ABB secures contract to optimize QPPL plant

Swiss firm ABB has secured the contract to optimize the operations of Quezon Power (Philippines) Ltd. Co.’s (QPPL) 460-megawatt (MW) coal-fired plant in Mauban, Quezon.

ABB will provide a high-fidelity operator training simulator to upgrade the skills of the Quezon power plant operators.

The simulator will offer a virtual recreation of the actual Quezon plant, including non-standard scenarios and faults, allowing both newly recruited staff and current operators to become more familiar with their working environment and learn how to react in challenging situations.

The scope of work for this project runs from design and engineering to installation, commissioning and training.

With the daily decisions of personnel directly impacting a plant’s safety, production, process availability and quality, ABB said it is critical operators have all the information they need to make correct and timely decisions.

“We have a strong track record in providing expertise and services to help operators handle the complexity of their power plants. This collaborative approach, which is in line with our ABB ability offering, is key in supporting the customer’s decision-making and performance,” ABB’s managing director for power generation business unit Kevin Kosisko said.

Apart from evolving its staff’s training and skills, operators of the Quezon power plant will also undergo speed training as QPPL upgraded the facility’s human-machine interface (HMI) to ensure operator effectiveness.

ABB said it is supporting significant performance improvements for its customers by providing personnel with ergonomically optimized tools and environment they need to run the plant effectively.

ABB, a leading provider of integrated power and automation solutions, is partnering with energy and water industries to automate and optimize the performance of conventional and renewable power plants and water facilities.

Earlier this year, the company bagged an order for $27-million worth of transformers aimed to support the upgrade of transmission infrastructure and improve grid reliability of the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP).