Operation and maintenance showroom: case studies from the field

The value of a hydropower asset is not fixed when construction ends. Throughout its operating life, better use of existing infrastructure can increase generation and revenue, improve flexibility and availability, extend equipment life, and support environmental and other water-management objectives. The decisions involved are becoming more complex as electricity markets evolve, assets provide more grid services, environmental expectations increase and climate change creates greater hydrological uncertainty. At the same time, advances in monitoring, modelling, digital control and specialist maintenance methods are creating new opportunities to operate and maintain existing assets more effectively.

Built around case studies from the field, this session will examine current and emerging approaches being applied across hydropower operations and maintenance. Owners, operators and technical specialists will explain the problems they are addressing, how their chosen methods work and what evidence is available on their results.

Session objectives

• Introduce current and emerging methods for optimising operation, monitoring asset condition, expanding safe operating capabilities and completing maintenance with less disruption.
• Connect these methods to the practical decisions operators face about how to use water, operate equipment and plan interventions throughout an asset’s life.
• Demonstrate how improved operations and maintenance can create lifetime asset value through generation, revenue, flexibility, availability, life extension, environmental performance and other water services.

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