulic actuator and HPU 1990 ! 3 No
Unit 2 intake Refurbish intake gate, hydraulic actuator and HPU 1990 ! 3 No
Intakes Refurbish trashracks and cleaner 1990 ! 3 No
Draft tube gates Powerhouse refurbish draft tube stoplogs and follower 1990 x 5 Yes 2019 2 Required for dewatering—major works
Unit 1 Refurbish cooling water systems 1990 x 4 Yes 2020 6 Increased maintenance costs
Unit 2 Refurbish cooling water systems 1990 x 4 Yes 2020 6 Increased maintenance costs
Unit 1 Refurbish unit HPU 1990 x 4 Yes 2020 6 Increased maintenance costs
Unit 2 Refurbish unit HPU 1990 x 4 Yes 2020 6 Increased maintenance costs
Unit 1 Generator rewind/stator replacement 1990 x 4 Yes 2020 6 Increased maintenance costs
Unit 2 Generator rewind/stator replacement 1990 x 4 Yes 2020 6 Increased maintenance costs
Unit 1 Rotor poles & exciter refurbishment 1990 x 4 Yes 2020 6 Increased maintenance costs
Unit 2 Rotor poles & exciter refurbishment 1990 x 4 Yes 2020 6 Increased maintenance costs
Unit 1 Turbine unit overhaul (includes runner refurb/replacement) 1990 ! 3.5 Maybe 2022 14 Cavitation damage—extended unit outage
Unit 2 Turbine unit overhaul (includes runner refurb/replacement) 1990 ! 3.5 Maybe 2022 14 Cavitation damage—extended unit outage
Water systems Powerhouse refurbish service water system 1990 x 4 Yes 2021 3 Plant and staff safety
HVAC Powerhouse refurbish HVAC system 1990 ! 3 No
Water systems Refurbish sump pumps & oil water separator 1990 ! 3 No
Crane Powerhouse OH crane refurbishment (elect & controls) 1990 x 5 Yes 2019 3 Urgent—required for all major repairs
CIVIL
Access road Regrade access road back to design 1990 x 5 Yes 2019 1 Urgent—safety concerns
Safety boom Safety boom repairs/replacement 1990 x 5 Yes 2019 3 Urgent—safety concerns
Debris boom Debris boom repairs/replacement 1990 x 5 Yes 2019 3 Urgent—safety concerns
Water conveyance Diversion, intake and tailrace channel repairs 1990 x 5 Yes 2019 3 Urgent—safety concerns
Bridge Bridge maintenance 1990 x 5 Yes 2019 3 Urgent—safety concerns
Main dam Rockfill dam maintenance 1990 x 5 Yes 2019 3 Urgent—safety concerns
Main dam Instrumentation monitoring 1990 x 5 Yes 2019 3 Urgent—safety concerns
Overflow spillway Overflow spillway concrete repairs 1990 x 5 Yes 2019 3 Urgent—safety concerns
Overflow spillway Overflow spillway channel repairs 1990 x 5 Yes 2019 3 Urgent—safety concerns
Low level spillway Low level spillway concrete repairs 1990 ! 3 No
Low level spillway Low level spillway concrete major rehabilitation 1990 ! 3 No
Low level spillway Low level spillway equipment building repairs 1990 ! 3 No
Intake Intake pier repairs 1990 ! 3 No
Intake Intake deck repairs 1990 ! 3 No
Intake Intake superstructure 1990 ! 3 No
Penstock Penstock inspections 1990 ✓ 2 No
Penstock Penstock repair 1990 ✓ 2 No
Powerhouse Powerhouse substructure grouting and repairs 1990 ✓ 2 No
Powerhouse Powerhouse superstructure repairs 1990 ✓ 2 No
Powerhouse Powerhouse roof repairs/replacement 1990 ✓ 2 No
Powerhouse Turbine discharge chamber concrete repair 1990 x 4 Yes 2021 4 Plant cleanliness—hygiene
Powerhouse Domestic water and septic system 1990 x 5 Yes 2020 6 Urgent—safety concerns
Powerhouse Tailrace pier concrete erosion repair 1990 x 5 Yes 2020 6 Urgent—safety concerns
Powerhouse Tailrace deck concrete erosion repair 1990 x 5 Yes 2020 6 Urgent—safety concerns
Fish habitat Fish habitat maintenance 1990 x 5 Yes 2020 6 Environmental compliance
General Dam safety assessment 1990 x 5 Yes 2020 2 Urgent—safety concerns
General Public safety/security 1990 x 5 Yes 2020 2 Public safety around dam compliance

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TABLE B.2  |  Sample from site observations as part of diagnostic (Step 1)

NUMBER SITE OBSERVATIONS HPP SITE X HPP SITE Y HPP SITE Z


Scale (1–5): 1-Bad 5-Good 0-Not Applicable
 1 Site orientation and job planning talk 2 3 1
 2 Site & PH cleanliness 3 4 1
 3 Biohazards (i.e., bird droppings)—good means no issues 4 3 2
 4 General site condition 3 4 1
 5 Road access 3 4 1
 6 Emergency contact/emergency preparedness plan 3 3 1
 7 Safety signs (PH, substation, intake, etc.) 3 3 1
 8 Hazard identification 2 3 1
 9 Arc flash assessment/orientation/PPE 1 1 1
10 Control room—electrical hazard presence 1 1 1
11 Staff PPE 3 3 1
12 Confined space plan/rescue/gas testing equipment 1 1 1
13 Fall arrest/working at heights 3 2 1
14 First aid cabinet/eye wash station 1 1 1
15 Oil containment system (oil drums) 2 3 1
16 Oil storage—turbine floor (fire and spill hazard) 1 1 1
17 Fire fighting equipment 3 3 2
18 Substation fencing 4 4 1
19 Substation safety—nonconductive ladders 1 1 1
20 Turbine floor—oil/water separator 3 3 1
21 Tool storage 3 3 1
22 Spare parts storage 3 3 3
23 Intake/swift water rescue 1 1 1
24 Public safety around dams 1 1 1
25 Maintenance impression 3 4 2
Overall score 58 63 30
Potential score 125 125 125

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Appendix C:  O&M job titles and summary requirements
The following tables list common job profiles mobilized for O&M activities at facility and corporate levels and identify which core jobs are
often needed for small, medium, and large facilities. The tables also summarize the main tasks for each job and outline the required educa-
tion and experience.

TABLE C.1  |  Typical hydropower O&M organization chart at the facility level

CORE FOR LARGE (L), EXPERIENCE TO

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ACADEMIC PRACTICAL
MEDIUM (M), BE CONSIDERED
CADRE MAIN FIELDS OF EXPERTISE MAIN TASK(S) EDUCATION TRAINING
SMALL (S) QUALIFIED
(SEE NOTE 3) (YEARS)
(SEE NOTE 1) (YEARS)
Electrical or mechanical maintenance Overall management responsibility
Normally L and M Degree or
Plant Manager or operations supervisor in hydropower and direction of core functions for the 2–4 20
(see Note 2) diploma
facilities facility(s)
Normally L and M Day-to-day supervision and guidance of Degree or
Operating Supervisor Management of plant operations 2 15
(see Note 2) plant operators diploma
Mechanical maintenance of hydropower Normally L and M Day-to-day supervision and guidance of Degree or
Mechanical Supervisor 4 15
plants (see Note 2) plant mechanical maintenance staff diploma
Electrical maintenance of hydropower Normally L and M Day-to-day supervision and guidance of Degree or
Electrical Supervisor 4 15
plants (see Note 2) plant electrical maintenance staff diploma
Senior Plant Operator Normally L and M Day-to-day hands-on operations. 10—senior
Operation of hydropower plants Diploma 4
and Junior Plant Operator (see Note 2) (see Note 4) 6—junior
Senior Mechanical Technician,
Hydropower plant mechanical All Day-to-day hand-on maintenance of 10—senior
Mechanical Technician, and Diploma 4
maintenance (see Note 3) mechanical equipment 8—junior
Mechanical Technician Trainee
Senior Electrical Technician,
All Day-to-day hands-on maintenance of 10—senior
Electrical Technician, and Hydropower plant electrical maintenance Diploma 4
(see Note 3) electrical equipment 8—junior
Electrical Technician Trainee
Control, Protection, and Digital electronics, software, Day-to-day maintenance of control,
All 10—senior
Communications Technician firmware, protection, and control and protection, communications, and human Diploma 4
(see Note 5) 8—junior
and Technician Trainee communications equipment maintenance machine interfaces
Inspection and monitoring of civil
Civil Engineer or Technologist Civil, geotechnical engineering, All Degree or 10—Technologist
structure behavior and geotechnical data 2–4
and Trainee surveying, monitoring, and analysis (see Note 6) diploma 8—Engineer
collection and analysis
RCM analysis and operation of the entire
Electrical, mechanical, operating, All Technical
Maintenance Planner maintenance management system (see 2–4 10
technical background (see Note 3) diploma
Note 7)

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CORE FOR LARGE (L), EXPERIENCE TO
ACADEMIC PRACTICAL
MEDIUM (M), BE CONSIDERED
CADRE MAIN FIELDS OF EXPERTISE MAIN TASK(S) EDUCATION TRAINING
SMALL (S) QUALIFIED
(SEE NOTE 3) (YEARS)
(SEE NOTE 1) (YEARS)
Day-to-day management of local
Site Administration (if Finance, procurement, human resources L and M finances, human resource management, Business
3 10
applicable) generalist (see Note 8) and procurement and inventory diploma
management stores functions

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General Maintenance General civil background in maintenance All Day-to-day supervision and guidance of Civil technical Trade
8
Supervisor of structure, buildings, and grounds (see Note 3) plant general labor diploma certification
Day-to-day general maintenance and Various
Various backgrounds in carpentry,
All unskilled labor support for technical certifications
General Maintenance Staff masonry, rigging, mobile equipment 2–6 5
(see Note 3) staff and operation of mobile equipment, as required by
operations, and general labor
cranes, hoists, etc. law
Note 1—For the purposes of this exercise, large is considered greater than an installed capacity of 250 MW. Medium is defined as 50 MW to 250 MW and small is below 50 MW.
Note 2—Facility management will differ between jurisdictions. In developed economies, small plants will likely not be staffed with any management presence, and O&M will be managed from a more centralized location if a number of facilities are involved. In
developing economies, the staffing of even small hydropower plants will not vary significantly from medium-sized plants.
Note 3—The attendance at the plant of staff may vary from one organization to another depending on the plant size, location, and the potential grouping of facilities in a river cascades or water shed. Attendance would be scheduled to meet maintenance needs
or to respond to problems. Small plants would not normally be staffed in developed economies but would likely be staffed in developing economies.
Note 4—Hydropower owners in developed economies are trending toward de-staffing facilities of all sizes in terms of 24/7 shift work and opting to have operators present only during normal working hours in support of maintenance staff requirements. Other
owners are moving toward the elimination of the operator cadre altogether and having any required switching and clearing carried out by qualified electrical technicians. This does not currently apply to facilities in developing economies where a standard 24/7
three shift per day arrangement is still the commonplace standard. De-staffing is not possible without modern sophisticated communications and SCADA systems to support regional control centers.
Note 5—The requirement for control, protection, and communications technicians varies from owner to owner and facility to facility depending on the vintage of the equipment being employed. On the low end of expertise requirements, the maintenance
functions may range from electromechanical protection relays and electrical measuring equipment to having a full working understanding of communications, SCADA, distributed control systems, and information technology in the plant environment and
externally.
Note 6—The work of monitoring the behavior of civil structures is of greater interest in the early years of operation to determine the behavior of structures immediately after impoundment, so it is best if the civil staff has been involved in the construction
supervision of the project structures and carry on after. But there is usually insufficient work on a day-to-day basis to justify on-site continuous presence, so these functions are usually centralized with automated data collection.
Note 7—The maintenance planning function in larger organizations is separated from the RCM analyst position, however many hydropower owners in public utilities in developing countries have not yet moved to RCM as a central part of their maintenance
management.
Note 8—Site administration varies between different organizations depending on the size of the organization and the number of sites managed across the jurisdiction. Many functions such as human resource management, finance, procurement, and a variety of
other administrative duties are centralized as site support services.

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TABLE C.2  |  Typical hydropower O&M support organization chart at the corporate level

CORE FOR LARGE (L), EXPERIENCE TO


ACADEMIC PRACTICAL
MEDIUM (M), BE CONSIDERED
CADRE MAIN FIELDS OF EXPERTISE MAIN TASK(S) EDUCATION TRAINING
SMALL (S) QUALIFIED
(SEE NOTE 3) (YEARS)
(SEE NOTE 1) (YEARS)
Overall management responsibility and
Maintenance Engineering Electrical, mechanical maintenance of Degree BSc
All direction of centralized engineering 4 20
Department Manager hydropower facilities or better

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support for the facility sites
Maintenance Engineering Support for problem solving, capital
Electrical, mechanical maintenance of 15—senior
Electrical Engineer All planning, and engineering for Degree 4
hydropower facilities 5—junior
Mechanical Engineer modifications or upgrades
Support for problem solving, capital
Electrical, mechanical maintenance of
Engineering Technologists All planning, and engineering for Diploma 2 10
hydropower facilities
modifications or upgrades
RCM analysis, root cause analysis, cost
Maintenance Analyst (RCM) Electrical maintenance of hydropower
All benefit analysis, improve procedures, and Diploma 2 10
(see Note 1) plants
cost-effective maintenance activities
Monitoring technical and financial
Operation and maintenance of performance indicators. Root cause
Performance Engineer All Degree 4 15
hydropower plants analysis and designing, recommending
solutions
Overseeing the staff and programs
Hydropower plant civil structures, gates, for monitoring and inspecting civil
Civil Engineering Department Degree BSc
dams and dykes, civil engineering, and All structures, gates, water passages, and 4 20
Manager or better
geotechnical engineering dykes, and responsible for all aspects of
dam safety
Hydropower plant civil structures, gates, Monitoring, inspecting civil structures,
Civil Engineer 15—senior
dams and dykes, civil engineering, and All gates, water passages, dykes, and Degree 4
Geotechnical Engineer 8—junior
geotechnical engineering supporting dam safety
Monitoring, training, investigation of
Workplace Safety and Health Industrial safety with hydropower
All accidents, liaison with corporate WPSH Diploma 4 15
Officer experience
on hydropower specific issues
Note 1—RCM analysis may be carried out at each site or centralized as a support service, but all maintenance program activities should be centrally scrutinized and approved for consistent application and sharing across the fleet where possible.

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Appendix D:  Key O&M job descriptions
The following job descriptions are described below as job profile sheets.

POSITION
1. Plant Manager
2. Chief Operations Engineer
3. Shift Supervisor
4. Operator (plant and substation)
5. Chief Maintenance Engineer
6. Electrical Engineer
7. Protection & Controls Technician
8. Electrical Technician
9. Substation/High Voltage Technician
10. Mechanical Engineer
11. Mechanical Technician
12. Maintenance Planner and Outage Coordinator
13. Civil Engineer
14. Civil Technologist
15. General Maintenance Tradesman
16. Financial and Administration Manager
17. Community/CSR and Public Safety Officer
18. Environment and Social Compliance Officer
19. Workplace Safety and Health Officer
20 Human Resources Officer
21. Human Resources Assistant
22. Senior Accountant
23. Junior Accountant
24. Procurement Officer
25. Storekeeper
26. Townsites (colonies) Administrator

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JOB TITLE # 1 HYDROPOWER PLANT MANAGER
Reports to Managing Director
As a key member of XYZ Hydropower Company (XYZ), the Plant Manager will report directly to the Managing Director
and work closely with the Finance and Administration Manager and other support staff. The Plant Manager will be
responsible for the safe operation and maintenance (O&M) management of the XYZ Hydroelectric Project (XYZHP). The
Plant Manager will work in a team environment to manage and direct overall site operation and maintenance.
Job summary The Plant Manager will strive to achieve the right balance between productivity, risk, and costs at all times to ensure
the highest levels of safety and reliable energy supply at the lowest cost. In addition, the Plant Manager will be the
key person to drive workplace health, safety, and operational performance culture. A strong focus on continuous
improvement is also expected. The Plant Manager will be integral to the development and achievement of the
strategic plan and goals of the organization.
■ Responsible for operation and maintenance (O&M) of XYZHP, including 24/7 O&M activities through direct reports
from Chief Operation Engineer, and Chief Maintenance Engineer, which in turn direct the activities of more than
[XYZ ] field personnel;
■ Responsible for working with the management team to develop strategic business plans for the organization.
Contributes to the development of departmental goals and objectives and management of the operating
procedures and budgets so that the organization meets financial goals;
■ Responsible for the overall and ongoing safe and efficient operation and maintenance of the generating station;

■ Accountable for the ongoing preparation of capital and operating budgets and approving and controlling

Responsibilities and duties authorized expenditures;


■ Responsible for the overall performance of the generating station;

■ Ensure that the generation station meets all safety and environmental requirements, regulatory requirements,
licensing requirements, and other requirements defined by the organization;
■ Produce weekly/monthly project progress reports for Managing Director, Board of Directors (BOD) and other
stakeholders;
■ Participate in BOD, Steering Committee, and other meetings as directed by the Managing Director to represent the
interests of the XYZ;
■ Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

■ University degree in electrical, mechanical, or civil engineering. A Master in Business Administration would be
an asset. Must have 20 years related to the management of hydropower assets. An equivalent combination of
education and experience will also be considered;
■ Demonstrated managerial and leadership skills combined with excellent interpersonal skills and a proven track
Qualifications and experience record as a team player are essential;
requirements
■ Possesses good working knowledge of plant management processes and practices and has the ability to take a
leadership role in resolving related technical issues;
■ Demonstrated skills and experience in resolving complex and sensitive issues courteously and discretely,
consistent with operating principles.

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JOB TITLE #2 CHIEF OPERATIONS ENGINEER
Reports to Plant Manager
As a key member of XYZ Hydropower Company (XYZ), the Chief Operations Engineer will report directly to the Plant
Manager and work closely with the Chief Maintenance Engineer and supporting staff. The Chief Operations Engineer
will be responsible for the overall operation of the XYZ Hydroelectric Project (XYZHP), and establishing all necessary
Job summary operational routines and procedures, based on OEM recommendations, relevant law, and industry best practices.
The Chief Operations Engineer will assist in the recruiting of shift operating staff and identifying necessary training/
education for the operating staff, including a long-term staff development plan ensuring a sustainable cadre of
operators.
■ Ensure the ongoing safe, efficient, and reliable operation of XYZHP;
■ Collaborate with Chief Maintenance Engineer in managing all scheduled station outages to maximize generating
station performance;
■ Establish and maintaining procedures such as operating and emergency restoration procedures and ensure staff
are fully trained in them. During times of system emergencies, must exercise independent judgment in directing
restoration with respect to the safety of personnel and equipment and the requirements of the system;
■ Ensure detailed and accurate switching procedures exist for all equipment and that operating orders are accurate
and properly carried out;
■ Ensure that all necessary records are maintained;

■ Ensure adherence to environmental standards within area of responsibility;

■ Implement and monitor the safety management system within the operating group;

■ May be required to assume the authority of other supervisors during their absences;
Responsibilities and duties ■ Recommend the selection, hiring, salary treatment, progression, termination, and discipline of subordinates;

■ Prepare and maintain shift schedules to ensure adequate staffing on each shift;

■ Prepare detailed reports of outages or disturbances in equipment under his/her jurisdiction;

■ Analyze outages and prepare recommendations to prevent a recurrence;

■ Ensure safety rules and codes of practice are followed;

■ Ensure that practices in his/her areas of responsibility comply with corporate and regulatory environmental
requirements;
■ Ensure that direct reports are adequately informed and trained in environmental and regulatory requirements;

■ Participate in and/or facilitate the development of the strategic business plan;

■ Train, motivate, and direct employees to their maximum potential with regard to their well-being (job satisfaction,
safety, morale, etc.);
■ Lead the team in achieving the business objectives, monitoring, and reporting on progress on an ongoing basis.

■ University degree in electrical, mechanical, or civil engineering and 15+ years of experience related to the
operations of a similar-size hydropower project. An equivalent combination of education and experience will also
be considered;
■ Demonstrated commitment to safety, occupational health, and the environment is required;

■ Demonstrated managerial and leadership skills combined with excellent interpersonal skills and a proven track
Qualifications and skills
record as a team player are essential;
■ Possess good working knowledge of plant operations processes and practices and have the ability to take a
leadership role in resolving related operational issues;
■ Demonstrated ability and experience in resolving complex and sensitive issues courteously and discretely,
consistent with best operating principles.

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JOB TITLE #3 OPERATIONS SHIFT SUPERVISOR
Reports to Chief Operations Engineer
As a key member of XYZ Hydropower Company (XYZ), the Operations Shift Supervisor will report directly to the Chief
Operations Engineer and work closely with electrical and mechanical engineers and supporting staff.
Job summary The Operations Shift Supervisor has responsibility for operating the XYZ Hydroelectric Project (XYZHP) in accordance
with its design and OEM recommendations, relevant law and industry best practices, supervising powerhouse and
substation operators, and coordinating with any maintenance work during the shift.
■ Supervise and perform plant inspections and complete data collection;
■ Perform the switching required to facilitate maintenance and ensure peak efficiency;

■ Communicate with control centers of three interconnected utilities and follow dispatching procedures;

■ Inform supervisory staff of any plant problems;

■ Perform restoration of power during planned and unplanned outages;

■ Assist in troubleshooting equipment;


Responsibilities and duties
■ Assist maintenance department in regular maintenance and inspections of the equipment;

■ Attend plant safety meetings, and follow all safety rules and regulations;

■ Responsible for lockout/tagout to isolate machinery for inspections and maintenance;

■ Issue work permits for maintenance, replacement, or repair of equipment;

■ Direct and provide on-the-job training and assist in the appraisal for junior personnel;

■ Provide emergency after-hours support (call-out) and standby duties as required.

■ Completion of a technical diploma in electrical/mechanical engineering from an institute of recognized standing;


■ Minimum work experience of 10 years as a Supervisor in an electric utility and/or experience operating a
hydropower/thermal or sophisticated industrial facility;
■ Experience using maintenance management systems;

■ Ability to organize, supervise, and schedule work and provide training, leadership, and direction to other staff;

■ Possess above average technical knowledge with a desire to further development;

■ Possess above average computer skills sufficient to perform the various tasks of the position (MS Word, MS Excel,
Qualifications and skills
and MS Project);
■ Possess sound judgment, decision-making ability, and the ability to perform assignments with minimum
supervision;
■ Possess an excellent working knowledge of budget preparation and control, cost accounting, stores, and stock
control;
■ Creative and able to evaluate and develop work methods and practices;

■ Familiar with and adhering to the corporate safety manual and other approved safety practices and procedures.

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JOB TITLE #4 OPERATOR (PLANT AND SUBSTATION)
Reports to Operations Shift Supervisor
As a key member of XYZ Hydropower Company (XYZ), the Operator will report directly to the Operations Shift
Supervisor and work closely with substation operators and supporting staff.
Job summary
The Operator is responsible for operating the XYZ Hydroelectric Project (XYZHP) in peak efficiency in accordance with
its design and OEM recommendations, relevant law, and industry best practices.
■ Perform plant inspections and complete data collection;
■ Perform the switching required to facilitate maintenance and ensure peak efficiency;

■ Communicate with control centers of three interconnected utilities and follow dispatching procedures;

■ Inform supervisory staff of any plant problems;

■ Perform restoration of power during planned and unplanned outages;

■ Assist in troubleshooting equipment;


Responsibilities and duties
■ Assist maintenance department in routine maintenance and inspections of the equipment;

■ Attend plant safety meetings, and follow all safety rules and regulations;

■ Participate in lockout/tagout to isolate machinery for inspections and maintenance; Issue work permits for
maintenance, replacement, or repair of equipment;
■ Direct and provide on-the-job training and assist in the appraisal for junior personnel;

■ Provide emergency after-hours support (call-out) and standby duties as required.

■ Completion of a technical diploma in electrical/mechanical engineering from an institute of recognized standing;


■ Minimum work experience of six years in an electric utility and/or experience operating a hydropower/thermal or
sophisticated industrial facility;
■ Trainee—minimum work experience of two years working in an electric utility and/or experience operating a
hydropower/thermal or sophisticated industrial facility;
Qualifications and skills ■ Possess above average technical knowledge with a desire to further develop;

■ Possess above average computer skills sufficient to perform the various tasks of the position (MS Word, MS Excel,
and MS Project);
■ Possess sound judgment, decision-making ability, and the ability to perform assignments with minimum
supervision;
■ Familiar with and adhere to the corporate safety manual and other approved safety practices and procedures.

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JOB TITLE #5 CHIEF MAINTENANCE ENGINEER
Reports to Plant Manager
As a critical member of XYZ Hydropower Company (XYZ), the Chief Maintenance Engineer will report directly to the
Plant Manager and work closely with the Chief Operations Engineer and supporting staff.
The Chief Maintenance Engineer will be responsible for the overall maintenance of the XYZ Hydroelectric Project
Job summary (XYZHP). The Chief Maintenance Engineer will be responsible for overseeing the basic maintenance routines and
procedures, based on civil contractor recommendations, relevant law, and industry best practices.
The Chief Maintenance Engineer will assist in the recruiting of maintenance and engineering staff, and identifying
necessary training/education for the staff, including a long-term staff development plan ensuring staff retention.
■ Ensure the ongoing safe, efficient, and reliable maintenance of XYZHP;
■ Collaborate with Chief Operations Engineer in managing all scheduled station outages to maximize performance;
■ Implement and monitor the safety management system within the maintenance group;

■ Institutionalize organized maintenance management processes and procedures by applying and driving facility-
wide focus in identifying, planning, scheduling, and executing work;
■ Evaluate and benchmark (gap analysis) existing plant procedures/practices/performance measures versus internal
and external industry-specific benchmarks;
■ Work with peers to define roles and responsibilities to ensure the success of maintenance management programs;

■ Lead maintenance improvement initiatives identified through failure root cause analysis and/or compliance,
growth, or cost reduction requirements;
■ Develop detailed planning to control departmental elements, including spending, staffing, etc.;

■ Liaise with purchasing to identify and negotiate the purchase of needed components, equipment, and contract
services;
■ Ensure all maintenance objectives are completed on time and within budget/forecast;

■ Assess and document success/failure of completed work orders, creating feedback to further drive effective work
Responsibilities and duties order execution;
■ Recommend the selection, hiring, salary treatment, progression, termination, and discipline of subordinates;

■ Ensure that practices in his/her areas of responsibility comply with corporate and regulatory environmental
requirements;
■ Ensure that direct reports are adequately informed and trained in environmental and regulatory requirements.;

■ Participate in and/or facilitating the development of the strategic business plan;

■ Establish preventive and predictive maintenance tasks, including oil analysis, vibration monitoring, thermographic
analysis, ultrasonic detection, sound analysis, and frequencies for crucial process and support equipment;
■ Conduct root cause failure analysis on chronic maintenance and repair issues and initiate corrective actions to
equipment design and/or work practices;
■ Establish programs for and maintain mechanical, instrumentation, electrical, regulatory, and civil equipment
integrity plan which aligns long-range strategic planning, turnaround activity (shutdowns), preventative
maintenance activity, and predictive maintenance activity;
■ Train, motivate, and direct employees to their maximum potential with regard to their personal well-being (job
satisfaction, safety, morale, etc.);
■ Lead the team in achieving the business objectives, monitoring and reporting on progress on an ongoing basis.

■ University degree in electrical, mechanical, or civil engineering and 15+ years of experience related to the
maintenance of a power plant or sophisticated industrial facility (preferably a hydropower plant). An equivalent
combination of education and experience will also be considered;
■ Demonstrated commitment to safety, occupational health, and the environment is required;

■ Demonstrated managerial and leadership skills combined with excellent interpersonal skills and a proven track
Qualifications and skills
record as a team player are essential;
■ Possess good working knowledge of plant operations processes and practices and have the ability to take a
leadership role in resolving related operational issues;
■ Demonstrated skills and experience in solving complex and sensitive matters courteously and discretely, consistent
with best operating principles.

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JOB TITLE #6 ELECTRICAL ENGINEER
Reports to Chief Maintenance Engineer
As a key member of XYZ Hydropower Company (XYZ), the Electrical Engineer will report directly to the Chief
Maintenance Engineer and work closely with civil and mechanical engineers and supporting staff.
Job summary The Electrical Engineer will be responsible for the overall maintenance and troubleshooting of all electrical equipment
associated with the XYZ Hydroelectric Project (XYZHP). The Electrical Engineer will be responsible for establishing
all necessary electrical troubleshooting, maintenance routines, and procedures, based on Civil Contractor/OE/OEM
recommendations, relevant law, and industry best practices.
■ Supervise routine and other electrical maintenance services;
■ Provide engineering support for analyzing the electrical equipment and control problems associated with
generation equipment for XYZHP;
■ Participate in the planning, scheduling, and implementation of maintenance programs for all electrical equipment
and controls systems associated with XYZHP;
■ Interface with maintenance supervisors and other departments on work-related concerns and problems;

■ Assist in preparing estimates for budgetary requirements;

■ Prepare engineering reports, capital project justifications, special maintenance work order reports, and initiate
purchases;
■ Investigate and evaluate equipment and parts and recommend changes to improve efficiency;

■ Update, develop, and support maintenance procedures;

■ Responsible for emergency maintenance;


Responsibilities and duties
■ Ensure the level of knowledge, skills, and proficiency of electrical maintenance technicians is maintained at a high
standard and meet the skill requirements needed to maximize equipment operational readiness;
■ Work with Workplace Safety and Health Officer to ensure facility environmental, health, safety, and security are
compliant;
■ Responsible for field testing programs and equipment commissioning as required, including the testing/
commissioning of all new electrical systems;
■ Participate actively and positively in the development and achievement of the company’s goals and objectives;

■ In cooperation with plant staff, develop and update maintenance standards and procedures for electrical
equipment;
■ Attend plant safety meetings, and follow all safety rules and regulations;

■ Direct and provide on-the-job training and assist in the appraisal for junior personnel;

■ Provide emergency after-hours support (call-out) and standby duties as required.

■ Graduate degree in electrical engineering from a university of recognized standing and a minimum of 15 years
related experience, which includes a minimum of four years field experience directly related to the operation/
maintenance or design and/or construction, commissioning of electrical equipment in hydropower generating
stations including control systems;
■ Demonstrated ability to organize, schedule, and coordinate work, and to provide training to other staff;

■ Broad technical background pertaining to power equipment and auxiliaries in hydropower generating stations to

Qualifications and skills carry out the duties of the position;


■ Mature judgment and the ability to carry out assigned tasks with minimal direction;

■ Ability to deal with personnel at all levels with diplomacy, inside and outside the corporation;

■ Good knowledge of engineering standards and safety standards;

■ Working knowledge of PLC/HMI systems as applied to hydro generating stations, including related troubleshooting
and support processes;
■ Functional knowledge of AutoCAD, Microsoft Office, etc.

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JOB TITLE #7 PROTECTION AND CONTROLS TECHNICIAN
Reports to Electrical Engineer
As a key member of XYZ Hydropower Company (XYZ), the Protection and Controls Technician will report directly to
the Electrical Engineer and work closely with other technicians and supporting staff. The Protection and Controls
Job summary Technician will be responsible for troubleshooting and maintaining protection and control equipment and SCADA
systems associated with R XYZ Hydroelectric Project (XYZHP), based on OE/OEM recommendations, relevant law, and
industry best practices.
■ Day-to-day maintenance of digital controls, protection relays, telecommunications, supervisory control and data
acquisition (SCADA), and human machine interface (HMI);
■ Assist in troubleshooting problems and perform periodic inspections;

■ Investigate, analyze, and report on power quality problems, including harmonic and transient analyses, voltage
profiles, etc.;
■ Perform initial inspection checks to ensure that newly installed equipment is ready to be placed in service;
Responsibilities and duties ■ Assist in the development of maintenance procedures and be responsible for the execution of the same;

■ Analyze HMI/SCADA and protection relays datasets for troubleshooting, regular inspections, and training purposes;

■ Attend plant safety meetings, and follow all safety rules and regulations;

■ Participate and perform lockout/tagout to isolate machinery for inspections and maintenance;

■ Direct and provide on-the-job training and assist in the appraisal for junior personnel;

■ Provide emergency after-hours support (call-out) and standby duties as required.

■ A diploma related to electrical technology with a specialization in protection and control systems from an institute
of recognized standing and or completion of training program leading to the designation of Protection and Controls
Technician;
■ Minimum of eight years of experience working as a Protection and Controls Technician in a utility or in the private
sector and experience with substations, generating equipment, and complex industrial systems;
■ Apprentice: Minimum of four years of experience working as a Protection and Controls Technician in a utility or
private sector and experience with substations, generating equipment, and sophisticated industrial systems;
■ Must be prepared to undertake further development of technical or leadership skills through participation in
internal and external training and development;
Qualifications and skills
■ Thorough knowledge of the use and care of all instruments and test equipment;

■ Possess initiative and mature judgment with the ability to make and implement sound decisions;

■ Good knowledge of station and operation, particularly modern control systems requiring high diagnostic skills
and ability to read schematic drawings and blueprints;
■ Knowledge of scheduling and planning techniques, budgetary controls, functional cost accounting;

■ Ability to prepare technical reports in a clear, concise manner;

■ Conversant with and adhere to safety rules and regulations;

■ Physically capable of performing all the duties of the position.

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JOB TITLE #8 ELECTRICAL TECHNICIAN
Reports to Electrical Engineer
As a key member of XYZ Hydropower Company (XYZ), the Electrical Technician will report directly to the Electrical
Engineer and work closely with other technicians and supporting staff.
Job summary The Electrical Technician will be responsible for troubleshooting and maintaining electrical equipment associated
with the XYZ Hydroelectric Project (XYZHP), based on OE/OEM recommendations, relevant law, and industry best
practices.
■ Perform troubleshooting, repair, maintenance, and acceptance tests on all medium- and low-voltage electrical
equipment at the site;
■ Assist in troubleshooting problems and perform periodic inspections;

■ Assist in the development of maintenance procedures and be responsible for the execution of the same;
Responsibilities and duties ■ Attend plant safety meetings, and follow all safety rules and regulations;

■ Participate and perform lockout/tagout to isolate machinery for inspections and maintenance;

■ Direct and provide on-the-job training and assist in the appraisal for junior personnel;

■ Provide emergency after-hours support (call-out) and standby duties as required.

■ A diploma in electrical technology from an institute of recognized standing and or completion of training program
leading to the designation of Journeyman Electrical Technician;
■ Minimum of eight years of experience working as an Electrical Technician in a utility or in the private sector and
experience with substation, generating equipment, and or complex industrial systems;
■ Apprentice: Minimum of four years of experience working as an Electrical Technician in utility or private sector and
experience with substation, generating equipment, and or complex industrial systems;
■ Must be prepared to undertake further development of technical or leadership skills through participation in
Qualifications and skills internal and external training and development;
■ Thorough knowledge of the use and care of all instruments and test equipment;

■ Possess initiative and mature judgment with the ability to make and implement sound decisions;

■ Knowledge of scheduling and planning techniques, budgetary controls, functional cost accounting;

■ Ability to prepare technical reports in a clear, concise manner;

■ Conversant with and adhere to safety rules and regulations;

■ Physically capable of performing all the duties of the position.

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JOB TITLE #9 SUBSTATION/HIGH VOLTAGE TECHNICIAN
Reports to Electrical Engineer
As a key member of XYZ Hydropower Company (XYZ), the Substation/High Voltage Technician will report directly to
the Electrical Engineer and work closely with other technicians and supporting staff.
Job summary The Substation/High Voltage Technician will be responsible for troubleshooting and maintaining high voltage
electrical equipment associated with the XYZ Hydroelectric Project (XYZHP), based on OE/OEM recommendations,
relevant law, and industry best practices.
■ Perform troubleshooting, repair, maintenance, and acceptance tests on high voltage equipment in XYZHP
substation;
■ Assist in troubleshooting problems and perform periodic inspections;

■ Assist in the development of maintenance procedures and be responsible for the execution of the same;
Responsibilities and duties ■ Attend plant safety meetings, and follow all safety rules and regulations;

■ Participate and perform lockout/tagout to isolate equipment for inspections and maintenance;

■ Direct and provide on-the-job training and assist in the appraisal for junior personnel;

■ Provide emergency after-hours support (call-out) and standby duties as required.

■ A diploma in electrical technology from an institute of recognized standing and or completion of training program
leading to the designation of Journeyman High Voltage Electrical Technician;
■ Minimum of eight years of experience working as a High Voltage Electrical Technician in utility or private sector and
experience with substation, generating equipment, and or complex industrial systems;
■ Apprentice: Minimum of four years of experience working as a High Voltage Electrical Technician in utility or private
sector and experience with substation, generating equipment, and or complex industrial systems;
■ Must be prepared to undertake further development of technical or leadership skills through participation in
Qualifications and skills internal and external training and development;
■ Thorough knowledge of the use and care of all instruments and test equipment;

■ Possess initiative and mature judgment with the ability to make and implement sound decisions;

■ Knowledge of scheduling and planning techniques, budgetary controls, functional cost accounting;

■ Ability to prepare technical reports in a clear, concise manner;

■ Conversant with and adhere to safety rules and regulations;

■ Physically capable of performing all the duties of the position.

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JOB TITLE #10 MECHANICAL ENGINEER
Reports to Chief Maintenance Engineer
As a key member of XYZ Hydropower Company (XYZ), the Electrical Engineer will report directly to the Chief
Maintenance Engineer and work closely with Civil and Electrical Engineers and supporting staff.
Job summary The Mechanical Engineer will be responsible for the overall maintenance and troubleshooting of all mechanical
equipment associated with the XYZ Hydroelectric Project (XYZHP). The Mechanical Engineer will be responsible
for establishing all necessary troubleshooting, maintenance routines, and procedures, based on OE/OEM
recommendations, relevant law, and industry best practices.
■ Supervise routine and other mechanical maintenance services;
■ Provide engineering support for analyzing the mechanical equipment and control problems associated with
generation equipment for XYZHP;
■ Participate in the planning, scheduling, and implementation of maintenance programs for all mechanical
equipment and controls systems associated with XYZHP;
■ Interface with maintenance supervisors and other departments on work-related concerns and problems;

■ Assist in preparing estimates for budgetary requirements;

■ Prepare engineering reports, capital project justifications, special maintenance work order reports, specifications,
and initiate purchases;
■ Investigate and evaluate equipment and parts and recommend changes to improve efficiency;

■ Update, develop, and support maintenance procedures;

■ Responsible for emergency maintenance;


Responsibilities and duties
■ Ensure the level of knowledge, skills, and proficiency of electrical maintenance technicians is maintained at a high
standard and meet the skill requirements needed to maximize equipment operational readiness;
■ Work with Workplace Safety and Health Officer to ensure facility environmental, health, safety, and security are
compliant;
■ Responsible for field testing programs and equipment commissioning as required, including the testing/
commissioning of all new mechanical systems;
■ Participate actively and positively in the development and achievement of the company’s goals and objectives;

■ In cooperation with plant staff, develop and update maintenance standards and procedures for mechanical
equipment and auxiliaries;
■ Attend plant safety meetings, and follow all safety rules and regulations;

■ Direct and provide on-the-job training and assist in the appraisal for junior personnel;

■ Provide emergency after-hours support (call-out) and standby duties as required.

■ Graduate from a mechanical engineering program from a university of recognized standing with a minimum of 15
years progressive technical experience, including four (4) years supervisory experience of engineers and technical
support personnel in hydropower plants;
■ Demonstrated ability to organize, schedule, and coordinate work, and to provide training to other staff;

■ Broad professional background pertaining to power equipment and auxiliaries in hydropower generating stations
to carry out the duties of the position;
■ Familiarity with Kaplan turbines and associated equipment is an asset;
Qualifications and skills
■ Membership in Professional Engineering Organization;

■ Must have the ability to deal with other personnel with diplomacy in the roles of supervisor and coordinator;

■ Must be a good organizer and adept at scheduling a heavy workload;

■ Must have mature judgment and the ability to accept and complete assignments given by objective and schedule;

■ Must have a broad technical background pertaining to Mechanical Engineering;

■ Functional knowledge of AutoCAD, Microsoft Office, etc.

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JOB TITLE #11 MECHANICAL TECHNICIAN
Reports to Mechanical Engineer
As a key member of XYZ Hydropower Company (XYZ), the Mechanical Technician will report directly to the Mechanical
Engineer and work closely with other technicians and supporting staff.
Job summary The Mechanical Technician will be responsible for troubleshooting, inspections, and maintenance of all mechanical
equipment associated with the XYZ Hydroelectric Project (XYZHP), based on OE/OEM recommendations, relevant law,
and industry best practices.
■ Perform troubleshooting, repair, maintenance, and inspection of all mechanical systems at XYZHP (i.e., turbine/
generators, bearings, HPU, cooling water system, intake gates, spillway gates, and other balance of plant
equipment, etc.);
■ Assist in troubleshooting problems and perform periodic inspections;

■ Assist in the development of maintenance procedures and be responsible for the execution of the same;
Responsibilities and duties
■ Attend plant safety meetings, and follow all safety rules and regulations;

■ Participate and perform lockout/tagout to isolate machinery for inspections and maintenance;

■ Direct and provide on-the-job training and assist in the appraisal for junior personnel;

■ Provide emergency after-hours support (call-out) and standby duties as required.

■ A diploma in mechanical technology from an institute of recognized standing and or completion of training
program leading to the designation of Mechanical Technician/Millwright;
■ Minimum of eight years of experience working as a Mechanical Technician in utility or private sector and
experience with hydropower generating equipment, and or complex industrial systems;
■ Apprentice: Minimum of four years of experience working as a Mechanical Technician in utility or private sector
and experience with hydropower generating equipment, and or complex industrial systems;
■ Familiarity with Kaplan turbines and associated equipment is an asset;

■ Must be prepared to undertake further development of technical or leadership skills through participation in
Qualifications and skills
internal and external training and development;
■ Thorough knowledge of the use and care of all instruments and test equipment;

■ Possess initiative and mature judgment with the ability to make and implement sound decisions;

■ Knowledge of scheduling and planning techniques, budgetary controls, functional cost accounting;

■ Ability to prepare technical reports in a clear, concise manner;

■ Conversant with and adhere to safety rules and regulations;

■ Physically capable of performing all the duties of the position.

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JOB TITLE #12 MAINTENANCE PLANNER AND OUTAGE COORDINATOR
Reports to Chief Maintenance Engineer
As a key member of XYZ Hydropower Company (XYZ), the Maintenance Planner and Outage Coordinator will report
directly to the Chief Mechanical Engineer and work closely with Chief Electrical Engineer and supporting staff.
Job summary
The Maintenance Planner is responsible for the planning, scheduling outages, and the coordination of all work
functions related to the maintenance management system.
■ Responsible for maintaining a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) and drafting procedures
and training for staff to use the system;
■ Coordinate the planning and scheduling of outages;

■ Create Gantt charts and network diagrams for unit outages;

■ Achieve close working relationships with plant management and station personnel including external crews
and departments and maintain harmonious liaison with all departments concerned;
■ Plan and produce work orders and schedules for equipment requiring maintenance and provide work packages
to work crews;
■ Responsible for maintaining all records in the CMMS and ensuring that all instructions, procedures, records,
and files are correct and up-to-date;
Responsibilities and duties ■ Ensure that all completed work packages are reviewed with plant management with the intent of improving quality
and efficiency of work and eliminating error;
■ Assist in preparing reports forecasting future resource requirements, equipment overhaul results, persistent
problem areas, and necessary equipment modifications or replacement;
■ Assist in establishing and maintaining preventative and predictive maintenance programs consistent with RCM
principles;
■ Develop and maintain various performance indicator reports for plant management;

■ Attend plant safety meetings, and follow all safety rules and regulations;

■ Direct and provide on-the-job training and assist in the appraisal for junior personnel;

■ Provide emergency after-hours support (call-out) and standby duties as required.

■ Completion of a diploma in electrical or mechanical engineering from an institute of recognized standing;


■ Minimum work experience of 10 years working as a maintenance supervisor/planner at hydropower/thermal
or complex industrial facility;
■ Possess proven maintenance experience on all major equipment and auxiliaries;

■ Experience using maintenance management systems;

■ Ability to organize, supervise, and schedule work and provide training, leadership, and direction to other staff;

■ Possess above average technical knowledge with a desire to further development;


Qualifications and skills ■ Possess above average computer skills sufficient to perform the various tasks of the position (MS Word, MS Excel,
and MS Project);
■ Possess sound judgment, decision-making ability, and the ability to perform assignments with minimum
supervision;
■ Possess an excellent working knowledge of budget preparation and control, cost accounting, stores, and stock
control;
■ Creative and able to evaluate and develop work methods and practices;

■ Familiar with and adhere to the corporate safety manual and other approved safety practices and procedures.

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JOB TITLE #13 CIVIL ENGINEER
Reports to Chief Maintenance Engineer
As a key member of XYZ Hydropower Company (XYZ), the Civil Engineer will report directly to the Chief Maintenance
Engineer and work closely with Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and other support staff.
Job summary The Civil Engineer is responsible for civil works related to the XYZ Hydroelectric Project (XYZHP) and their operation
and maintenance based on its design parameters, OEM/OE recommendations, relevant law, and industry best
practices.
■ Conduct inspections of all civil works according to schedule and oversee the surveillance and monitoring program
to maintain dam safety;
■ Manage the timely review, and any necessary follow-up action as required, of all surveillance and monitoring
datasets to assure the safety of project civil works;
■ Provide technical support to the townsite administrator on any road or building issues, as well as slope stability;

■ Provide technical oversight on hydrology/hydraulic analysis and any changes in floodplain mapping and studies;

■ Review and approve of any modification to XYZHP dam or appurtenant facilities which might impact their safety;

■ Direct changes to project operations if necessary, to ensure the safety of XYZHP dam, spillway, and appurtenant
facilities during emergency circumstances;
■ Review and approval of emergency actions plans;

■ Participate in dam safety inspection by regulatory authorities;

Responsibilities and duties ■ Participate in the planning, scheduling, and implementation of maintenance programs for all civil works associated
with the generating stations; Interface with other maintenance supervision and other departments or work-related
concerns and problems;
■ Assist in preparing estimates for budgetary requirements;

■ Prepare Engineering Reports, Capital Project Justifications, Special Maintenance Work Order Reports, specifications,
and initiate purchases;
■ Update, develop, and recommend maintenance procedures;

■ Work with Workplace Safety and Health Officer to ensure facility environmental, health, safety, and security are
compliant;
■ Participate actively and positively in the development and achievement of the team’s goals;

■ Direct and provide on-the-job training and assist in the appraisal for junior personnel;

■ Provide emergency after-hours support (call-out) and standby duties as required.

■ University degree in civil engineering and a minimum of eight years of experience related to the design,
construction, and operation of access roads, dams, tunnels, and hydropower plant. An equivalent combination
of education and experience will also be considered;
■ Demonstrated commitment to occupational health and safety;

■ Demonstrated managerial and leadership skills combined with excellent interpersonal skills and a proven track
Qualifications and skills
record as a team player are essential;
■ Possess good working knowledge of plant operations processes and practices and have the ability to take a
leadership role in resolving related operational issues;
■ Demonstrated skills and experience in solving complex and sensitive matters courteously and discretely, consistent
with best operating principles.

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JOB TITLE #14 CIVIL TECHNOLOGIST
Reports to Civil Engineer
As a key member of XYZ Hydropower Company (XYZ), the Civil Technologist will report directly to the Civil Engineer
and work closely with other technicians and supporting staff.
Job summary The Civil Technologist will be responsible for inspection and monitoring of civil structures, and geotechnical data
collection and analysis related to the XYZ Hydroelectric Project (XYZHP) based on Civil Contractor and Owner’s
Engineer recommendations, relevant law, and industry best practices.
■ Inspect and maintain all civil works (dam, intake, powerhouse, etc.) associated with XYZ Hydroelectric Project
(XYZHP);
■ Download and analyze dam safety instrument datasets and any other geotechnical dataset on-site;

■ Maintain and update project GIS database including site surveys, maps, and drawings;

■ Operate and maintain a variety of mechanical, digital, analogue, wireless, computerized, and other equipment
Responsibilities and duties required for engineering surveys;
■ Attend project safety meetings, and follow all safety rules and regulations;

■ Assist in the development of maintenance procedures and be responsible for the execution of the same;

■ Direct and provide on-the-job training and assist in the appraisal for junior personnel;

■ Provide emergency after-hours support (call-out) and standby duties as required.

■ Diploma in civil engineering technology from an institute of recognized standing;


■ Minimum experience of 10 years in utility or private sector and experience with design, construction, or operation
of hydropower projects or other major civil infrastructure;
■ Prepared to undertake further development of technical or leadership skills through participation in internal and
external training and development;
Qualifications and skills ■ Knowledge of scheduling and planning techniques, budgetary controls, functional cost accounting;

■ Ability to prepare technical reports in a clear, concise manner;

■ Possess initiative and mature judgment with the ability to make and implement sound decisions;

■ Conversant with and adhere to safety rules and regulations;

■ Physically capable of performing all the duties of the position.

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JOB TITLE #15 GENERAL MAINTENANCE TRADESMAN
Reports to Civil Engineer
As a key member of XYZ Hydropower Company (XYZ), the General Maintenance Tradesman will report directly to the
Civil Engineer and work closely with other technicians and supporting staff.
Job summary The General Maintenance Tradesman will be responsible for the day-to-day supervision and guidance of general plant
labor in performing maintenance of civil structures related to the XYZ Hydroelectric Project (XYZHP) based on Civil
Contractor and OE recommendations, relevant law, and industry best practices.
■ Supervise and guide general labor in performing maintenance works at all civil structures, buildings, and grounds
associated with XYZ Hydroelectric Project (XYZHP);
■ Attend project safety meetings, and follow all safety rules and regulations;
Responsibilities and duties ■ Assist in the development of maintenance procedures and be responsible for the execution of the same;

■ Direct and provide on-the-job training and assist in the appraisal for junior personnel;

■ Provide emergency after-hours support (call-out) and standby duties as required.

■ Diploma in civil engineering technology from an institute of recognized standing;


■ A minimum experience of eight years in utility or private sector and experience with construction supervision of
hydropower projects or other major civil infrastructure;
■ Prepared to undertake further development of technical or leadership skills through participation in internal and
external training and development;
Qualifications and skills ■ Knowledge of scheduling and planning techniques, budgetary controls, functional cost accounting;
■ Ability to prepare technical reports in a clear, concise manner;

■ Possess initiative and mature judgment with the ability to make and implement sound decisions;

■ Conversant with and adhere to safety rules and regulations;

■ Physically capable of performing all the duties of the position.

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JOB TITLE #16 FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATION MANAGER
Reports to Managing Director
As a key member of XYZ Hydropower Company (XYZ), the Finance and Administration Manager will report directly to
the Managing Director and work closely with the Plant Manager and other support staff.
Job summary
The Finance and Administration Manager will be responsible for the finance and administration functions of the XYZ
Hydroelectric Project (XYZHP).
■ Manage finance and procurement functions of XYZHP;
■ Manage tariff justification and approvals, payment collection from utilities, and loan repayments and all financial
matters of XYZHP;
■ Manage townsite administration;

■ Manage community relations, environmental and social compliance, and workplace health and safety functions
of XYZHP;
■ Manage human resources team supporting XYZHP;

■ Provide management with financial advisory support services including the interpretation of financial results,
Responsibilities and duties operating and capital cost budget preparation, and reporting;
■ Responsible for working with the management team to develop strategic business plans for the organization.
Contributes to the development of departmental goals and objectives and management of the operating
procedures and budgets so that the organization meets financial goals;
■ Manage capital and operating budgets, approving and controlling authorized expenditures;

■ Produce weekly/monthly project progress reports for Managing Director, BOD, and other stakeholders;

■ Participate in BOD, Steering Committee, and other meetings as directed by the Managing Director to represent the
interests of the XYZ;
■ Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

■ University degree in finance, accounting, and/or business administration. A Master’s degree in Business
Administration would be an asset;
■ Must have 15 years related to the management of finance and admin departments of a utility and/or a small to
medium public/private institution. An equivalent combination of education and experience will also be considered;
Qualifications and experience
■ Demonstrated managerial and leadership skills combined with excellent interpersonal skills and a proven track
requirements
record as a team player are essential;
■ The successful candidate will also demonstrate proficiency in all of the corporate leadership and core
competencies with particular emphasis on: visionary leadership, developing competency in others, building
customer relations, building trust, communication, and financial responsibility.

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JOB TITLE #17 COMMUNITY/CSR AND PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER
Reports to Financial and Administration Manager
As a key member of XYZ Hydropower Company (XYZ), the Community/CSR and Public Safety Officer will report
directly to the Finance and Administration Manager and work closely with the Plant Manager and other support staff.
Job summary The Community/CSR and Public Safety Officer will be responsible for managing the public and community
relationships with all stakeholders in countries UV and W. He/she will also maintain the corporate social responsibility
(CSR) function, and workplace health and safety function of the XYZ Hydroelectric Project (XYZHP).
■ Supervise environmental and social compliance officer;
■ Supervise workplace safety and health officer;

■ Implement CSR action items and manage stakeholder relationships and public safety related to the operation of
XYZHP;
■ Manage budget related to CSR, stakeholder management, environmental and social compliance, and workplace
health and safety;
Responsibilities and duties ■ Produce weekly/monthly project progress reports for manager;

■ Assist the manager with other internal and external communications as required, including news releases,
executive speeches, event planning, articles, brochures, and reports;
■ Ensure all communications support corporate goals and objectives;

■ Serve as a corporate spokesperson on media inquiries as directed by manager;

■ Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

■ University degree in business administration, communications, and or public affairs from an institute of recognized
standing;
Qualifications and experience ■ Must have 15 years of related experience in communication, public affair departments of a utility, and/or a large
requirements public/private institution. An equivalent combination of education and experience will also be considered;
■ Demonstrated supervisory and leadership skills combined with excellent interpersonal skills and a proven track
record as a team player are essential.

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JOB TITLE #18 ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIAL COMPLIANCE OFFICER
Reports to Community/CSR and Public Safety Officer
As a key member of XYZ Hydropower Company (XYZ), the Environmental and Social Compliance Officer will report
directly to the Community/CSR and Public Safety Officer and work closely with Operation and Maintenance staff of
Job summary the XYZ Hydroelectric Project (XYZHP).
The Environmental and Social Compliance Officer will be responsible for monitoring compliance with environmental
and social impact mitigation programs during the operation phase of the project.
■ Monitor environmental and social impact mitigation plans during the operation phase of the XYZHP as outlined
in ESIA and project permits and authorizations;
■ Coordinate and compile regulatory compliance reports;

■ Coordinate and implement internal inspection programs;

■ Coordinate with operations and assist in resolving deficiencies identified by various inspections;

■ Assist in monitoring samples tracking and reporting;

Responsibilities and duties ■ Implement programs to ensure environmental and social compliance including drafting plans and reports,
and compiling and analyzing data relating to compliance and process quality control work;
■ Manage contractors and consultants, as needed;

■ Work with Workplace Safety and Health Officer to ensure facility environmental, health, safety, and security are
compliant;
■ Attend plant safety meetings, and follow all safety rules and regulations;

■ Direct and provide on-the-job training and assist in the appraisal for junior personnel.

■ University Degree in business management, chemistry, environmental sciences, or related field from an institute
of recognized standing;
■ Must have 10+ years of relevant experience in environmental and social impact assessments, and/or compliance
experience of civil and power infrastructure. An equivalent combination of education and experience will also be
considered;
Qualifications and experience ■ Must be prepared to undertake further development of technical or leadership skills through participation in
requirements internal and external training and development;
■ Ability to prepare compliance reports in a clear, concise manner;

■ Possess initiative and mature judgment with the ability to make and implement sound decisions;

■ Conversant with and adhere to safety rules and regulations;

■ Physically capable of performing all the duties of the position.

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JOB TITLE #19 WORKPLACE SAFETY AND HEALTH OFFICER
Reports to Community/CSR and Public Safety Officer
As a key member of XYZ Hydropower Company (XYZ), the Workplace Safety and Health Officer will report directly
Job summary to the Community/CSR and Public Safety Officer and work closely with Operation and Maintenance staff of the XYZ
Hydroelectric Project (XYZHP).
■ Apply knowledge of current and upcoming health and safety strategies, procedures, regulations, and industry best
practices;
■ Develop and coordinate health and safety systems/strategies meeting and exceeding organizational and
compliance requirements;
■ Align with management to address health and safety issues and drive implementation of new initiatives;

■ Conduct field audits to monitor employees on safe work practices;

■ Hands-on supervision of all field staff journey management requests;

■ Track and audit organizational performance and compliance against policies, programs, and procedures;

■ Advise and represent the company during regulatory actions;

Responsibilities and duties ■ Review and develop work and site plans, which supports a safe workplace environment;

■ Attend necessary operations meetings to discuss health and safety concerns and issues;

■ Participate in health and safety committee meetings;

■ Develop and conduct monthly safety meetings on topics designed to promote a better understanding of company
policies, programs, procedures, and general health and safety;
■ Respond in a timely fashion to the incident; lead completing all incident investigations;

■ Track and oversee regular reporting of health and safety metrics to develop KPIs to drive the business toward
exceeding organizational compliance goals;
■ Work with operations group to ensure safe work procedures are developed and appropriate for all field operations;

■ Other duties as required.

■ Diploma in safety and/or environmental management or related field from an institute of recognized standing;
■ Must have 10+ years as a safety officer in a utility environment with hands-on working experience in a safety
management system (SMS);
■ Valid standard First Aid and CPR certifications and other safety training such as Fall Arrest, Confined Space, etc.;

Qualifications and experience ■ Ability to work collaboratively as part of a cohesive team, as well as the ability to work independently with minimal

requirements supervision;
■ Flexibility regarding scheduling (open to working nights or days for auditing);

■ Must be able to adapt to changes in a work environment, travel, and weather;

■ Conversant with and adhere to safety rules and regulations;

■ Physically capable of performing all the duties of the position.

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JOB TITLE #20 HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER
Reports to Finance and Administration Manager
As a key member of XYZ Hydropower Company (XYZ), the Human Resources Officer will report directly to the
Finance and Administration Manager and work closely with the Plant Manager, Chief Operation Engineer, and Chief
Job summary Maintenance Engineer of the XYZ Hydroelectric Project (XYZHP).
The Human Resources Officer plays a key role in the recruitment and retention of staff from the three partner
countries and both public and private sector.
■ Communicate and work with managers throughout all phases of recruiting, including development and updating
of existing job descriptions; determining recruiting strategies, interviewing, and selection; drafting offer letters;
communication of selection decisions to candidates;
■ Participate in annual reviews, individual performance plans, tracking due dates for performance evaluations, and
follow up with supervisors and managers;
■ Assist management with employee learning and development activities, including training and capacity building;

■ Assist management with issues related to pay grades, raises, benefits, and compensation;
Responsibilities and duties
■ Recommend new approaches, policies, and procedures to effect continual improvements in the efficiency of the
department and services performed;
■ Manage leaves of absence and return to work programs;

■ KPI reporting related to human resources;

■ Direct and provide on-the-job training and assist in the appraisal for junior staff;

■ Other duties as assigned.

■ University degree/diploma in human resources or related field from an institute of recognized standing;
■ Must have 10+ years of relevant experience of managing Human Resources Department of a utility, public and/or
private institution;
■ Must know local and regional labor laws;
Qualifications and experience
■ Must be prepared to undertake further development of business or leadership skills through participation in
requirements
internal and external training and development;
■ Possess initiative and mature judgment with the ability to make and implement sound decisions;

■ Must have a thorough understanding and working knowledge of local industry employment norms and
compensation, including employment benefits.

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JOB TITLE #21 HUMAN RESOURCES ASSISTANT
Reports to Human Resources Officer
As a key member of XYZ Hydropower Company (XYZ), the Human Resources Assistant will report directly to the
Job summary
Human Resources Officer and work closely with the support staff of the XYZ Hydroelectric Project (XYZHP).
■ Work with Human Resources Officer in the design, development, analysis, and testing of HR reports, reporting
software, and organizational management strategies;
■ Maintain, problem solve, remedy issues, and provide technical support for existing computer applications
developed for human resources administration;
■ Responsible for delivering biweekly, monthly, quarterly, semiannual, and annual HR reports for management;

■ Assist management with the formulation and implementation of standardized job descriptions, performance
management, hiring, discipline, and termination of employees;
Responsibilities and duties ■ Assist management with employee learning and development activities, including training and capacity building;

■ Assist management with issues related to pay grades, raises, benefits, and compensation;

■ Maintain organizational management business process procedure documents;

■ Assist with the development and delivery of HR IT system user training;

■ Work closely with staff from various departments;

■ Attend training sessions as required;

■ Other duties as assigned.

■ Diploma in human resources or related field from an institute of recognized standing;


■ Must have 5+ years of relevant experience of working in human resources at a utility, public and/or private
institution;
Qualifications and experience ■ Must know local and regional labor laws;
requirements
■ Must be prepared to undertake further development of business or leadership skills through participation in
internal and external training and development;
■ Possess initiative and mature judgment with the ability to make and implement sound decisions.

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JOB TITLE #22 SENIOR ACCOUNTANT
Reports to Finance and Administration Manager
As a key member of XYZ Hydropower Company (XYZ), the Senior Accountant will report directly to the Finance and
Job summary Administration Manager and work closely with the Plant Manager, Chief Operation Engineer, and Chief Maintenance
Engineer of the XYZ Hydroelectric Project (XYZHP).
■ Oversee the efficient and reliable operation of the Accounting Department;
■ Coordinate budget and finance activities between the various operation, maintenance, and administration
departments of XYZ;
■ Responsible for payroll administration of XYZ staff;

■ Responsible for the monthly, quarterly, and year-end reporting of OM&A expenditures, including the preparation
of company annual and quarterly reports, corporate management report, year-over-year analysis, and year-end
working papers;
■ Responsible for the monthly, quarterly, and year-end reporting of capital expenditures, including summarization
of project-variance analysis;
■ Assist in the coordination and rollup of the corporation’s annual OM&A budget submission;

Responsibilities and duties ■ Provide functional and technical guidance and professional advice on finance and accounting matters through
financial analysis, interpretation of results, the recommendation for changes and improvements involving use and
control of local financial resources;
■ Coordinate customer inquiries, payment of arrears, disconnection issues, etc.;

■ Manage the preparation of operating and administrative expense reports on a monthly, quarterly, and yearly basis
to compare actual costs with approved budget and forecast;
■ Prepare the consolidated equivalent full-time employee report and provide analysis for the monthly management
report;
■ Provide assistance to finance staff with financial system reporting queries;

■ Attend training sessions as required;

■ Other duties as assigned.

■ University degree in accounting, business administration, and/or related field from an institute of recognized
standing;
■ Completion of a recognized professional accounting designation;

■ Must have 15+ years of relevant experience as a controller, senior accountant in an SME public or private
Qualifications and experience institution;
requirements
■ Must have complete working knowledge of international accounting rules and best practices;

■ Must be prepared to undertake further development of business or leadership skills through participation in
internal and external training and development;
■ Possess initiative and mature judgment with the ability to make and implement sound decisions.

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JOB TITLE #23 JUNIOR ACCOUNTANT
Reports to Senior Accountant
As a key member of XYZ Hydropower Company (XYZ), the Junior Accountant will report directly to the Senior
Job summary
Accountant and work closely with the support staff of the XYZ Hydroelectric Project (XYZHP).
■ Perform general accounting duties (i.e., data entry and filing);
■ Responsible for accounting reconciliation works, month-end closing, accounting reports, and accounting
analysis, etc.;
■ Ensure all reporting is accurate and processes are completed by the stipulated deadlines;

■ Prepare profit and loss performance and management reports;


Responsibilities and duties ■ Assist in preparation of budgets and implementation of new projects;

■ Preparation and filing of corporate taxes;

■ Provide assistance to finance staff with financial system reporting queries;

■ Attend training sessions as required;

■ Other duties as assigned.

■ University degree/diploma in business administration/accounting and or related field from an institute of


recognized standing;
■ Completion of a recognized professional accounting designation;

Qualifications and experience ■ Must have 5+ years of related experience as an accountant in large public and or private institution;

requirements ■ Must know local and international accounting rules and best practices;
■ Must be prepared to undertake further development of business or leadership skills through participation in
internal and external training and development;
■ Possess initiative and mature judgment with the ability to make and implement sound decisions.

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JOB TITLE #24 PROCUREMENT OFFICER
Reports to Senior Accountant
As a key member of XYZ Hydropower Company (XYZ), the Procurement Officer will report directly to the Senior
Job summary Accountant and work closely with the Plant Manager, Chief Operation Engineer, and Chief Maintenance Engineer of
the XYZ Hydroelectric Project (XYZHP).
■ Provide research, administrative, and technical support to staff on the procurement of goods and services to ensure
accuracy, timeliness of information, and compliance with governing legislation, policies, and procedures;
■ Provide support in preparation, processing, and maintenance of procurement instruments and contracts in
accordance with internal controls and relevant public sector procurement legislation. Conduct initial needs
assessment and determination relating to the use of tenders, RFP, RFQ, local purchase orders, etc.;
■ Coordinate, participate, and/or process various procurement activities including bid openings, change orders,
security deposits, progress payments, contracts, etc.;
■ Assist with the administration of annual service and supply contracts;

■ Develop and maintain supplier relationships;


Responsibilities and duties
■ Maintain the computerized procurement system;

■ Liaise with suppliers and staff on matters relating to procurement, internal controls, and relevant legislation;

■ Coordinate delivery schedules, monitor progress, and liaise with clients and suppliers to resolve issues;

■ Coordinate asset disposals from a financial perspective;

■ Provide input and maintain relevant policies and procedures including contract administration manual and
procurement templates;
■ Maintain electronic and manual procurement records;

■ Other related duties.

■ University degree/diploma in business administration and/or related field from an institute of recognized standing;
■ Completion of a recognized procurement designation;

Qualifications and experience ■ Must have 10+ years of related experience as a procurement officer in large public and or private institution;
requirements ■ Must be prepared to undertake further development of business or leadership skills through participation in
internal and external training and development;
■ Possess initiative and mature judgment with the ability to make and implement sound decisions.

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JOB TITLE #25 STOREKEEPER
Reports to Senior Accountant
As a key member of XYZ Hydropower Company (XYZ), the Storekeeper will report directly to the Senior Accountant
Job summary
and work closely with the support staff of the XYZ Hydroelectric Project (XYZHP).
■ Perform the key duties of warehousing;
■ Track corporate materials inventory, provide reports, and ensure reports are accurate and up to date;

■ Assist with the ordering and purchase of materials to ensure stock levels remain at proper levels, and the
procurement of services as required;
■ Research material sourcing options and prepare reports for management;
Responsibilities and duties ■ Ensure all materials ordered abide by specifications laid out by each respective ordering department;

■ Conduct inventory and warehouse maintenance activities (including counting and sampling) regularly as required;

■ Track all orders and invoices, and maintain accurate records;

■ Attend training sessions as needed;

■ Other duties as assigned.

■ Diploma in business administration/accounting and/or related field from an institute of recognized standing;
■ Must have five years of related experience as an accountant/storekeeper in large public and/or private institution;

■ Thorough knowledge of principles, techniques, and procedures of supply chain management;


Qualifications and experience
■ Good understanding of accounting/materials management software;
requirements
■ Must be prepared to undertake further development of business or leadership skills through participation in
internal and external training and development;
■ Possess initiative and mature judgment with the ability to make and implement sound decisions.

JOB TITLE #26 TOWNSITES ADMINISTRATOR


Reports to Senior Accountant
As a key member of XYZ Hydropower Company (XYZ), the Townsites Administrator will report directly to the Finance
Job summary
and Administration Manager and work closely with the management of the XYZ Hydroelectric Project (XYZHP).
■ Responsible for property management services for corporate housing and facilities;
■ Responsible for contracted services such as security force, canteen operations, guesthouse operations,
clinic operations, water and wastewater management, garbage collection, building maintenance, residential
maintenance, and roads and access;
■ Prepare annual budget and work with accounting staff to track costs and prepare monthly reports for the
Responsibilities and duties management;
■ Responsible for the monthly, quarterly, and year-end reporting of capital expenditures including summarization of
project variance analysis;
■ Attend training sessions as required;

■ Other duties as assigned.

■ University degree/diploma in business administration and/or related field from an institute of recognized standing;
■ Must have 10+ years of related experience as a property manager/supervisor in large public and or private

Qualifications and experience institution;


requirements ■ Must be prepared to undertake further development of business or leadership skills through participation in
internal and external training and development;
■ Possess initiative and mature judgment with the ability to make and implement sound decisions.

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Appendix E:  Performance measurement: Key performance
indicators
Within the electrical utility industry, hundreds of performance measures have been formulated, and
comparisons of these measurements have been carried out. As detailed in Step 1, the reason for mea-
surements and comparisons is to determine if actual performance is achieving the targets set in the
O&M strategy and is comparable with others in the industry.

The comparison of actual performance with internally established targets aims to identify and guide
the actions that will help the corporation meet its overall objectives. The comparison with others is to
identify best performers within the industry, to understand best practices, and subsequently learn from
these high performers in order to improve a utility’s own overall performance.

Performance measurement and internal comparisons

Most electrical utilities develop performance measures that help them in developing (and guiding) the
actions required to ensure that the utility meets the goals and objectives set out in its annual corpo-
rate strategic plan (business plan). In practice, the goals and objectives are developed first, then the
measures and corresponding targets are established, and then the comparisons of actual performance
versus target performance is made. In order to ensure that a company’s business plan does not become
too focused on one or two “performance areas” (e.g., finance and reliability), a number of goals and
objectives are identified across the performance spectrum, and hence, the key performance indicators
(KPIs) are also created to monitor the performance across this spectrum.

The most common performance areas that many utilities focus on are safety, financial, plant (unit),
environmental impact, and human resources.

Within these performance areas, commonly used KPIs are as shown in Table E.1.

Performance measurement and external comparisons (benchmarking) for hydropower

If performance measurement comparisons are to be made with other utility companies, also known as
“benchmarking,” it is imperative that the comparisons are made with similar utilities/plants and that the
data are collected and analyzed in a similar fashion. There is no use in comparing the performance of two
dissimilar utilities or comparing data that were not collected in the same fashion. It is important that KPI
data (performance measurement information) are collected and shared in an open and consistent manner.

Several associations exist that encourage benchmarking and, as such, they provide their members with
the measurement and analysis guidelines (or standards) required to ensure that comparisons are mean-
ingful and consistent. These associations allow members to:

■ benchmark their performance data (KPI) against other member utilities


■ learn from “best in class” organizations
■ share successes and failures
■ collectively solve problems
■ strive for continuous improvements.

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TABLE E.1  |  Commonly used key performance indicators

PERFORMANCE AREA KPI


■ Number of lost time injuries (also known as accident frequency rate)
■ Number of person days lost due to injuries (also known as accident severity rate)
■ Number of high-risk incidents

Safety performance ■ Other “leading” indicators:

❑ Percentage of “work site” visits performed by crew supervisors

❑ Staff participation in safety meetings/safety training program

❑ Implementation of accident investigation recommendation

■ Cost of O&M/O&M budget (expressed as a percentage)


Financial performance ■ Cost of capital expenditures/capital budget (expressed as a percentage)

■ Cost of special maintenance work orders/maintenance work order budget (expressed as a percentage)

■ Plant availability factor


■ Unit forced outage rate

■ Other “leading” indicators:

Plant (unit) performance ❑ Emergency work/total work (expressed as a percentage)

❑ Maintenance work completed/maintenance work planned (expressed as a percentage)

❑ Percentage of outages investigated (root cause analysis performed)


❑ Percentage implementation of outage investigation recommendations

■ Number of releases of environmentally damaging products (oil, sulfur hexafluoride, etc.)


■ Number of dam safety violations
■ Number of domestic water and sewage treatment noncompliance occurrences

Environmental impact ■ Other “leading” indicators:

performance ❑ Accidental releases of harmful products from its primary storage vessel

❑ Percentage staff trained in emergency response

❑ Percentage of staff trained in dam safety

❑ Percentage staff that have reviewed the spill response manual (annually)

■ Percentage of staff that have a personal development plan


■ Percentage of performance reviews completed
Employee skills and relations
■ Percentage of staff that have met the development plan objectives

■ Employee survey staff satisfaction index

Examples of North American associations include the Electrical Utilities Cost Group (EUCG Inc.), the
Canadian Electricity Association (CEA), and the National Hydropower Association (NHA).

The EUCG Inc. (formerly known as the Electric Utility Cost Group) is an international association of
utility professionals that shares information with the goal of increasing their performance and compet-
itiveness. The international membership is devoted to promoting accuracy, quality, and efficient data
management, and because of this dedication, the EUCG is able to provide state-of-the-art plant per-
formance data to its members. The EUCG hosts a semiannual conference and workshop program that
is attended by approximately 110 representatives of the world’s major international utility companies.
Networking between members at these events allows for the sharing of reliable information exchange
and best practices.

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Within the EUCG Inc., a committee has been established to provide the standard in the hydroelectric
industry for “energy performance information.” This committee is known as the Hydroelectric Produc-
tivity Committee (HCP).

Benchmarking KPIs are primarily grouped into three groups. Although there are many KPIs within each
of these three groups, there are two in each that are of prime importance, as detailed in Table E.2.

To ensure that valid performance indicator comparisons can be made between utilities, the EUCG’s
Hydro Electric Productivity Committee has produced very detailed definitions for the various data
inputs. These definitions are contained in the User Guide and Data Catalog, available to EUCG
members.

TABLE E.2  |  Two key indicators on performance, costs, and staffing

CATEGORY INDICATORS DESCRIPTION


The availability factor (expressed as a percentage) is calculated as follows:
AF = (available hours/reporting period hours) × 100
Availability factor (AF): indicator of where
how well the utility has managed available hours are a sum of:
the maintenance program to keep
■ Service hours (hours where the unit is connected to the grid)
the units (station) in a sound
operating mode. ■ Reserve shutdown hours (unit is available, but shutdown for economic reasons)

■ Pumping hours (if applicable—the hours that the turbine/generator is operated as a pump/motor)

Performance group
■ Condensing hours (if applicable—the hours that the generator is run as a synchronous condenser)
Forced outage rate (expressed as a percentage) is calculated as follows:
FOR = (forced outage hours/forced outage hours + service hours) × 100
where
Forced outage rate (FOR):
indicator of the health of the Forced outage hours is a sum of all hours that a unit was off-line due to immediate, delayed, and
equipment postponed forced outages. By definition, a forced outage is an outage caused by an unplanned
component failure or other condition that requires that a unit be removed from service immediately or
before the next weekend.
Service hours is a sum of all hours where the unit is connected to the grid.
It is expressed as:
Production cost per unit: Operating costs + maintenance costs/total electricity generated (in MWh)
indication of the total production Operating costs are cost items, activities, or services which directly impact or control the operation of the
costs associated with generating plant/facility or involve the management of the system as a whole with the specific outcome being the
a MWh of electricity for a given generation of electrical energy. Power Marketing (trading) activities are not included.
reporting period.
Maintenance costs are cost activities specifically directed at supporting or ensuring that equipment or
facilities are available when required, to support the operation of the plant/facility.
Costs group It is expressed as:
Production cost per installed Operating costs + maintenance costs/total installed capacity (in MW)
capacity: indication of the total Operating costs are cost items, activities, or services which directly impact or control the operation of the
production costs associated with plant/facility or involve the management of the system as a whole with the specific outcome being the
the total installed capacity to generation of electrical energy.
generate electricity for a given Power marketing (trading) activities are not included.
reporting period.
Maintenance costs are cost activities specifically directed at supporting or ensuring that equipment or facilities
are available when required to the support operation of the plant/facility.
(continued)

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TABLE E.2  | Continued

CATEGORY INDICATORS DESCRIPTION


It is expressed as:
Number of full time equivalent staff/total electricity generated (in MWh).
Full time equivalents = all regular hours + all overtime hours/hours per FTE.
Full time equivalent (FTE) per unit:
Where
indication of the total number of
staff associated with generating Regular hours are all normal working hours (non-overtime) worked at the plant site in the operations,
a MWh of electricity for a given maintenance, or support functions of the plant.
reporting period. Overtime hours are all nonregular working hours worked at the plant site in the operations, maintenance,
or support functions of the plant.
Hours per FTE are the number of hours worked by a permanent plant employee working regular paid
hours.
Staffing group
It is expressed as:
Number of full time equivalent staff/total installed capacity (in MW)
Full time equivalent (FTE) per Full time equivalents = all regular hours + all overtime hours/hours per FTE
installed capacity: indication Where
of the total number of staff Regular hours are all normal working hours (non-overtime) worked at the plant site in the operations,
associated with the total installed maintenance, or support functions of the plant.
electrical generating capacity for
Overtime hours are all nonregular working hours worked at the plant site in the operations, maintenance,
a given reporting period.
or support functions of the plant.
Hours per FTE are the number of hours worked by a permanent plant employee working regular paid
hours.

Canadian Electricity Association (CEA): Canadian utilities make annual data submissions to
several groups within the CEA organization. The first one is the Committee on Corporate Performance
and Productivity Evaluation (COPE) that established over 227 KPIs to allow for comparisons of perfor-
mance in the following areas:

■ 24  corporate overall KPIs


■ 66  customer service KPIs
■ 45  distribution KPIs
■ 28  transmission KPIs
■ 19  corporate service KPIs
■ 45  power supply KPIs

The second CEA group to which utilities submit data is the Consultative Committee on Outage Statistics
(CCOS) which reports annually on their equipment reliability information system (ERIS). This com-
mittee identifies the top 10 performers in terms of generating unit level performance. The ERIS data
submittal entails reporting every state change the generating unit makes within a given period, and the
KPIs are calculated from that information. No power generation is reported to this system.

The state changes reported are:

■ available states
❑ operating (O)
❑ operating under forced derating (OFD)
❑ operating under scheduled derating (OSD)

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❑ available but not operating (ABNO)
❑ available but not operating forced derating (ABNO-SD)
❑ available but not operating scheduled derating (ABNO-SD)
■ not available states
❑ forced outage (FO)
❑ forced extension of maintenance outage (FEMO)
❑ forced extension of planned outage (FEPO)
❑ maintenance outage (MO)
❑ planned outage (PO)

The ERIS KPIs are then reported in terms of:

■ incapability factor (ICbF)—the ratio of total equivalent outage time, in hours to number of unit
hours
■ de-rated adjusted forced outage rate (DAFOR)—the ratio of equivalent forced outage time to equiva-
lent force outage time plus total equivalent operating time
■ available but not operating factor (ABNOF)—calculated by dividing ABNO + ABNO-FD + ABNO-SD
by unit hours.
Note: For further reference, see:

■ EUCG website: www.eucg.org


■ CEA website: www.canelect.ca
■ NHA website: www.hydro.org

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Appendix F:  Template terms of reference for soliciting
preparation of an O&M strategy
This template is to be adapted by owner according to local context and needs. Items between [in italic]
will need in particular to be customized. Terms of references will be also adapted depending whether
the O&M strategy targets an existing hydropower fleet or a greenfield project.

Terms of Reference
Preparing an Operation and Maintenance Strategy for [name of the hydropower power
plant or name of the utility, country]

1. Background and context

Hydropower is the largest renewable source, accounting for two-thirds of the world’s renewable gen-
eration. In order to optimize the available hydropower capacity, efficient operation and effective main-
tenance practices are critical. While safeguarding the environment and the safety of employees and
surrounding communities, hydropower plants maximize stakeholder benefits. Operation and main-
tenance (O&M) refers to all activities needed to run a hydropower plant, project or fleet (excluding
replacement or construction of new facilities, but generally can include rehabilitation of existing com-
ponents, and maintenance overhauls).

While new dams are being commissioned and new hydropower plants will be constructed, major chal-
lenges in hydropower O&M are faced by operators and utility managers. Poor O&M results in signifi-
cant tangible consequences, including loss of electricity production, loss of revenues, high outage rates,
performance losses and, in time, heavy rehabilitation/replacement costs, which are often much higher
than preventive O&M costs. More indirect and longer-term impact of poor O&M also includes threats
to dam, public, and environmental safety which may even lead to emergency situations, and eventually
loss of lives and properties. This is not only due to a lack of technical capacity of utilities, but also due to
a shortage of financial resources of the utilities to operate the plants.

[Brief description of:

■ country context,
■ hydropower fleet targeted by this consultancy, its status and O&M difficulties encountered,
■ key stakeholders, including the client . . .]

In that context, [the client] seeks the support of a consultant to prepare an O&M strategy which will
sustain the efficiency of its hydropower fleet over the long run. The proposed O&M strategy should
cover the full life cycle of the fleet from commissioning through operations and multiple life extensions/
rehabilitation programs to the end at decommissioning, dismantling, or reconstruction, while providing
more details for the upcoming [5–15] years to come.

2. Objectives of the consultancy

The consultant shall assist [the client] to prepare, validate, and get approved an ad-hoc O&M strategy
for its hydropower fleet.

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The O&M strategy will, among others, aim to:

■ reduce downtime and improve plant and equipment availability


■ increase power production
■ improve public, staff, and plant safety
■ improve legal, regulatory, environmental, and social compliance
■ prolong asset life
■ [to be completed].

The objectives of the services will be achieved through the following major activities:

■ diagnosis of O&M performance over the last [X] years


■ design of the O&M strategy (objectives and activities)
■ estimation of human and financial resources
■ support during validation and approval process
■ design of a detailed roadmap to implement the new strategy [including a five-year CAPEX plan and
next year operating plan].

3.  Scope of work

In order to meet these objectives, the consultant shall carry out the following set of activities:

■ Step 1: Diagnosing existing O&M performance. The consultant will (i) determine how well
the existing operator has been operating as well as (ii) assess its O&M capacity, procedures, and
organization [or for a greenfield: assess the O&M capacity of the foreseen operator]. Through indi-
cators to be proposed by the consultant, the consultant will also assess the following: safety perfor-
mance, financial performance, plant (unit) performance, environmental impact performance, and
employees’ skills, knowledge, and relations. The diagnostic should at least assess the following key
performance indicators (KPIs): availability factor (AF), forced outage rate (FOR), accident fre-
quency rate, accident severity rate, number of releases of environmentally damaging products (oil,
sulfur hexafluoride, R22, etc.). In this first step, the consultant will (i) gather and analyze all data
available and deemed necessary for the diagnosis, (ii) implement on-site visits for visual inspections
(not outages and/or equipment disassembling are foreseen at this stage), and (iii) implement inter-
views with key management and technical staff (on-site but also at corporate/utility level).
On this basis, the consultant will prepare a condition assessment of most critical components
of the fleet to understand the nature and scope of any works required to restore, secure, and/or
modernize the facility. The consultant will then investigate/analyze whether the identified needs
are reasonable given the age and operating hours of the facilities or brought about mainly because
of inadequate O&M practices; and if so, what were the root causes (root cause analysis). The
consultant will also assess whether the need for rehabilitation may also arise due to site conditions,
a fault in the original design, or inadequate quality or construction methods.

The consultant will also implement a diagnosis of O&M capabilities, organization, and
practices of both the owner and the operator. [For developers of new projects, this will entail
examination of the experience and capabilities of the foreseen operator.] The consultant will,

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among others, implement an operational review of the following items at corporate and plants’
levels:

■ the operator’s O&M procedures and knowledge


■ the operator’s organization structure and roles and responsibilities
■ the operator organization’s governance structure
■ the experience, qualifications, and training of staff
■ the organization’s retention and recruitment processes
■ the confidence in and efficiency of the management body
■ regulatory settings and impacts (rules, contractual obligations, restrictions, performance
requirements, reporting, existence of independent regulatory/controlling institutions, etc.)
■ comparison of expenditures against allocated budget and of the work executed with what was
planned
■ sufficiency of funds allocated to the O&M program.

On this basis, the consultant will prepare a risk assessment in order to prioritize items/­
equipment/resources/organizational and capacity features that deserve special attention. In pre-
paring such risk assessment, the consultant will assess each of the main scheme components (or
functional system) for its likelihood and consequence of failure, or impact (on safety but also rev-
enues). Based on the combination of the likelihood and impact, the risk’s criticality level will be
classified. This risk assessment will also help in prioritizing strategic activities and where needed
requirements for repair and refurbishment. The consultant is required to detail proposed methodol-
ogy for such risk assessment in his proposal.

Where improvements are required, the consultant will propose and prioritize changes to be made to
eliminate the root causes of poor performance, including if needed, changes in the business envi-
ronment, financing resources for O&M . . . as well as in tariffs and/or government subsidies when
revenues are insufficient to cover costs.

As a synthesis of this step, the consultant will produce a diagnosis report that, if deemed neces-
sary, will include recommendations for activities/further measures/equipment that would support
improving data collection and associated diagnosis. At this stage, the consultant will confirm KPIs
that will drive the strategy.

■ Step 2: Defining objectives for the O&M strategy. Based on the diagnosis, the consultant
will articulate and quantify O&M objectives to be reached by the strategy. [At this stage, the client
emphasizes the importance of X/Y aspects but requires the consultant to review these priorities].
The proposed objectives should highly contribute to the overall business and performance objectives
of the utility. Proposed objectives should also be consistent with state-of-the-art technical operating
rules, legal and regulatory requirements, establishing modern maintenance management systems to
preserve and prolong the life of the assets, ensuring the safety of assets and people, while protecting
the environment. At this stage, the consultant will synthetize, quantify, and value expected marginal
technical and financial benefits from the proposed objectives (in comparison with a business-as-
usual scenario).

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■ Step 3: Identification of activities to build the O&M strategy. Based on the diagnosis and
objectives targeted, the consultant will hereby identify and propose activities that will seek to sub-
stantially reduce major risks and eliminate barriers to efficiency as identified in the root cause anal-
ysis. At this stage, the consultant will in particular confirm recommendations for overall (and/or for
each functional system) type of maintenance to be unrolled (preventive versus corrective, planned
interval, condition-based, or predictive . . .). Consider their importance in terms of costs, the con-
sultant will (i) review the need for maintenance of major equipment/components, (ii) recommend
associated strategy (repair, refurbishment, or replacement), and (iii) assess associated costs. This
will be translated into a [5–15] years CAPEX/major maintenance plan including high-level assess-
ment for combining some activities toward optimization of procurement and costs and minimizing
planned outage periods (and associated revenues losses). The consultant will also explore relevance
and need for: [list to be screened/completed considering local specificities and priorities] mod-
ernization, upgrading, repurposing part of the fleet, improving procedures and quality standards,
installation of and training in a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS), oppor-
tunities for expanding peaking capacity and/or ancillary services, development of hydro-connected
or floating solar . . . The consultant will also provide advice on supporting actions, agreements, and
special provisions required to ensure that an enabling business environment is created for the O&M
strategy to succeed.
The consultant will then assess (i) existing capacity to implement all recommended activities and
(ii) potential need for external/outsourced support.

■ Step 4: Selection of the most adequate O&M contractual model. Based on the activities
selected in Step 3 and capability assessed in the diagnosis (such as owner’s capabilities, availabil-
ity of local human resources, current business and political environment . . .), the consultant will
explore O&M contractual models to distribute activities between internal implementation and/or
external supports/contracts. Different types of O&M contractual models considered could be based
under the following broad categories (that the consultant can customize and further detail as per
local ad-hoc needs):

■ Model 1: The owner retains sole responsibility for O&M.


■ Model 2: The owner outsources some O&M responsibilities to consultants, contractors, or
suppliers.
■ Model 3: The owner outsources all O&M responsibility to an independent operator.

The consultant will detail potential needs for external support, ranging from capacity building and
training activities, technical assistances, service contracts, performance-based management con-
tracts . . . [If deemed necessary, option for affermage or concession arrangements may have to be
considered.] The consultant will also draft key terms of the proposed contracts, including distribu-
tion of risks and responsibilities between parties, time and lump sum based components, bonuses
and penalties, description of KPIs (including metrics) to measure performance. On this basis, the
consultant will summarize all activities and contracts to be implemented, including recommenda-
tion for procurement methods, estimated costs of contracts, and timelines. The consultant will also
recommend allocation of responsibility for implementing and procuring these activities in a respon-
sibility matrix (such as those illustrated in the following reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Responsibility_assignment_matrix).

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■ Step 5: Organization and staffing options. In light of activities and contractual arrangements
proposed in Steps 3 and 4, the consultant will complement the gap analysis initiated in Step 1 in
order to compare current available staff and skills with those required to implement the O&M strat-
egy. The consultant will recommend balanced and ad-hoc organization and staffing arrangements
including O&M corporate and on-site organograms, positions and functions required, potential
adjustments to existing staffing, guidance on recruitment timing, and need for training. The consul-
tant will also deliver job descriptions (including education and qualification requirements) for all
key (existing and/or new) staff.
The consultant will also propose recommendations for enhancing careers’ management and human
resources incentives to be developed for motivating staff to perform and value their skills over time
within the company. In case of major outsourcing of activities, the consultant will also propose
arrangements that maximize on-the-job training for internal resources and when relevant, that
could potentially enable internalization/transfer of staff by the operator at the end of outsources
contracts.

■ Step 6: Estimation of financial resources. The consultant will estimate the main OPEX and
CAPEX expenditures required to implement the recommended O&M strategy. The consultant will
also plan and estimate the overall required O&M budget over a five-year horizon and projected lon-
ger-term major maintenance work, and for major capital replacements and refurbishment projects
within [10–15 years]. By doing so, the consultant should make sure that a sufficient budget will be
planned so that the facilities can be operated and maintained in accordance with targeted objectives
and good industry practice.

■ Step 7: Validation of the strategy. The consultant will carry out cost-benefit analysis (includ-
ing some sensitivity analysis) to validate the financial viability of the O&M strategy. On this basis,
if needed, the consultant will provide adjustment to objectives targeted in Step 2, activities recom-
mended in Step 3, and associated cost until forecasted financially sustainability is achieved. The
cost-benefit analysis should incorporate direct and indirect costs and revenues, including energy
losses during outages. Need and costing for insurances will also be evaluated.
The consultant will also organize internal (and where needed external) stakeholder consultations
[broad list to be provided by the client] on the basis of which the consultant will suggest options to
adjust the strategy.

■ Step 8: Preparation of roadmap to implement the strategy. The consultant will prepare
a detailed roadmap to support the client in implementing the strategy. In close collaboration with
the O&M management team, the consultant will also prepare the next five-year capital program
and next year annual operating plan that will frame next year activities and kick-off O&M improve-
ments. The consultant will also provide guidance on monitoring and performance measurement to
ensure the effectiveness of the strategy implemented.
The utility management will be closely involved by the consultant at every step of the process. As an
iterative process, all activities mentioned above will always be conducted in close coordination with
ministerial counterparts [to be listed].

[The client may add here any requirements for the consultant to support actual implementation of
the strategy or any other foreseen tasks such as dam safety for example.]

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4. Deliverables and outputs

Duration of services is [7] months after contract is signed (t0) [duration to be adjusted depending on
the size of the fleet included in the strategy].

The consultant is expected to submit the following deliverables within:

# LABEL CONTENT TIMELINE


A Inception report Update of the methodology and workplan. Data collected. t0 + 1 month
1. Detailed diagnostic with quantitative and qualitative assessment of the
Step 1 and 2 report: Diagnosis and
B plant (or the fleet) performance and operator’s capabilities. t0 + 2 months
objectives
2. Strategic objectives needed to ensure sustainable O&M of the facility.
The report will include review of all options/activities and contractual
Step 3 and 4 report: Activities and
C arrangements explored and comparative discussions on the pros and cons t0 + 3 months
contractual arrangements
of different options.
Step 5, 6, and 7 report: HR
D arrangements and cost-benefit Cf. scope of work for details. Including stakeholders’ consultation. t0 + 4 months
estimate
E O&M strategy Key outcomes from all steps—self-standing document. t0 + 5 months
Detailed roadmap to support the client in implementing the strategy + next
F Step 8: Implementation plans t0 + 6 months
five-year capital program + next year annual operating plan.

Final versions of reports will be submitted no later than two weeks after reception of comments. The
client is committed to deliver comments no later than two weeks after reception of draft reports.

The consultant will also organize two workshops: one for presenting key outputs from deliverables B
and C and another one with deliverable D.

The consultant will also be required to put in place an on-line shared database that will gather all infor-
mation collected. The database will be handed over to the client at the end of the assignment.

5. Qualification requirements

The consultant should have implemented at least one similar contract in the last [10] years. The consul-
tant should have skills at least in hydropower operation and maintenance, electro-mechanical engineer-
ing, asset management, business planning, and financial analysis. The consultant should have strong
interpersonal and communication skills to be able to interact with the utility and plant staff at all levels.

Proposed key staff shall meet the qualifications and requirements listed in the following table. In
addition, all staff must be fluent in [English] (written and oral), and well versed in the use of stan-
dard computer tools such as the Microsoft Office Suite. The consultant is invited to list in his proposal
(i) adjustments to proposed key staff where deemed relevant and (ii) any other non-key specialists.
Where relevant, a single CV could be submitted for different positions.

The person who will be designated as Team Leader must also have excellent skills in project manage-
ment as well as excellent oral and written communication skills. Knowledge of [language] is not com-
pulsory but would be an asset.

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[Titles and requirements can be adjusted depending on local features and expectations from the client.]

YEARS OF
TITLE SPECIFIC EXPERTISE
EXPERIENCE
At least seven years of experience in O&M of hydropower fleet, including at least five years in
management. Preference for a generalist having integrated views between technical, financial,
O&M Specialist [team leader] 12
managerial, human-resources, HSE, etc., aspects. Experience in understanding and managing
corporate and governance issues linked to O&M will be preferred.
Engineer with at least seven years of experience in O&M of electro-mechanical equipment.
Electromechanical Engineer 10
Technical knowledge in key hydropower equipment including turbine, gates, valves, penstocks, etc.
Control and Protection/SCADA Electrical Engineer or technician involved as key staff for the design (and if possible O&M) of
10
Specialist control and protection and SCADA systems for at least three HPP projects.
Professional with at least 10 years of experience in the development of human resources. The
proposed candidate must be familiar with the requirements in the energy sector, and preferably
Human-Resources, the electricity sector with hydropower content. He/she must have previous experience in at least
10
Capacity-Building Specialist two projects where skills gap analyses were carried out and shall demonstrate the successful
implementation of the recommended program. Proven track record of working with local staff in
developing countries is essential. Knowledge of [country/area] conditions is considered an asset.
Experience in power generation from various sources, including in at least two hydroelectric
projects in Africa. Good knowledge of international and regional environmental and social policies
Financial Analyst 7
and WB environmental and social framework as they relate to hydro developments, as well as legal
framework and property/land issues in Liberia and the region.

[Other staff that can be considered as key or non-key: Hydromechanical engineer; cost esti-
mator; electrical engineer (switchyard and transmission); civil engineer; health, environment, and
social experts]

The consultant is requested to present in his proposal key resumes, proposed methodology, as well as
level of efforts required for each step.

6. Reporting and institutional arrangements

The consultant will work under direct guidance/supervision of [add function].

The methodology of implementing services should be a part of the consultant proposal.

A steering committee chaired by [either the plant or utility manager] will meet at the end of every step
to share the results and validate the deliverables. A project committee gathering [a smaller group of
people—functions required to be listed] will meet with the consultant to assess the project progress.

7. Client inputs

[client name] will provide to the consultant all necessary project documentations and support the con-
sultant in collecting data and arranging necessary meetings. [client name] will also arrange the work
place in [location].

[For further guidance on methodology and outputs under each step, the consultant may consult the
handbook developed by the World Bank and available online.]

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Appendix G:  Template for OPEX costs (with illustrative data)
A HEAD OFFICE AND ADMINISTRATION TOTALS
A1 Labor Staff/shift No. of shifts* No. of staff All-in rate1 Annual cost
no. no. no. USD pa USD pa
General manager 1 1 1 75,000 75,000
Personnel manager 1 1 1 50,000 50,000
Accountant 1 1 1 40,000 40,000
Administration assistant 1 1 1 20,000 20,000
Secretary 2 1 2 15,000 30,000
Driver 2 1 2 15,000 30,000
Laborer 1 0 0
Security guard 1 4 4 10,000 40,000
Subtotal labor 12 285,000 285,000
*Note: For 3 shift operation allow additional shift for leave/rotation.
1Labor rates to include for leave, social costs, employer’s pension contributions, and other staff-related costs.

A2 Administrative expenses Units Rate Quantity Annual cost Subtotals


USD per unit USD pa USD pa
Utilities per month 1,000 12 12,000
Telecommunications and post per month 800 12 9,600
Travel and accommodation per month 1,500 12 18,000
Subscriptions per month 150 12 1,800
Printing and stationery per month 250 12 3,000
Entertainment per month 250 12 3,000
Amortization of office equipment per annum 5,000 1 5,000
Amortization of furniture per annum 5,000 1 5,000
Advertising per month 250 12 3,000
Sundry expenses per annum 1,000 1 1,000
Office maintenance per month 250 12 3,000
Subtotal 64,400 64,400
A3 Fees and facility related costs
Office insurance per annum 3,000 1 3,000
Rates per annum 10,000 1 10,000
Corporate insurances per annum 150,000 1 150,000
Generation license per annum 50,000 1 50,000
Office service charge per month 200 12 2,400
Business registration per annum 500 1 500
Interest and bank charges per annum 1,000 1 1,000
Subtotal 216,900 216,900
A4 Vehicles, tools, and equipment
Amortization of 4 × 4 per annum 10,000 1 10,000
Amortization of car per annum 6,000 1 6,000
Maintenance 4 × 4 per annum 5,000 1 5,000
Maintenance car per annum 2,500 1 2,500
Road tax 4WD per annum 500 1 500
Road tax car per annum 250 1 250
Insurance 4WD per annum 1,000 1 1,000
Insurance car per annum 500 1 500
Subtotal 25,750 25,750

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A5 Fuel and consumables Units Rate Quantity Annual cost Subtotals
Fuel for vehicles per month 1,000 12 12,000
Office consumables per month 500 12 6,000
Subtotal 18,000 18,000
A6 External services
Auditors per annum 20,000 1 20,000
Cleaners per month 200 12 2,400
Training per annum 3,000 1 3,000
Legal services per annum 20,000 1 20,000
Consultancy services per annum 20,000 1 20,000
Software licenses per annum 10,000 1 10,000
Recruitment services per annum 10,000 1 10,000
Subtotal 85,400 85,400
TOTAL expenses 410,450 410,450
Total head office and administration OPEX 695,450

B POWERSTATION AND OPERATIONS TOTALS


B1 Labor Staff/shift No. of shifts* No. of staff All-in rate1 Annual cost
no. no. no. USD pa USD pa
Plant manager 1 1 1 60,000 60,000
Chief operation engineer 1 1 1 50,000 50,000
Shift supervision 1 4 4 40,000 160,000
Shift operator 2 4 8 30,000 240,000
Chief maintenance engineer 1 1 1 50,000 50,000
Mechanical engineer 1 1 1 40,000 40,000
Electrical engineer 1 1 1 40,000 40,000
Control and protection engineer 1 1 1 40,000 40,000
Civil engineer 1 1 1 40,000 40,000
Technicians 8 1 8 20,000 160,000
Safety officer 1 1 1 30,000 30,000
Environment & social compliance officer 1 1 1 30,000 30,000
Human resources manager 1 1 1 40,000 40,000
Workshop manager 1 1 1 30,000 30,000
Workshop mechanic 3 1 3 20,000 60,000
Store manager 1 1 1 30,000 30,000
Secretary 2 1 2 15,000 30,000
Laborer 10 1 10 15,000 150,000
Cleaner 4 1 4 10,000 40,000
Driver 5 1 5 15,000 75,000
Security guard 5 4 20 10,000 200,000
Subtotal labor 76 1,595,000 1,595,000
*Note: For 3 shift operation allow additional shift for leave/rotation.
1Labor rates to include for leave, social costs, employer’s pension contributions, and other staff-related costs.

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B2 Administrative expenses Units Rate Quantity Annual cost Subtotals
USD per unit USD pa USD pa
Utilities per month 2,500 12 30,000
Telecommunications and post per month 500 12 6,000
Travel and accommodation per month 2,000 12 24,000
Printing and stationery per month 100 12 1,200
Entertainment per month 200 12 2,400
Amortization of office equipment per annum 10,000 1 10,000
Amortization of furniture per annum 10,000 1 10,000
Sundry expenses per annum 5,000 1 5,000
Subtotal 88,600 88,600
B3 Fees and facility related costs
Rates per annum 100,000 1 100,000
Wayleaves and rents per annum 75,000 1 75,000
Royalties per annum 50,000 1 50,000
Subtotal 225,000 225,000
B4 Vehicles, tools, and equipment
Amortization of 4 × 4 per annum 10,000 6 60,000
Amortization of bus/truck per annum 6,000 4 24,000
Maintenance 4 × 4 per annum 5,000 6 30,000
Maintenance bus/truck per annum 2,500 4 10,000
Road tax 4WD per annum 500 6 3,000
Road tax bus/truck per annum 250 4 1,000
Insurance 4WD per annum 1,000 6 6,000
Insurance bus/truck per annum 500 4 2,000
Amortization of maintenance tools per annum 50,000 1 50,000
Amortization of strategic spares per annum 100,000 1 100,000
Subtotal 286,000 286,000
B5 Fuel and consumables
Fuel for vehicles per month 5,000 12 60,000
Office consumables per month 500 12 6,000
Lubricants per month 2,000 12 24,000
Consumable spare parts per month 5,000 12 60,000
Subtotal 150,000 150,000
B6 External services
Consultancy services per annum 100,000 1 100,000
Training per annum 15,000 1 15,000
Software licenses per annum 25,000 1 25,000
Subtotal 140,000 140,000
Total expenses 889,600 889,600
Total powerstation OPEX 2,484,600

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C CAMP, CANTEEN AND MEDICAL FACILITIES TOTALS
C1 Labor Staff/shift No. of shifts* No. of staff All-in rate1 Annual cost
no. no. no. USD pa USD pa
Camp administrator 1 1 1 50,000 50,000
Camp maintenance engineer 1 1 1 35,000 35,000
Laborer 6 1 6 15,000 90,000
Security guard 4 4 16 10,000 160,000
Canteen manager 1 1 1 40,000 40,000
Cook 2 1 2 25,000 50,000
Canteen assistant 2 1 2 15,000 30,000
Doctor 1 1 1 40,000 40,000
Nurse 3 1 3 20,000 60,000
Ambulance driver 1 1 1 15,000 15,000
Driver 1 1 1 10,000 10,000
Subtotal labor 35 580,000 580,000
*Note: For 3 shift operation allow additional shift for leave/rotation.
1Labor rates to include for leave, social costs, employer’s pension contributions, and other staff-related costs.

C2 Administrative expenses Units Rate Quantity Annual cost Subtotals


USD per unit USD pa USD pa
Sundry expenses per annum 5,000 1 5,000
Building maintenance per month 5,000 12 60,000
Subtotal 65,000 65,000
C3 Fees and facility related costs
Insurances per annum 2,000 1 2,000
Rates per annum 5,000 1 5,000
Subtotal 7,000 7,000
C4 Vehicles, tools, and equipment
Amortization of 4 × 4 per annum 10,000 1 10,000
Amortization of ambulance/truck per annum 6,000 2 12,000
Maintenance 4 × 4 per annum 5,000 1 5,000
Maintenance ambulance/truck per annum 2,500 2 5,000
Road tax 4WD per annum 500 1 500
Road tax ambulance/truck per annum 250 2 500
Insurance 4WD per annum 1,000 1 1,000
Insurance ambulance/truck per annum 500 2 1,000
Amortization of canteen equipment per annum 5,000 1 5,000
Amortization of maintenance tools per annum 50,000 1 50,000
Amortization of medical equipment per annum 20,000 1 20,000
Subtotal 110,000 110,000

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C5 Fuel and consumables Units Rate Quantity Annual cost Subtotals
Fuel for vehicles per month 2,000 12 24,000
Food and supplies per month 10,000 12 120,000
Medical supplies per month 1,000 12 12,000
Consumable spare parts per month 1,000 12 12,000
Subtotal 168,000 168,000
C6 External services
Training per annum 2,000 1 2,000
Subtotal 2,000 2,000
Total expenses 352,000 352,000
Total camp, canteen and medical facilities OPEX 932,000
Total labor costs 2,460,000
Total expenses 1,652,050
Total facility OPEX 4,112,050

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Appendix H:  Detailed case studies
Six case studies illustrate the steps detailed in the report. They cover a range of types and sizes of
facilities and show the practical application of the models described in Step 4. Detailed description of
the case studies can be found in a companion report titled Operation and Maintenance Strategies for
Hydropower—Six Case Studies.

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