Conduct of Power Operations

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VOLUME 1-11

COND UCT OF P OWER OP ERATIONS

FACILITIES INS TRUCTIONS ,

STAND ARDS , AND TECHNIQUES

UN ITED STATES D EP ARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

BU REAU OF RECLAMATION

DENVER, COLORADO



REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE Form ApprovedOMB No. 0704-0188

Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering andmaintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, includingsuggestions for reducing this burden to Washington Headquarters Services, Directorate for Information Operations and Reports, 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suit 1204, Arlington VA 22202-4302,and to the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Report (0704-0188), Washington DC 20503.

1. AGENCY USE ONLY (Leave Blank) 2. REPORT DATE

December 20023. REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED

Final

4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE

FIST 1-11, Conduct of Power Operations5. FUNDING NUMBERS

6. AUTHOR(S)

Cory Danson, J eanet te J ensen, Larr y R. Anderson, Mitchell Samuelian, Robert

Mattson, Shawn Halverson

7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATIONS NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES)

Burea u of Reclama tion

Denver Federal Center

PO Box 25007

Denver CO 80225-0007

8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATIONREPORT NUMBER

FIST 1-11

9. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES)

Power Resources OfficeOffice of Policy

Burea u of Reclama tion

Mail Code D-5400

PO Box 25007

Denver CO 80225

10. SPONSORING/MONITORINGAGENCY REPORT NUMBER

11. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES

12a. DISTRIBUTION AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

Available from the National Technical Information Service, Operations Division,

5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, Va 22161

12b. DISTRIBUTION CODE

13. ABSTRACT (Maximum 200 words)

FIST 1-11, Condu ct of Power Oper at ions, lists th e policies, resources, and assessmen t r equired in t he operat ions of

Reclama tion Power Fa cilities. The organization an d a dministr at ion of operat ions is int ended t o achieve a high level

of safety and perform an ce t ha t is accomplished t hr ough effective implementa tion and contr ol of operat iona l

activities. Operat iona l policies and procedur es recognize th at pr otecting the environment a nd ensu ring safety and

efficient opera tions ar e compat ible goals. Such policies and pr ocedur es reflect th e sta nd ar ds of excellence used in

operating Reclamation facilities. These policies set up the lines of responsibility for normal and emergency

operat ions a nd pr ovide a meth od to monitor a nd a ssess performa nce.

14. SUBJECT TERMS

Condu ct of Power Opera tions, Opera tion Policies, Operat ions Sta nda rds, Reclamation

Power Facilities

15. NUMBER OF PAGES

16. PRICE CODE

17. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OFREPORT

UL

18. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OFTHIS PAGE

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19. SECURITY CLASSIFICATIONOF ABSTRACT

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20. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT

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NSN 7540-01-280-5500 Standard Form 298 (Rev. 2-89Prescribed by ANSI Std. 239-18

298-10



FACILITIES INSTRUCTIONS ,

STANDARDS, AND TECHNIQUES

VOLUME 1-11

COND UCT OF

P OWER OPE RATIONS

Dece mber 2002

OFFICE OF P OLICY

P OWER RES OURCES OFFICE

UNITED S TATES D EP ARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

BU REAU OF RE CLAMATION

DENVER, COLORADO



PREFACE

This docum ent presen ts gu idelines for opera tions of powerpla nt s owned

and operated by the Bureau of Reclamation. These guidelines are not

intended to replace operat ors’ judgment. Instead, th ey are intended to

provide criter ia a nd pr ocedures t ha t sh ould be consider ed for

incorporation into all levels of operations.

These guidelines were developed by power ma inten an ce, opera tions, and

ma na gement personn el from Reclam at ion’s Denver, Regiona l, an d Area

Offices.

For m ore inform at ion on th ese guidelines a nd t he P ower Review of

Operat ions a nd Maint enan ce Program , please conta ct MitchellSam uelian at th e P ower Resources Office, D-5400, 303-445-3712.

DISCLAIMER

This written mat ter consists of general inform ation for int erna l Burea u

of Reclama tion opera tions an d main ten an ce sta ff use. The inform at ion

contained in this document regarding commercial products or firms may

not be used for a dvertising or promotiona l purposes an d is not to be

constr ued as an endorsement of any product or firm by the Burea u of

Reclamation.



CONTENTS

Page

1. Gener al Description of Reclam at ion’s Powerplan t Opera tions ............ 1

2. Scope ...................................................................................................... 1

3. Man agem ent Role in Oper a tions .......................................................... 1

4. Definit ions ........................................................................................... 2

4.1 Con t rols Area ................................................................................ 2

4.2 Logsheet s ...................................................................................... 2

4.3 Logbooks ........................................................................................ 2

4.4 Oper at ions Head ........................................................................... 2

4.5 Oper at or Reading Files ................................................................. 2

4.6 Oper a tor Rounds ........................................................................... 2

4.7 Recorder Chart s ............................................................................ 3

4.8 Sh ift Tur nover............................................................................... 3

4.9 Thr ee-Pa r t Commu nicat ions ........................................................ 3

5. Indu st ry St an da rds an d Guida nce........................................................ 3

5.1 Wester n Electr icity Coord ina tin g Council ................................... 3

5.1.1 Hist ory ............................................................................... 3

5.1.2 Locat ion of Web Sit e.......................................................... 3

5.2 Nort h Amer ican Electr ic Reliability Council ............................... 3

5.2.1 Hist ory ............................................................................... 3

5.2.2 Locat ion of Web Sit e.......................................................... 4

5.3 Sum ma ry of Pr ocedures Per ta ining to Gener at ors ...................... 45.3.1 Automa tic Volta ge Regula tor (AVR)................................. 4

5.3.2 Automa tic Generat ion Contr ol (AGC)............................... 5

5.3.3 Blackst ar t .......................................................................... 5

5.3.4 Forced Outages .................................................................. 5

5.3.5 Govern or Dr oop ................................................................. 5

5.3.6 Power Syst em St abilizers (PSS) ....................................... 5

6. Operat ing Pr ocedu res an d Crit er ia....................................................... 6

6.1 Oper at ing Pr ocedu res ................................................................... 6

6.2 Abnorma l or Un us ua l Oper at ing Pr ocedu res ............................... 6

6.3 Monitorin g of Oper at ing Pe r form an ce ......................................... 6

6.4 St an ding Oper a tin g Pr ocedu res ................................................... 66.5 Em ergency Action Pla n (EAP)...................................................... 6

6.6 Designer s’ Oper at ing Crit er ia (DOC)........................................... 7

6.7 Fa cilities Inst ru ctions, Sta nda rds, an d Techn iques Volum es ..... 7

7. Sh ift Rout ines an d Oper at ing Pr actices ............................................... 7

7.1 Scope ........................................................................................... 7

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CONTENTS (CONTINUED)

Page

7. Shift Rout ines an d Opera ting Pr actices (cont inued)

7.2 Pur pose ......................................................................................... 7

7.3 Gu idelin es ..................................................................................... 7

7.3.1 Oper at or Rounds ............................................................... 7

7.3.2 Round Sh eets ..................................................................... 8

7.3.3 Es sen tia l Equ ipmen t ......................................................... 9

7.3.4 Respons e to Indicat ors ...................................................... 11

7.3.5 Reset tin g Pr otective Devices ............................................. 11

8. Cont rols Area Act ivities ........................................................................ 12

8.1 Scope ........................................................................................... 12

8.2 Pu rpose ......................................................................................... 12

8.3 Guidelin es ..................................................................................... 12

8.3.1 Access to th e Contr ols Area .............................................. 128.3.2 Pr ofessiona l Behavior ....................................................... 12

8.3.3 Monitorin g th e Main Contr ol Pa nels ................................ 12

8.3.4 Mont h ly Repor t s ................................................................ 13

8.3.5 Contr ols Area Ancillar y Dut ies......................................... 13

8.3.6 Oper at ion of Contr ols Area Equ ipmen t ............................ 13

8.3.7 Contin uit y of Oper at ions................................................... 13

8.3.8 Self-Checking .................................................................... 13

8.3.9 Poten tially Distra ctive Mat erials an d Devices................. 14

9. Commu nicat ions .................................................................................... 14

9.1 Scope ........................................................................................... 14

9.2 Pu rpose ......................................................................................... 149.3 Guidelin es ..................................................................................... 14

9.3.1 Em ergency Commu nicat ions Syst ems .............................. 14

9.3.2 Commu nicat ion Syst em Fa ilur e ....................................... 15

9.3.3 Conta cting Oper at ors ........................................................ 15

9.3.4 Commu nicat ion with Dispa tche rs .................................... 15

9.3.5 Ra dios ................................................................................ 15

9.3.6 Tes t ing of Radios ............................................................... 15

9.3.7 Abbreviat ions an d Acronym s ............................................ 15

9.3.8 Ora l Inst ru ctions an d Inform at ion Comm un icat ion ........ 15

9.3.9 Commu nicat ion of Test ing Activit ies................................ 16

10. Cont rol of On-Shift Tra inin g ................................................................. 16

10.1 Scope ........................................................................................... 16

10.2 Pur pose ......................................................................................... 16

10.3 Gu idelin es ..................................................................................... 16

10.3.1 Adher ence to Train ing Pr ogra m ....................................... 16

10.3.2 On-Sh ift In st ru ctor Qua lifications .................................... 16

10.3.3 Qua lified Opera tor Supervision an d

Contr ol of Appren tices................................................... 16

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Page

10. Cont rol of On-Shift Tra ining (cont inued)

10.3 Guidelines (cont inued)

10.3.4 Su spen sion of Train ing ..................................................... 17

10.3.5 Maxim um Nu mber of Appr ent ices.................................... 17

10.3.6 Use of Appren tices to Support Oper at ions ....................... 17

11. Invest igation, Evalu at ion, an d Document at ion of Incidents ................ 17

11.1 Scope ........................................................................................... 17

11.2 Pur pose ......................................................................................... 17

12. Notificat ion Procedu res ......................................................................... 18

12.1 Scope ........................................................................................... 18

12.2 Pu rpose ......................................................................................... 18

12.3 Gu idelin es ..................................................................................... 18

12.3.1 Man agemen t Notificat ion ................................................. 18

12.3.2 Types of Not ificat ions ........................................................ 18

12.3.3 Not ifica t ion Resp onsib ility ................................................ 19

13. Configur at ion Man agem ent .................................................................. 19

13.1 Scope ........................................................................................... 19

13.2 Descr ipt ion .................................................................................... 19

13.3 Gu idelin es ..................................................................................... 20

13.3.1 Sta tu s Cha nge Authorizat ion an d Report ing ................... 20

13.3.2 Equ ipmen t an d Syst ems Check ........................................ 20

13.3.3 Equ ipment Lockin g an d Tagging ...................................... 20

13.3.4 Disabling Alar ms or Pr otective Devices ........................... 2013.3.5 Equ ipment Deficiency Ident ificat ion a nd

Docum ent at ion .......................................................................... 21

13.3.6 Changes in Relay Set tin gs ................................................ 21

13.3.7 Alar m St at us ..................................................................... 21

13.3.8 Temp orar y Modificat ion Contr ol....................................... 21

14. Ha zar dous En ergy Contr ol Pr ogra m, FI ST 1-1 .................................... 21

14.1 Scope ........................................................................................... 21

14.2 Pu rpose ......................................................................................... 21

15. Log Keep ing ........................................................................................... 21

15.1 Scope ........................................................................................... 2115.2 Pur pose ......................................................................................... 22

15.3 Gu idelin es ..................................................................................... 22

15.3.1 Es ta blishm ent of Oper at ing Logs ..................................... 22

15.3.2 Timelines s of Record ings................................................... 22

15.3.3 Contr ols Area Log Requir em ent s...................................... 22

15.3.4 Inform at ion To Be Recorded ............................................. 23

15.3.5 Legibilit y............................................................................ 23

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Page

15. Log Keeping (contin ued)


15.3.6 Corr ections ........................................................................ 23

15.3.7 Log Review ........................................................................ 24

15.3.8 Care and Keeping of Logs ................................................. 24

16. Sh ift Tu rnover ....................................................................................... 24

16.1 Scope ........................................................................................... 24

16.2 Pur pose ......................................................................................... 24

16.3 Gu idelin es ..................................................................................... 24

16.3.1 In form at ion Excha nged at Tur nover ................................ 24

16.3.2 Tur nover Checklists .......................................................... 25

16.3.3 Pla nt St at us Review.......................................................... 25

16.3.4 Contr ol Pa nel Walk Down................................................. 2516.3.5 Pu rpose an d Excha nge of Responsibility .......................... 25

16.3.6 Relief Occur rin g Dur ing th e Sh ift..................................... 25

17. Oper at or Reading Files ......................................................................... 25

17.1 Scope ........................................................................................... 25

17.2 Pur pose ......................................................................................... 26

17.3 Gu idelin es ..................................................................................... 26

17.3.1 File In dex ........................................................................... 26

17.3.2 Reading Assignment s ........................................................ 26

17.3.3 Requir ed Dat es for Completion of Reading ...................... 26

17.3.4 Docum ent at ion .................................................................. 27

17.3.5 Review ............................................................................... 27

18. Developm ent an d Use of Oper a tin g Pr ocedu res ................................... 27

18.1 Scope ........................................................................................... 27

18.2 Pur pose ......................................................................................... 27

18.3 Gu idelin es ..................................................................................... 27

18.3.1 Pr ocedu re Developm ent .................................................... 27

18.3.2 Pr ocedu re Content ............................................................. 27

18.3.3 Pr ocedu re Cha nges an d Revisions .................................... 28

18.3.4 Pr ocedu re Approval ........................................................... 28

18.3.5 Procedur e Review .............................................................. 28

18.3.6 Pr ocedu re Availa bility....................................................... 28

19. Oper a tor Aids ........................................................................................ 29

19.1 Scope ........................................................................................... 29

19.2 Pur pose ......................................................................................... 29

19.3 Gu idelin es ..................................................................................... 29

19.3.1 Oper at or Aid Development ............................................... 29

19.3.2 Appr oval ............................................................................ 29

19.3.3 Postin gs ............................................................................. 29

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Page

19. Opera tor Aids (continu ed)


19.3.4 Us e of Aids......................................................................... 29

19.3.5 Recomm end ed Oper at or Aids............................................ 29

19.3.6 Cont rol of Opera tor Aids ................................................... 30

19.3.7 Review ............................................................................... 30

20. Equipm en t Labe ling .............................................................................. 30

20.1 Scope ........................................................................................... 30

20.2 Pu rpose ......................................................................................... 30

20.3 Gu idelin es ..................................................................................... 30

20.3.1 Componen ts Requir ing Labe ling ...................................... 30

20.3.2 Labe l In form at ion ............................................................. 31

20.3.3 Labe l Pla cemen t ................................................................ 3120.3.4 Replacing Labels ............................................................... 31

vii



The Operat ions H ead esta blishes sta ndar ds, defines goals, and determ ines the

responsibilities of th e opera tional staff. The opera tions staff provides input an d

feedback to stan dards an d tra ining. Mana gement uses reports a nd goals to measur e

perform an ce. Per sonnel are held account able for th eir perform an ce th rough

supervisory counseling, performance appraisals, and, when necessary,

adm inistr at ive action. Remedial tra ining is provided, if appr opria te.

4. DEFINITIONS

4.1 Controls Area

The contr ol area is the ar ea from which t he Operat or m onitors a nd opera tes

plant a nd system equipment. It is norm ally the ar ea where clearan ces are

issued and released.

4.2 Logsheets

Logsheets are procedures or forms used to record equipment operation and data

that provide information necessary for evaluating and trending plant conditions

4.3 Logbooks

Logbooks a re n ar ra tive records m ainta ined an d used by th e operat ions personnel

tha t describe and r ecord operating inform ation and events t hat aid in evaluat ing

present a nd past plant sta tus.

4.4 Operation s Head

Operations head is the ter m used in t he FIST ma nua l to identify the operat ions

person r esponsible for set ting opera tional policies at th e facility. Depending on

th e local facility pr actices, th is could be the Oper at ions Ma na ger, Opera tions

Supervisor, Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Supervisor, Shift Supervisor,

Contr ol Center, or per son designated as Plant Operat or.

4.5 Operator Read ing Files

Operator r eading files are r eading mat erials tha t operations st aff should be

knowledgeable of as deter mined by th e Operat ions Head an d F acility Man ager.

4.6 Operator Roun ds

Operator r ounds include monitoring th e opera tions of plan t equipment t hr ough

local observations an d recording appr opriate equipment pa ra meters.

2



4.7 Rec order Charts

A recorder char t pr ovides a record of plan t pr ocess inst ru men ta tion plott ing

versus time. The record is au tomatically cha rted by the a ssociated instru ment.

4.8 Shift Turnove r

Shift tu rn over is th e process of inform at ion a nd r esponsibility tr an sfer to th e

oncoming Oper at or from t he offgoing Oper at or.

4.9 Three-Part Commu nications

Three-part communications include the sender giving the information, the

receiver repeating the information back, and the sender acknowledging the

corr ectn ess of th e repeat ed inform at ion. This form of comm un icat ion is used to

limit the possibility of human error during switching operations and during

critical or em ergency opera tions.

5. INDU STRY STANDARDS AND GUIDANCE

5.1 Weste rn Electric ity Coordina ting Counc il

5.1.1 History

The West ern Electricity Coordin at ing Council was crea ted on April 18, 2002,

by merger of the Wester n S ystems Coordin at ing Coun cil (WSCC), th e

Western Regional Tra nsm ission Associat ion (WRTA), and t he Sout hwest

Regiona l Tra nsm ission Associat ion (SWRTA). Reclama tion is a mem ber of

WECC a nd agrees to comply with WECC policies.

5.1.2 Locat ion of Web Site

Th e WECC Operations Ha nd book can be foun d on t he Int ernet at

<http://www.wecc.biz/committees/oc/documents/oc_handbook.html>. WECC

follows the NERC Policies, S tand ards Principles, and Guides.

5.2 North Ame rican Electric Rel iabi li ty Council

5.2.1 History

NE RC was creat ed in 1968 as a volun ta ry organizat ion t o promote bulk

electr ic system r eliability an d security.

NE RC’s m ember ship is u nique. As a not-for-profit corpora tion, NERC’s

mem bers ar e 10 Regiona l Coun cils. The mem bers of th ese Regiona l Coun cils

come from all segment s of the electr ic indus tr y: investor-owned; Federa l

power agen cies; ru ra l electr ic cooperat ives; Stat e, mu nicipal, a nd provincial

utilities; independent power producers; power marketers; and end-use

3



customers. These ent ities accoun t for virt ua lly all the electricity supplied in

th e United St at es; Can ada ; an d a portion of Baja Ca lifornia Nort e, Mexico.

NERC promotes electr ic system reliability a nd secur ity by:

a) Esta blishing operat ing policies and plann ing standa rds to ensure electr ic

system r eliability.

b) Reviewing th e reliability of existin g and pla nn ed genera tion an d

tr an smission systems.

c) Critiquing past electric system d istur ban ces for lessons lear ned a nd

monitoring t he pr esent for complian ce an d conform an ce to its policies.

d) Educat ing oth ers a bout how bulk electr ic systems opera te.

e) Mainta ining liaisons with th e Feder al, Sta te, an d provincial governm ent s

in the Un ited States an d Cana da an d electricity supply industr y

organizations in both countries.

f) Serving as t he electr ic indus tr y’s prima ry point of cont act with t he

Federa l Govern ment on issues relat ing to nat iona l secur ity and t errorism.

5.2.2 Locat ion of Web Site

The NERC Policies, S tand ards Principles, and Guid es ar e available on th e

Int ern et a t <ht tp://www.nerc.com/noc/operm an l.htm>.

5.3 Summ ary of Proce dures Pertaining to Gene rators

The following are summaries of standards from the “Minimum Operating

Reliability Criter ia” th at gener at ing agencies should comply with . These

stan dards a re based on WECC, NERC, and Reclamat ion sta ndar ds.

5.3.1 Automatic Voltage Re gulato r (AVR)

a) The AVR Sha ll be kept in service to the ma ximu m extent possible. The

AVR Sh all ma inta in voltages sp ecified by the H ost Cont rol Area

Operator.

b) AVR equipment Sh all be tested an d calibrat ed in conjunction with the

bala nce of th e excita tion system as often a s necessar y to ma inta in

calibra tion/perform an ce, but at least once every 5 year s or following an yrepa irs to th e excita tion system . Calibrat ion Sha ll include verificat ion

th at all limiters an d protective featur es in th e excitation system are

functiona l and coordinat ed with th e balan ce of plan t pr otection.

c) AVR opera tion Sha ll be reported mont hly in a ccordan ce with t he

WECC Reliability Man agemen t System (RMS) report ing procedur es.

4



5.3.2 Automatic Gen eratio n Control (AGC)

The AGC, wher e applicable, Sha ll remain in service as long a s its a ction

cont inues to be beneficial. If the AGC is out of service, man ua l cont rol Shall

be used to adjust gen era tion. AGC Sha ll be retur ned to service as soon as

practicable.

5.3.3 Blackstart

Each contr ol area Sha ll develop an d ma intain a blackstar t capability plan

tha t includes:

a) A list of all blacksta rt genera tors with MW capa city, type of un it, dat e of

latest t est, star ting method, and tr ansm ission switching requirements of

each unit.

b) A demonstr at ion of blacksta rt capability through simu lation or t esting

tha t Sh all be performed a t least every 5 years.

c) Ea ch blacksta rt u nit Sha ll be tested annu ally to show tha t it can be

sta rted a nd opera ted without being connected to the system. The test

Shall be documented.

5.3.4 Force d Outage s

The Oper at ions H ead of any key facility Sha ll notify the host cont rol area of

a forced out age. The host cont rol ar ea Sha ll ma ke the requir ed WECC

notification.

5.3.5 Governo r Droop

Governor dr oop should be set at 5 percent on all hydr ogenera tors.

5.3.6 Pow er System Stabil izers (PSS)

a) Keep PSS on on-line gener at ors opera tional.

b) Inst all PSS on all new generat ors. Insta ll PSS on 30-MVA and lar ger

generat ors when a new excitation system is installed.

c) Test an d calibrat e PSS equipment in conjunction with AVR testing an d

calibration. Test and calibrat e as often a s necessar y to maint ain r eliablePSS performance in accordance with “WECC PSS Tuning Criteria”

(available on WECC website <www.wecc.biz>). PSS recalibrat ion m ust

be perform ed if AVR response pa ra met ers a re m odified.

d) Report PSS operation m ont hly in a ccorda nce with th e WECC RMS

reporting procedures.

5



6. OPERATING P ROCEDURES AND CRITERIA

The following ar e guides t o be followed by operat ing per sonnel in p erform ing th eir

duties.

6.1 Operating Procedu res

Develop Sta nding Opera ting Pr ocedur es for a ctivities tha t could adversely

impa ct sa fety, th e environm ent , or operat ions. Pr ovide tra ining for critical or

especially complex procedur es. Fa cility ma na gement sh ould ensu re tha t

qua lified pers onn el condu ct on-the-job tra ining (OJT) or forma l classr oom

tr ain ing (or both) covering SOPs .

6.2 Abnormal or Unusual Operating Procedu res

Develop procedur es to han dle conditions t ha t r equire a response to failed

equipment or situations tha t r equire an immediate response by plant per sonn el.

Exa mples a re t he loss of stat ion s ervice power, failur e of facility su mps,activat ion of th e evacua tion plan, an d th e loss of genera tion. Include these

procedures a s a section in the SOP.

6.3 Monitoring of Operating Pe rformance

Operations are m onitored and r eviewed by the Opera tions H ead. Record a ll

opera tin g problems or condit ions in t he Oper at or’s logbook. Document

equipment failures in t he facilities ma intena nce tra cking system, which usua lly

is Maximo.

6.4 Standing Operating Proce dures

The SOP is a comprehensive, single-source manual that establishes procedures

to be used in th e opera tion of Reclam at ion facilities. The pu rpose of th e SOP is

to ensu re a dher ence to approved opera ting pr ocedures over long per iods of time

an d during cha nges in operat ing personnel. A cur rent a nd accur ate SOP Sha ll

be available at t he da m or opera ting facility according to th e requir ement s in

FAC 02-01 Operating Practices and Procedures for High- and Significant-Hazard

Dam s

Operations personnel Sha ll review the facility SOP a nnu ally, at a m inimum. All

required cha nges will be noted and submitted to the Operations Hea d. The

Operations Head is responsible to ensur e th e SOP is u pdated a nd r eflectsaccur ate informa tion. The an nu al SOP review Sha ll be document ed in the

control room logbook.

6.5 Emergen cy Action Plan (EAP)

The E AP out lines emergency action pr ocedur es for each facility. It includes

detection of an event, decisionm akin g, notificat ion, response levels, expected

6



actions, and emergency term ination. It covers events such as ea rth quakes,

floods, and da m failur es. It is included as a section in the S OP.

Operations personnel Sha ll review the facility EAP an nua lly, at a minimum. All

required cha nges will be noted and submitted to the Operations Hea d. The

Operations Head is responsible to ensur e th e EAP is updat ed an d reflects

accur ate informa tion. The an nu al EAP review Shall be document ed in thecontrol room logbook.

6.6 Des igne rs’ Operating Criteria (DOC)

The DOC ar e inten ded to provide th e field personnel enga ged in operat ion a nd

ma int ena nce with t he designers’ views on th e proper use of th e project featu res.

The DOC are t o be regar ded as definite instr uctions for t he safe, proper, and

effective us e of th e facilities .

6.7 Faci l i t ies Instructions, Standards, and Technique s Volumes

FIST manuals provide guidelines for the operation and maintenance of power

facilities. Cur ren t copies of FIS T man ua ls may be foun d on th e Burea u of

Reclam at ion Intr an et at <http://www.usbr.gov/power/dat a/fist_pub.htm >. The

Operations Head Sh all ensure curr ent copies of the FIST m anu als are a vailable.

7. SHIFT ROUTINES AND OPERATING P RACTICES

7.1 Scope

This section describes some import an t a spects of rout ine operat ions pr actices.

7.2 Purpose

Effective monitoring of equipment is necessar y to detect a bnorma l conditions or

adver se tren ds. Monitoring allows actions to be tak en before th e equipment

ma lfun ctions. Notifying th e Opera tions Hea d of un usu al or un expected

situa tions will help ensur e tha t at ten tion is given to an y problems. The Fa cility

Manager is responsible for operations and formally transfers authority to operate

to the Oper at ions H ead, who decides on t he r esponse to abnorma l conditions.

7.3 Guidelines

7.3.1 Operator Roun ds

Operat or r ounds S hall be of sufficient deta il to ensure t hat th e stat us of

equipment is known. Operat ors Sh all conduct a t horough tour of all areas

within t heir resp onsibilities. Inspect equipment a minimu m of once per

shift. Norma lly, roun ds should be made at t he beginn ing of a shift.

7



The following checks S ha ll be done in conjun ction with Oper at or rounds :

a) Determ ine th e sta tu s of plan t equ ipment (i.e., opera ting, out of service,

un der cleara nce, or u nder m ainten an ce).

b) Inspect electrical panels, alarm pa nels, and break ers for a bnorma l or

unu sua l conditions. Report un expected conditions, such a s equipmentvibration, noise, unusual smells, or excessive temperatures, to the

cont rols ar ea.

c) Check equipmen t a larm pa nels weekly to ensu re t he visua l and a udible

alar ms a re working properly.

d) En sur e th at Oper at ors check all facility ar eas an d note an y deficiencies.

These deficiencies may include oil or water leaks; clogged floor drains;

housekeepin g or cleanliness problems; fire a nd sa fety ha zar ds; an d

building deficiencies such a s inopera tive light ing, roof leaks, or doors th at

do not close pr operly.

e) Note deficiencies in th e facilities m aint ena nce t ra cking system.

7.3.2 Roun d She ets

Roun d sheets a re a n excellent diagnostic tool and Oper at or Aid.

a) Roun d sheet s ar e an effectivemet hod for providing Opera tors with

guidance on t he extent to which equipment and ar eas should be inspected

during routine rounds.

b) Roun d sheet s should be deta iled enough to ensur e personn el visit all key

ar eas of th e facility. However, th e Roun d sheets sh ould not be so deta iled

an d time consum ing that th ey inhibit th e Operator from performing other

assigned dut ies.

c) Recordin g key equipment par am eter s provides a record of equipmen t

performa nce that can be used to reconstr uct events leading up to an

equipment malfunction.

d) Round sh eets pr ovide for sh ort-term tr ending of equipmen t pa ra met ers

an d assist in Opera tor tur nover a nd on-th e-job tra ining.

e) Roun d sheet s should include m aximu m a nd m inimum values for r eadings

ta ken t o assist t he Operat or in identifying abnormal rea dings.

f) Para meters outside th e specific maximum and minimum values should be

circled or otherwise highlighted on the round sheets and promptly

reported to th e contr ols area .

g) The round sh eets should cont ain a na rra tive section t o allow the Opera tor

to document ma jor evolut ions a nd a bnorma l condit ions.

8



h) The Operat ions Head sh ould periodically review Opera tor round sheet s

an d th e perform ance of Operat or r ounds to ensure t hat compreh ensive

tour s cont inue t o be condu cted, including a s n ecessar y, periodic

inspections of equipment a nd a reas not listed on th e round sh eets.

7.3.3 Esse ntial Equipm en t

Essential equipment is defined as equipment th at requires extra scrutiny by

opera tions sta ff becau se of th e consequ ences of failur e. The failure of

essential equipment can compromise the sa fety, environment, and

operations of the facility.

The opera tions st aff Shall ensur e th at this equipment is monitored by one of

th e following: procedur es, Opera tor rounds, roun d sheets, or prevent at ive

maint enan ce checks.

a) Cooling Wate r System – This cooling wa ter syst em consist s of cooling

water pum ps, regulators and piping systems. These systems ensur e

proper operat ion of tr an sform ers a nd gener at ors. A loss of cooling water

flow can cause equipment dama ge. If the system is at penstock pressur e,

a failur e of the system could cau se plan t flooding. Check cooling water

systems each shift or monitor with a n a larm system a nd write a work

order if a failur e occurs.

b) Critical Valves – Critical valves ar e valves tha t m ust be operated to

isolate systems in th e facility th at ar e at reservoir sta tic pressur e or t ha t

contain fluids that could damage equipment or cause an uncontrolled

release of undesira ble ma terials to the environmen t. These valves are

often in rem ote locat ions in the plant an d ar e infrequent ly operat ed.

These valves include, but ar e not limited to, penst ock fill and dr ainvalves, cooling water valves, sump discharge and fill valves, lube oil

tr ansfer a nd filling valves, and service air isolation valves. The an nua l

operat ion of th ese valves will ensur e Opera tor familiarit y of the va lve

locations a nd determ ine whether the valves can be operat ed in an

emergency.

c) Emergen cy Lighting – Emer gency light ing is essent ial to ensu re sa fe

egress in th e event t ha t norma l lighting is lost. Reclamat ion ha s strict

testing requirements (in accordance with National Fire Protection Act

(NFP A) sta nda rds) to ensu re th is lighting is reliable. (See FIS T 4-1B.)

Depending on facility practice, Opera tors ma y condu ct or a ssist in

condu cting th is test ing. Opera tors should observe all emer gency light ingpanels an d alarm s an d report an y problems to the proper conta ct.

Emer gency lighting should be tested month ly and load tested a nnu ally.

d) Facil i ty Sump Pum ps and Controls – Fa cility sumps serve as ba rr iers

to the dischar ge of ma ter ials from th e facilities to the environmen t,

preven t flooding in th e plant , and in dicat e problems with facility

equipmen t. Checking the sumps for proper opera tion shift will limit the

9



possibility of a r elease int o the environmen t or flooding in th e facility

becau se of leak age of plan t equipment going u nn oticed for a long per iod of

time.

e) Fire Protection and Dete ction and Generator CO2

Systems – Plant

fire protection and detection systems ar e importa nt to alerting sta ff that

fire is in the plant . Reclama tion ha s strict testing requirement s (inaccorda nce with NF PA stan dar ds) to ensure th ese systems a re r eliable.

Depending on facility practice, Opera tors ma y condu ct or a ssist in

condu cting this testin g. Opera tors should observe all fire protection an d

detection pa nels and a larms a nd r eport an y problems to the pr oper

cont act. Gener at or CO2

systems detect a nd su ppress fires inside

generator air h ousings tha t r esult from fau lts in the sta tor windings.

Periodic testing and inspection of these systems are required on a regular

basis. (See FIST 4-1B.)

f) Generator Exciter and Voltage Re gulator System – The exciter a nd

voltage regulator are essential to generator operat ion. Fa ilur e means

th at th e un it will not be able to cont rol voltage or reactive power. This

system has several alar m, indication, and shut down functions th at must

be monitored r egular ly; some of these a re on t he exciter cubicle.

Opera tors sh ould periodically inspect t he cubicle, observe a ll indicat ing

devices, observe an y visual a nd a udible anoma lies, and r eport as n eeded

to the appropriate cont act.

g) Instrument AC and DC Systems – Instru ment ation is essential to

plan t operat ions. Opera tors often r ely (especially in t he cont rols area ) on

remote indications of plant equipment. On/off stat us, voltage, cur rent ,

tempera tur e, pressure, flow, power, and ma ny other par amet ers allow the

Operator t o monitor th e performa nce of plant equipment a nd determ ine if the equipment is operating properly.

h) Lubrication System s – Lubricat ion systems en sure the proper

operat ion of plan t equipm ent . A loss of lubrication can cause a failure of

equipment bearings or a n environmenta l release. Check lubricat ion

flows, levels, and temperatures every shift or monitor with an alarm

system. Write a work order if th e equipment h as a low lubrication level.

i) Protective Relays and P rotection Circuits – Pr otective relays

monitor critical un it quant ities an d act to shut down the un it when

abn orma l conditions exist. Relays are essent ial to th e protection of plant

equipmen t, th e sta bility of th e power system, an d th e safety of personn el.

Likewise, protection circuit s th at ena ble relays to actu ally trip plant

protective equipment (e.g., break ers) mus t be fully fun ctional at all times.

Opera tors sh ould per iodically observe th e following: relay t ar gets to see

tha t t hey ar e not dropped inappr opriately, relay power supply lights t o

ensur e proper operat ion, an d lockout relay red light s to ensur e th e

10



integrity of trip coils.1

Any a noma ly in r elay and protective relay circuit

operat ion sh ould be reported to the appropriate cont act. Additiona l relay

actua tion sh eets should be used, as appr opriate, to documen t r elay

actuat ions. Operators may assist ma intena nce sta ff tha t periodically test

the function of lockout circuits.

j) Station Service AC System – St at ion ser vice AC systems pr ovide allnecessar y auxiliar y power t o opera te critical loads su ch as sum p pum ps

an d batt ery cha rgers . Fa ilure of th e AC system leaves these crit ical loads

unsu pplied, risking the plant or genera ting units. Sta tion service

AC systems sh ould be checked regula rly to ensu re pr oper operat ion,

including voltage levels, current levels, tran sformer tempera tu res and

levels, an d any un usu al noises or visual cues. Any an oma ly should be

referred to the proper ma intena nce or ma na gement conta ct.

k) Switchyards – Switchyards cont ain components t ha t a re often t he

lifeblood (st at ion service power) of th e facility. Switchyar ds need t o be

monitored for a bnorma l conditions or int ru sion.

l) Transformers – Tran sform ers a re a crit ical componen t of th e power

tr ain for several reasons. A tra nsform er failure can be cata strophic, and,

becau se ma ny tr an sform ers a re located on the t ailra ce of a facility, th eir

failure can cau se an oil spill on t he groun d or into a body of water .

Additiona lly, the r eplacement of a t ra nsformer can tak e several months

an d leave the associated unit unavailable. Tran sformer temper at ures

should be checked often to ensur e the t ra nsform er is perform ing properly.

Moisture intrusion can lead to a failure; therefore, nitrogen pressure also

should be monitored. For selected tr an sform ers, oil an alysis should be

perform ed on a regular basis, and t he results a nd tr ends should be

monitored.

7.3.4 Res pons e to Indicato rs

Operators mu st log an y abnormal operating conditions a nd r eport th ese

condit ions to appr opriate personn el for corr ective a ctions.

7.3.5 Resetting Protective Devices

Pr otective devices ar e inst alled to protect personn el and equ ipment from

opera ting beyond t heir design limits. Pr otective devices ma y be reset only

after est ablishing th e reason th e device limit was exceeded. Corr ective

action by the Operat or or t echn ical sta ff is ta ken a nd r eport ed as needed.

Use relay sheets to documen t a ny relay actua tions.

Most lockout r elay (and circuit brea ker t rip coil) circuits a re designed so that the r ed indicat ing

light m onitors t he tr ip coil to ensu re it is inta ct. If the red light is not lit, the coil may be burned out,

jeopardizin g t he p rote ction .

11

1



8. CONTROLS AREA ACTIVITIES

8.1 Scope

This section discusses th e controls area activities th at help to achieve safe and

efficient operations.

8.2 Purpose

The cont rols area is the coordinat ion point for a ll opera tions of equipmen t u nder

th e jur isdiction of th e Opera tor. Opera tors should not be overbur dened with

adm inistr at ive responsibilities. Access to the cont rols area s hould be limited so

tha t Operat ors ar e not distra cted from properly monitoring an d a djusting facility

equipment.

8.3 Guidelines

8.3.1 Access to the Controls Area

a) Facility cont rols area Sha ll ha ve access limited to aut horized personnel in

accorda nce with th e directive and st an dar d covering secur ity of

Reclamat ion facilities. Fa cility mana gement an d th e Operations Hea d

should esta blish a security plan to contr ol access to the cont rols area .

b) The Operat or on du ty ha s th e au th ority to rest rict access to the cont rols

area.

c) Personn el not specifically tra ined an d au th orized ar e rest ricted from

operat ing any device tha t cont rols the operat ion of equipmen t.

d) Studen ts, visitors, and Apprent ices must be made a ware of safe workingha bits before ent ering the contr ols area .

e) Aut horized personn el should a ccompa ny visitors in t he cont rols ar ea.

8.3.2 P rofessio nal Beh avior

The Opera tions Hea d is r esponsible for enforcing professiona l beha vior in

th e contr ols area. Personnel disrupting operat ions will be asked to leave the

cont rols area .

8.3.3 Monitoring the Main Control Pane ls

Operat ors m onitor, prepare pr intouts, a nd sa ve files of the m ain operating

par amet ers and also major changes in operat iona l requirement s. Operators

log and r espond to malfun ctions a nd a lar ms a ccordin g to esta blished

procedures.

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8.3.4 Mont hly Repo rts

Monthly operational reports generated by the operations staff are listed in

FIST 1-3, Report s and R ecord s.

8.3.5 Controls Area Ancillary Duties

The Operations Head is responsible for reviewing Operator tasks to ensure

tha t Operat ors a re not performing dut ies that could interfere with t he

proper monitoring of opera tions. Opera tors perform adm inistr at ive ta sks

only when opera ting condit ions per mit.

8.3.6 Operation of Controls Area Equipm en t

Only Operators tr ained and a uth orized by the Opera tions Hea d may operat e

the contr ols. New operat ing personnel should receive operat ions t ra ining

thr ough a n on-the-job tra ining program. Experienced Operators supervise

new opera ting personnel unt il the Operat ions H ead forma lly appr oves theirability to opera te t he cont rols.

8.3.7 Continu ity of Operation s

A Cont inuit y of Opera tions Pla n Sh all be esta blished t o ensu re operat ions

can continu e in the event th e contr ols area h as to be evacuated. This plan

should list locations t o opera te equipm ent from a nd how comm un icat ions

will be esta blished.

8.3.8 Self-Checking

Self-checking is a work pra ctice in wh ich a n individua l consciously a nd

delibera tely reviews int ended a ctions a nd expected responses before

perform ing a task .

Self-checking includes distinct th oughts a nd a ctions designed t o enh an ce an

individua l's at ten tion to deta il at a specific momen t before per form ing a

task.

The self-checking t echnique consists using th e STAR acronym as follows:

a) Stop – This is th e most importa nt step of any self-checking technique.

Pa use before perform ing a t ask t o enha nce at tention to detail. The

simple act of stopping increa ses th e likelihood of perform ing ea ch ta sk

corr ectly. Att empt to eliminat e distra ctions.

b) Think – Under sta nd specifically wha t is to be done before m an ipulat ing

an y equipment. Identify th e correct component, tr ain, un it, etc., before

ta king any action. Use all senses tha t apply such as sight, hear ing, and

touch. Quest ion th e situa tion by tr ying to ident ify inform at ion, available

or un available, pertinent to th e task. Determine if the ta sk is appr opriate

13



for t he given conditions. Consider expected responses an d indicat ions

ass ociat ed with in tend ed actions (such a s flow noise, brea ker noise,

met ers, recorder s, radiat ion levels, and vibra tion). Decide what a ctions to

ta ke sh ould expected responses not occur.

c) Ac t – Without losing eye cont act, ph ysically touch t he componen t without

actu at ing it. While touching it, confirm corr ect componen t, tr ain, un it,etc. Compa re component or d evice label to checklist, procedur e, drawing,

or memory (if necessar y). Depending on the situa tion, there is some

benefit to saying the component 's nam e out loud t o enh an ce one's

at tent ion to detail. Without losing the ha nd cont act established ear lier,

perform the intended a ction.

d) Review – Compar e th e actua l response to th e expected r esponse.

8.3.9 Pote ntial ly Distractive Materials and Device s

The Operations Head should approve the use of computerized, written,

au dio, or visua l mat erial n ot ha ving to do with opera tions before an y of these

is used.

9. COMMUNICATIONS

9.1 Scope

Commu nications should be r eliable and accura te wh en t ra nsmitting informa tion.

9.2 Purpose

Oral a nd comput er commu nicat ions a re t he prima ry mean s of sending operat ions

inform at ion. Since accur at e comm un icat ion is essent ial for safe and efficient

opera tion, guidan ce in its us e is necessary. Opera tors use th e facilities audio an d

visual war ning devices to alert p ersonn el to abn orma l or em ergency condit ions.

These comm un icat ions a re cont rolled to insu re t ha t t hey do not detr act from

norma l opera tions and a re a vailable in an emergen cy. Specific inform at ion on

comm un icat ion pr ocedur es mus t be given to out side users.

9.3 Guidelines

9.3.1 Emergen cy Commu nications Systems

Ea ch facility Sha ll esta blish wh o is the Local Em ergency Mana ger or

Coordinator.

The au tomatic fire alarm system sounds war ning bells in a ll areas in t he

event of an emergency requiring an emergency evacuation.

14



9.3.2 Communication System Failure

The facility Sha ll establish a plan to deal with disr upt ions in th e facility’s

commu nicat ion system. At a m inimum, this plan Shall include altern ate

meth ods to commu nicate with plant staff an d outside organ izat ions t hat ar e

necessar y for th e cont inuing opera tion of th e facility.

9.3.3 Contac ting Operators

The sta ff norma lly cont acts Opera tors by the facility telephone. The

Opera tors us e port able ra dios, pagers, cell phones, satellite phones,

microwave, and portable phones to maintain contact with the controls area

an d each other , when necessary.

9.3.4 Communication with Dispatchers

Becau se th ese commun icat ions a re often critical, a met hod of docum ent ing

verbal commu nicat ions with dispatchers Shall be esta blished. This could bein t he form of a voice recorder or a writt en log.

9.3.5 Radios

Port able ra dios ma y be used by th e facility opera tions sta ff to maint ain

cont act with th e contr ols area and each oth er.

9.3.6 Testing of Radios

Test radio, telephone, satellite, and cellular systems monthly.

9.3.7 Abbrevia tions and Acron yms

Opera tors sh ould use only comm only known abbr eviations an d acronyms in

communications.

9.3.8 Oral Instruct ions and Information Commu nica tion

Oral instr uctions sh ould be clear a nd concise, and t he sender an d intended

receiver should be readily identifiable. hen necessar y to insur e tha t th e

instru ctions are underst ood, the receiver, should repeat instru ctions

involving t he opera tion of equipment .

Dur ing switching, emergen cy, or critical opera tions, thr ee-par t

commu nicat ions m ust be used to prevent hu man error.

15



9.3.9 Commu nica tion of Testing Activitie s

When per form ing tests on pla nt equipmen t, notify th e Cont rol Room

Operator before starting the test to prevent confusion associated with

ala rm s coming int o the cont rol room.

10. CONTROL OF ON-SHIFT TRAINING

10.1 Scope

The pr imar y mode of tra ining for opera ting t he facility is thr ough on-the-job

tr ainin g. Tra ining must be car efully sup ervised and controlled to avoid mistak es

in opera tions. This chapt er discusses the facilities tra ining requirements.

10.2 Purpose

On-the-job tr aining is th at part of training where t he new Operat or or

Appr ent ice receives h an ds-on exper ience with th e facility cont rols an d

equipmen t. Exper ienced operat ions personn el sup ervise th is instr uction. The

Operations Head is responsible for determining th e tr aining meth ods, mat erials,

an d documen ta tion.

10.3 Guidelines

10.3.1 Adheren ce to Training Program

The Operat ions H ead or Apprent iceship Committ ee determines th e tr aining

requirement s, dura tion of tra ining, and when a n Opera tor is qualified to

operat e the facility without direct super vision. In a ddition, a checklistshould be used to ensure completion of training requirements.

New Operat ors an d Apprentices ar e required t o familiarize themselves with

th e facility r eferen ce documen ts, facility system s, policies, an d pr ocedur es.

The Oper at ions H ead s elects wh ich facility-specific or oth er t ra ining

programs personnel must attend to be qualified to operate or use the facility.

The Operat ions H ead or Apprenticeship Committ ee may a uth orize tra ining

exempt ions ba sed on a n a ssessmen t of personn el experience.

10.3.2 On-Shift Instructo r Qualificatio ns

The Operations Head or Apprenticeship Committee determines who isqualified to instruct the Apprentices.

10.3.3 Qualified Operato r Supe rvision an d Control of Apprentice s

Qualified Operators supervise tr aining whenever Apprent ices operate

equipment, ensur ing that errors ar e not ma de tha t could degra de facility

16



safety or operat ion. Qua lified Opera tors should review log readings an d

oth er inform at ion r ecorded by Apprent ices.

10.3.4 Susp en sion of Training

Training Sha ll be immediately suspended in the event of an a bnorma loccurrence or emergency condition.

10.3.5 Maximum Num ber of Apprentic es

The Opera tions Head sh ould limit th e num ber of Apprentices on a ny given

shift to ensure quality training occurs.

10.3.6 Use of Appren tice s to Suppo rt Operation s

The facility Shall set stan dar ds to determine when a n Opera tor Apprent ice

is perm itted to perform certa in procedur es indepen dent ly. Because of

personn el safety concern s, Appren tices Shall not independen tly perform

clearances.

11. INVES TIGATION, EVALUATION, AND DOCUMEN TATION OF

INCIDENTS

11.1 Scope

The Directive and Sta ndar d for P ower Operat ions a nd Maint enan ce Incident

Evaluation and Reporting Program (FAC 04-02) establishes the minimum

requirement s for incident evaluation a nd r eporting pr actices at Reclamat ion

power facilities. The requ iremen ts in clude t he following:

• Events (emergency, abnorma l, and near -miss situat ions) ar e

thoroughly investigated to assess their impacts on operations.

• Occurr ences meeting cert ain criteria a re pr omptly report ed to facility

management.

• Root causes are identified.

• Corr ective actions a re identified and ta ken t o prevent recurr ence.

• The event is properly documen ted.

11.2 Purpose

Ea ch facility Sha ll have forma l tr aining to ensur e th at events (emergency,

abnorma l, and near -miss situa tions) ar e r ecognized, report ed, investigated, an d

corrected.

17



Abnormal events are occurrences that could:

• Affect the h ealth an d safety of th e public, employees, or guests.

• Ha ve an adverse effect on th e environment.

• Affect th e opera tions and int ended pur pose of th e facility.

• Result in loss or dam age to property.

• A violation of an established r ule, standar d pra ctice, or st anding operating

procedure.

• Result in dangerous operat ing conditions.

• Result in a n un intentional equipment or system outage.

12. NOTIFICATION PROCEDU RES

12.1 Scope

To aid t he opera tions sta ff, esta blish a pr ocess to systema tically notify plant

personn el or outs ide personnel or both sh ould be esta blished.

12.2 Purpose

It is essential to notify proper personn el in a timely mann er r egarding incidents.

Becau se n otifications ar e not often provided, esta blish policies to ensu re

notification of appr opriate personn el.

12.3 Guidelines

12.3.1 Manage me nt Notifica tion

Pr omptly notify man agement of abnorm al occurr ences to ensur e th at the

facility is r esponsive to public hea lth a nd sa fety concern s. This section

provides gu idance t o ensur e th e u niform ity, efficiency, and completen ess of

th ese n otificat ions.

Post a Notificat ion Ca ll List for occurr ences, which includes th e F acility

Mana ger and altern ates, together with their telephone num bers, in the

facility contr ols ar ea.

12.3.2 Types of Notifica tions

a) Emer gency Plan activat ions r equire verbal notificat ion within

15 minutes.

b) Other event notifications will bebased on local facility policies and

procedures.

18



c) All report able events r equire a written report to man agement within

24 h ours of cat egorizat ion.

d) NERC requires n otificat ion when a t hrea t or act of sabota ge occurs at a

power facility.

e) Keep the Emergency Plan in the SOP manual and describe notificationprocedur es in th e event of an emer gency.

f) The facility sh ould esta blish local callout p rocedur es for m ain tena nce

issues tha t occur after norma l working hours.

12.3.3 Notifica tion Resp ons ibility

a) The facility Operations Head ensures t hat those individuals listed on th e

appr opriate call-in list h ave indeed been notified a nd t hat an y

requ iremen ts for n otification ha ve been sa tisfied.

b) List th e nam es and ph one nu mbers of facility personnel to be notified inth e event of an em ergency in th e Emer gency Action P lan.

c) Keep th e equipm ent r esponsibility call-in lists in th e facility cont rols

ar ea. The call-in lists should be broken down by equipmen t

responsibilities and include the nam es of primary a nd a lterna tive

personn el, th eir phone numbers, an d their pager num bers.

d) The on-dut y Opera tor will log all abnorma l conditions a nd a ny call-in of

facility personnel.

e) All call-outs a nd a bnorma l conditions Sh all be logged in th e facility

logbook.

13. CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT

13.1 Scope

Good opera ting pr actices will maint ain th e facility's configur at ion with in its

design limits a nd pr ovide the Opera tors with kn owledge of th e sta tu s of th e

equipment and systems.

13.2 Description

Fa cility Operat ors must be awar e of how th e equipment a nd systems function.Opera tors also mu st be awa re of opera tional limits. Comm un icat e chan ges in

equipmen t a nd system configura tion to th e affected operat ing personnel by

noting th ese cha nges in th e opera tions logbook(s) or by oth er met hods tha t a llow

Operators to review the changes.

The st at us of th e equipment an d systems is cont rolled according to SOPs.

Ident ificat ion a nd document at ion of equipmen t deficiencies is import an t t o

ensur e safe an d r eliable operat ion.

19



13.3 Guidelines

13.3.1 Status Change Authorization and Reporting

Cha nges to major equipment an d systems sh ould be reviewed by qua lified

personn el. Maint ena nce personn el mu st notify th e on-dut y Opera tor of an y

equipmen t chan ges tha t m ay affect the operat ions or safety of th e facility.Operators ensur e tha t changes in th e facility configurat ion a nd sta tus a re

commu nicat ed to all operat ions per sonnel a nd must documen t those cha nges

in the facility operations log.

13.3.2 Equipment and System s Check

Perform equipment operational checks a fter shut downs for ma intena nce or

repairs t o ensur e the equipment is properly restored. Use checklists as

needed or a ppropriat e.

13.3.3 Equipm en t Locking and Tagging

Tra in a ll opera tions personn el on Lockout/Tagout in a ccorda nce with

FIST 1-1, Control of Hazardous Energy .

Record the u se of locks and t ags in a logbook tha t is ma int ained in t he

cont rols ar ea. Audit th is log on a regular ba sis.

13.3.4 Disabling Alarms or Protective De vices

Alarms and protective devices are an essential part of plant operations.

Alar ms notify facility Operat ors when par am eter s are exceeded. Pr otective

devices ar e often t he Opera tors’ firs t line of defense a gainst system failur es,but th e malfunction of systems or th e testing of equipment ma y require th e

disabling of alarm s or protective devices.

When a larm s ar e disabled, it is cru cial th at th ey be disabled in a cont rolled

manner:

a) Reta in a logbook in th e cont rols ar ea document ing th e disabling of facility

alarms.

b) The u se of th e cont rols ar ea log to docum ent th e disa bling of this

equipmen t is not recomm ended if th e device will rema in disabled past t he

cur rent shift.

c) Any pr ocedur es requ iring t he disa bling of an ala rm or protective device

Sha ll conta in a step to restore tha t alar m.

d) The r eview of disabled a larm s or protective devices Sh all be a pa rt of th e

shift t urn over.

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13.3.5 Equipment Defic iency Identif ication and Documen tation

Equ ipment deficiencies are n oted in MAXIMO and a re r eport ed to the

responsible group for repair by the appropriate craftsperson.

13.3.6 Chang es in Relay Settin gs

Chan ges in r elay settings Shall be peer reviewed and documen ted.

13.3.7 Alarm Sta tu s

Operators a re t ra ined to respond t o all facility equipment and system

alar ms. After esta blishing and/or corr ecting the cause, the Operat or ma y

reset equipment alarms.

13.3.8 Tempo rary Modificatio n Control

The Operat ions H ead or th e Fa cility Manager or both must approvetem pora ry modificat ions. Temporar y modificat ions Sh all be logged in t he

opera tions logbook(s) by the on-dut y Opera tor, an d a special condition ta g

ma y be issued, if appr opria te, in accordan ce with F IST 1-1.

14. HAZARDOUS EN ERGY CONTROL PR OGRAM, FIST 1-1

14.1 Scope

This section pr ovides a m eth od to cont rol equipment th rough locking or ta gging

or both. These actions protect pers onnel from injury an d protect equipment from

dam age. Accidenta l opera tion of equipmen t dur ing norma l opera tion, servicing,or m ainten an ce has th e potent ial to cause personal injury or equipment dama ge.

The Ha zardous Ener gy Contr ol Progra m a llows worker s to be sure th at

equipment has been removed from service and later restored to operation.

14.2 Purpose

All cleara nces a nd lockout s on t he facility will be done in accorda nce with

FIS T 1-1. Cleara nces and lockout s will be in a ccorda nce with th e FIST 1-1 local

implementing policy.

15. LOG KEEPING

15.1 Scope

Opera tions records cont ain a na rr at ive log of th e facility stat us a nd a ll events

requ ired to reconst ru ct a h istory of opera tions. In t his context, logs are defined

as a na rr at ive sequen ce of events or functions per form ed by th e opera tions sta ff.

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15.2 Purpose

Operation logs are established to record the data necessary to provide a history

of facility oper at ions . FIST 1-3 , R eports and Record s, contains additional

inform at ion a bout Opera tion logs.

The scope, type, and a mount of dat a r equired by mana gement is entered int o thelogs, including docum ent at ion of actions t aken , activities completed, a nd d at a

necessar y to reconstr uct events. Logs are reviewed to ensur e tha t t hey are

adequa tely ma intained an d tha t opera tions personnel are awar e of th e

inform at ion in t he logs.

15.3 Guidelines

15.3.1 Establishm en t of Operatin g Logs

Maint ain t he facility opera tions logs in th e facility controls area . Only

aut horized personnel ma y mak e entr ies in t he cont rols a rea log.

15.3.2 Timeline ss of Rec ording s

Inform at ion is ent ered, prompt ly or as soon a s rea sonably possible, to

prevent inaccura cies. Log keeping does not ta ke precedence over cont rolling

an d monitoring th e facility.

15.3.3 Controls Area Log Require me nts

Record all inform at ion per ta ining to th e safe an d efficient opera tion of th e

facility in t he opera tions logbooks. To aid in r econst ru cting event s, log as

mu ch inform at ion as possible dur ing emergencies and a bnorma l orunexpected events.

a) The controls area logbook is a legal record of facts about project

operat ions. It is not a forum for opinions or ph ilosophies.

b) Ea ch logbook entr y Sha ll be preceded by th e time associat ed with th e

event recorded.

c) All referen ces to time Sh all bema de u tilizing th e 24-hour clock.

d) Activities of only 1 day Sha ll appear on an individu al logbook pa ge. At

rem ote facilities, th is is not r equired becaus e of th e limited n um ber of

entr ies. At remote plants, log the date an d time for each entr y.

e) If a logbook en tr y cont ain s a n out of chronological order sequ ence, note

th e logbook en tr y by the ph ra se “Lat e En tr y” or “LE.”

f) Commonly used acronyms are acceptable for logbook entries.

g) Individual pa ges Shall not be rem oved from th e contr ols ar ea logbook.

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15.3.4 Informatio n To Be Rec orded:

a) A chronological hist ory of all commu nicat ions involving plant oper at ions

b) Switching opera tions

c) Hot line order s

d) Gen era l switching

e) Cha nges in reser voir elevation opera ting criter ia or wat er releases

f) Relay opera tions, including th e relay identification

g) Cleara nces (issued or released), includin g th e cleara nce nu mber a nd

equipment cleared

h) Special condition ta gs (issued or released), including the equ ipment t hey

ar e placed on.

i) Unit star t and stop times

j) Any per t in en t a la rms

k) Any equipmen t failur es or ma lfun ctions

l) Lin e outages

m) Brea ker opening and closing

n) Call-outs

o) Any cha nge in un it status:

• Generator number

• Condensing

• Standby

• Una vailable/available

p) The stat us of all major equipment a t 0000 hour s

15.3.5 Legibility

All log ent ries mu st be legible, und erst an da ble, an d m ade in ink of a colorth at can be ph otocopied.

15.3.6 Corrections

Score incorr ect entr ies with a single line an d initial.

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15.3.7 Log Re vie w

The Oper at ions H ead sh ould review the opera tions logbook daily.

15.3.8 Care and Keepin g of Logs

The Oper at or’s Su pervisor is r esponsible for filing an d st orin g th e logs for

th e expected life of th e facility. Pr evious logs Sha ll be ava ilable for review

by Operat ors or sta ff return ing after an absence.

16. SHIFT TURNOVER

16.1 Scope

Shift turnover provides oncoming Operators with an accurate picture of the

overa ll stat us of th e facility. This section describes th e import an t a spects of good

operat ions tu rn over.

16.2 Purpose

Opera tions tur nover is a critical par t of th e facility's opera tion. Ina ccur at e or

impr oper (incomplete) shift tu rn over can cont ribut e to or cause incidents, so it is

essential tha t opera tions personnel perform sh ift tu rn overs in a man ner so tha t

an effective tra nsfer of informa tion t akes place. Personnel Sha ll not assume

opera tional dut ies unless th ey are ph ysically and men ta lly fit to do so an d not

un til they a nd t he offgoing pers onnel ha ve a high degree of confidence th at an

appropriate informa tion t ra nsfer h as ta ken place.

Oncoming per sonnel Sha ll review logs, the t ur nover check sh eet, visual displays,compu ter pages, an d alar m pa ges; an d th ey Shall receive a verbal briefing before

assu ming t he r esponsibility of opera ting t he facility.

16.3 Guidelines

16.3.1 Information Exchan ge d at Turnove r

At a m inimu m, th e following informa tion should be excha nged du ring a shift

turnover:

a) Equipment on clear ance

b) Major equipment statu s

c) Alar m sta tus

d) Work in progress

e) Any abnorma l plan t conditions

f) Work schedu led

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16.3.2 Turnove r Check lists

A tu rn over checksheet is a n inva luable tool to alert th e oncoming Opera tor

to the st at us of th e facility. If used, th e oncoming Opera tor should review

the tur nover checksheet.

16.3.3 Plan t Statu s Rev iew

Before being relieved, the offgoing Opera tor should per form a pla nt sta tu s

review to provide the lat est deta ils to th e oncoming Opera tor. Oncoming

Opera tors us e the first pa rt of th e shift to scan var ious SCADA displays,

alar m displays, disabled alarm s, protective devices, an d computer pages.

They also rea d th e opera tions log to familiarize them selves with t he curr ent

opera ting conditions. The plant s ta tu s review should include a walk down of

cont rol panels to determ ine equipment-operat ing para meters.

16.3.4 Control Pane l Walk Dow n

As part of Operator takeover, the oncoming Operator reviews the equipment

stat us a nd pr evious operational history.

16.3.5 Purpose a nd Exchange of Responsibi l i ty

Before ta king r esponsibility for operat ing t he facility, t he on-coming

opera tion sta ff will discuss opera ting conditions with th e out-going operat ion

sta ff. The operat ion st aff will then sign in t he cont rols area log.

16.3.6 Relie f Occurring During the Shift

The Opera tions Head or a qu alified Opera tor, cognizant of th e opera ting

condit ions of the facility, ma y relieve th e on-duty Oper at or.

When a relief occur s dur ing th e shift, the out-going Opera tor gives th e

oncoming Operator a verbal briefing containing at least the minimum

inform at ion for t ur nover discussed in t his section.

17. OPERATOR READING FILES

17.1 Scope

A reading file for operations personnel should ensure that appropriate

individuals ar e awar e of the importan t inform ation related t o job assignments

an d plant operat ing conditions. This section describes such a readin g program .

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17.2 Purpose

Facility operations personnel receive important information from the Operations

Head. The Operat ions H ead is r esponsible for distr ibuting informa tion to the

Operators.

17.3 Guidelines

17.3.1 F ile Inde x

A list of document s ma inta ined in t he Opera tor rea ding files should include:

• Operational logs

• Incident reports

• Material conta ining powerplant operat ions emergency operat ing

procedures

• Spill Prevention, Contr ol, and Counterm easur es Plan (SPCC)

• Operational bulletins (conta ining cha nges in operat iona l procedures a nd

equipment)

• Operational schedules and maintena nce schedules

• The facility Sta nding Operating Procedure

These documen ts sh ould be a par t of the initial Opera tor tr aining.

Fa cility man agement may r equire seasoned opera tions st aff members t o

review only revisions or t he en tire document on a per iodic basis.

17.3.2 Rea ding Assignm en ts

The Opera tions Head gives reading assignment s to t he operations staff.

Certa in assignments r equire signatu res by the operations st aff to indicat e

that they have read and understa nd the document.

17.3.3 Requ ired Dates for Completio n of Read ing

The opera tion logs mu st be rea d by th e oncoming shift before relief of the

out-going personnel.

Operational bulletins and information pertaining to operational schedules or

chan ges to plan t pr ocedur es must be read by the oncoming operat ions st aff.

The oncoming opera tions sta ff mu st be fully cognizan t of the sta tu s of th e

facility before ta king over t he s hift.

The Operations Head will determine all other required reading completion

dates of material placed in the required reading file.

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17.3.4 Documentation

The Operations Head should establish a meth od to track the Opera tor

rea ding files.

17.3.5 Review

Per iodic reviews of the Oper at or r eading files will be ma de by the Oper at ions

Head t o ensur e tha t r elevant an d up-to-date inform ation is available.

18. DEVELOPMENT AND USE OF OPERATING PROCEDURES

18.1 Scope

Opera ting pr ocedur es provide specific direction for opera ting syst ems a nd

equipmen t dur ing norm al, abnorma l, an d emergency conditions. This section

describes the important aspects of the development and use of operating

procedures.

18.2 Purpose

Pr ocedur es ar e a key factor affecting the operat ions st aff perform an ce.

Opera ting pr ocedur es should be sufficient ly deta iled so th at th e requir ed actions

can be underta ken without direct su pervision. The forma t ma y ran ge from

deta iled step-by-step inst ru ctions to genera l opera ting guidelines or outlines

based on complexity an d risk. In a ll cases, procedur es should be written s o th at

they can be easily used with out m aking mistakes. To ensur e tha t procedures ar e

effective an d th at th e best possible inst ru ction is pr ovided, procedur es should

receive periodic review and feedback.

18.3 Guidelines

18.3.1 Proce dure Deve lopment

Procedures exist for all normal operations, postulated abnormal, and

emergency situat ions. The detail used in the procedures is based on th e

complexity of th e ta sk, th e experience and t ra ining of the operat ions st aff,

th e frequen cy of perform an ce, and th e significan ce of the consequ ences of

err ors. Ther efore, procedur es can r an ge from step-by-step instr uction to

general operat ing guidance.

At a m inimum , procedur es should exist for complex tas ks, infrequent

operat ions (more th an one month int erval), abnorm al operat ions, and

operat ions wher e personal, public, or equ ipment safety is a concern.

18.3.2 Pro ce dure Conten t

To provide u niform ity in opera tions pr ocedur es, facility procedur es conform

to the following guidelines:

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a) The scope and pur pose ar e clear ly defined.

b) All procedur es should be included in th e SOP book.

c) Pr ocedur es should include referen ces.

d) War nings, notes, an d cau tions ar e easily identifiable (printed in bold) an d

appear on th e same page as th e step of th e procedure th at the war ning,

note, or cau tion applies.

18.3.3 Proce dure Changes and Revisions

Pr ocedur es should be writt en a nd checked by a second qualified person.

Make changes and revisions to procedures to reflect current operating

pra ctices an d requir emen ts. Fa cilities should set policies to contr ol minor

chan ges to procedur es. Pla ce all procedure cha nges in th e required rea ding

file for opera tions per sonnel.

18.3.4 Pro ce dure Approval

The Opera tions Head or th e Fa cility Man ager or both will review the

procedur es before issua nce to ensu re t heir a ccura cy.

The Oper at ions H ead is r esponsible for a pproving all opera ting pr ocedur es.

The Operations Head will sign and date new or revised operation procedures

with red ink. The signa tu re in red ink indicates the origina l copy.

Revisions t o th e opera ting pr ocedur es requ ire th e sam e level of approval as

the initial versions.

18.3.5 Proce dure Review

Emer gency procedures a re reviewed to insure tha t all aspects of safety an d

environmen ta l impact h ave been fully covered before issu an ce.

Opera tional pr ocedures a re per iodically reviewed by the Oper at or’s

Supervisor to ensur e that t hey ar e accura te and current .

Applicable procedures are reviewed after any abnormal event to ensure their

adequacy.

Drills coverin g th e fire p lan , facility eva cuat ion, emer gency action p lan,action plan , an d other similar procedures sh ould be performed on a n ann ua l

basis.

18.3.6 Pro ce dure Availability

Up-to-date em ergency and operational procedures a re ma intained a t t he

facility.

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19. OPERATOR AIDS

19.1 Scope

Opera tor Aids should provide inform at ion t o Opera tors in per form ing th eir

dut ies. The Operat ions Head Sha ll ensur e that posted Operator aids are

curren t, corr ect, a nd useful.

19.2 Purpose

Operator aids have an important function in the safe operation of the facility and

ma y come in m an y forms: complete or pa rt ial copies of procedur es, system

dra wings, memos, an d placar ds. They can be placed thr oughout the facility to

assist th e operat ions sta ff. These postings must r eflect th e most curren t

inform at ion a nd m ust n ot supers ede or conflict with an y procedur e.

19.3 Guidelines

19.3.1 Operator Aid Dev elopm en t

Any facility staff member may develop a n Operat or Aid. However, Operat or

Aids mu st be a pproved by the Oper at ions H ead before t hey can be posted in

th e cont rols area or in th e facility.

19.3.2 Approval

Ea ch facility should esta blish a local pr actice to ensur e Opera tor Aids ha ve

an appr oval and cont rol process.

19.3.3 Postings

Opera tor Aids ar e posted so they do not obscure inst ru men ts or cont rols.

Aids are located near the ar ea of their expected use.

19.3.4 Us e of Aids

Operator Aids are used as a convenience and for supplementing approved

procedur es. They are not used t o circum vent a pproved procedur es.

19.3.5 Recommended Operator Aids

This is th e list of recomm ended Oper at or Aids:

• Unit outa ge schedules

• Plan t single-line diagram

• Plant switching diagram

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• Generat or capa bility curves

• Pr ocedures for difficult or complicat ed ta sks

19.3.6 Cont rol of Opera tor Aids

A log should be established and maintained listing all current Operator Aids

an d their revision nu mber.

19.3.7 Review

Operator Aids should be reviewed at least annually or after power plant

procedure changes to insure th at they are a ccurat e, current and n ecessary.

20. EQUIPMENT LABELING

20.1 Scope

A well-esta blished a nd ma inta ined program for labeling equipmen t will help to

ensur e tha t t he facility and support personnel can identify instr ument ation,

cont rols, an d equipmen t. In add ition, equipment labeling is required by

Operational Safety and Health Administra tion (OSHA) regulations and various

nat ional consensus sta ndar ds.

20.2 Purpose

A good labeling progra m t hat is underst ood a nd m ainta ined by operat ions and

maint enan ce personn el enh ances the effectiveness of tra ining. Such a pr ogram

also helps to reduce errors in operat ions a nd err ors m ade by mainten ancepersonn el. Er rors can r esult from incorr ect identification of equipmen t an d

controls.

The labeling program should allow personnel to identify instrumentation,

cont rols, an d equipment n eeding labels. In a ddition to equipmen t, doors to

rooms s hould be labeled to help facility an d su pport p ersonn el to ident ify rooms

an d, if applicable, th e equipment inside.

20.3 Guidelines

20.3.1 Components Requiring Labeling

At a m inimum , th e following items sh ould be labeled:

a) Em ergency exits, fire ala rm s, fire protection, fire extinguisher s

b) Rescue an d first a id equipment

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c) Circuit brea ker s an d power pa nels

d) Valves, piping systems, and ma jor plan t equipment

20.3.2 Labe l Inform atio n

Label inform at ion m ust be consist ent with t he inform at ion foun d in facility

procedures, dr awings, and other documen tat ion.

a) Labels must be perma nent ly att ached and ha ve easy-to-read informa tion.

The label should use comm on nam es of facility systems a nd equ ipment ,

along with a num ber designator.

b) Valves should be labeled with a n umber and na me describing th e purpose

consistent with system dr awings.

c) Piping systems s hould be labeled with flow direction a nd cont ent s.

d) Major plan t equipment sh ould also be labeled by equipment n umber a nd

function.

e) Circuit brea ker s an d pan els are labeled so as t o designat e which circuit

th ey ar e fed from a nd wha t devices th ey feed.

f) Em ergency exits, fire ala rm s, fireextingu ishers, a nd fire pr otection

equipment ar e labeled in a stan dard indust rial form at.

20.3.3 Label Plac em ent

Labels ar e placed on, or a s nea r a s pra ctical to, th e controls or equipm ent

being labeled. Labels ar e oriented so that th ey are easy to read.

20.3.4 Replac ing Labels

The Oper at ions H ead (or oth er designa ted per son) is responsible for

ensuring that missing or damaged labels, once identified, are promptly

replaced and that newly installed equipment or new modifications to

existing equipment are properly labeled.

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Acronyms and Abbreviations

AC alternat ing current

AGC au tomat ic generat ion cont rol

AVR au tomat ic voltage regulat or

CO2

car bon dioxide

DC direct curren t

DOC Designers Opera ting Criteria

EAP emergency action plan

FIST Fa cilities Instr uctions, Standa rds, and

Techniques

kV kilovolt

LE late entr y

MVA megavoltampere

MW megawatt

NERC Nort h American Electric Reliability Council

NFPA National Fire Protection Association

O&M operations and maintena nce

OJ T on-the-job training

OSHA Occupa tional Safety an d Health Administr at ion

PMAs power ma rketing adm inistrations

P SS power syst em sta bilizer

SCADA Supervisory Contr ol and Data Acquisition

SOP Standing Operating Procedures

SPCC Spill Prevention, Cont rol, an d Coun term easu res

Plan

STAR stop, think, act, review

SWRTA Southwest Regional Transmission Association

WECC Western Electricity Coordinating Council

WSCC Western System Coordina ting Council

Conduct of Power Operations

Documents

Transcript of Conduct of Power Operations