Page 1 of 6 Title Operate hydro-electric generating plant on site Level 4 Credits 8 Purpose People credited with this unit standard are able to: demonstrate knowledge of the principles of hydro-electric generating plant operation and protection; identify and communicate generating plant status and generation parameters; operate generating plant on site; respond to events; and document the generating plant operation. Classification Electricity Supply > Electricity Supply - Power System Management Available grade Achieved Explanatory notes 1 This unit standard is intended for, but not restricted to, workplace assessment. The range statements within the unit standard can be applied according to industry specific equipment, procedures, and processes. 2 Safety of personnel and plant must be a priority throughout the assessment. If the safety requirements are not met the assessment must stop. 3 Performance and work practices in relation to the outcomes and evidence requirements must comply with all current legislation, especially the Electricity Act 1992, and any regulations and codes of practice recognised under that statute; the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992; and the Resource Management Act 1991. Electricity supply industry codes of practice and documented industry procedures include the current version of the Safety Manual Electricity Industry (SM-EI) (Wellington: Electricity Engineers Association). A full list of current legislation and industry codes is available from the Electricity Supply Industry Training Organisation, PO Box 1245, Waikato Mail Centre, Hamilton 3240. 4 The phrase in accordance with industry requirements is implicit in all outcomes and evidence requirements in this unit standard. 5 Reference to procedures and specifications in this unit standard may be taken as including documented procedures and specifications relevant to the workplace in which assessment is carried out. 6 Industry requirements include all asset owner requirements; manufacturers specifications; and enterprise requirements which cover the documented workplace policies, procedures, specifications, business, and quality management requirements relevant to the workplace in which assessment is carried out.
Page 2 of 6 7 Asset owner refers to the owner of an electricity supply network that takes its point of supply from Transpower NZ and delivers electricity to industrial, commercial, and residential customers. 8 The following terms and abbreviations relate to this unit standard: AC Alternating current Auxiliary equipment includes main exciter, commutator, pilot exciter, voltage regulator, cooling systems, lube oil systems, seal systems, brake systems. Data refers to the information of a written or numerical form. The latter may include summary statistics, information in tables, and numbers displayed in a variety of graphs. DC Direct current bearing. Generator includes stator core and windings, rotor poles and windings, shaft couplings, slip rings, bearings. The term operate is defined as manual operation and testing of hydro electricity generation plant including plant adjustments, isolations and restorations. SCADA Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system, a computer system that is used to operate equipment and monitor the performance of the electrical power system and/or network, gather data for analytical purposes, and generally assist the operation and delivery of electrical network functions concerning the supply of electricity to customers. Switching refers to actions carried out by a network control centre to divert electrical current, and permit contractors to perform work safely and efficiently on an electricity supply network without discontinuing supply to customers. Outcomes and evidence requirements Outcome 1 Demonstrate knowledge of the principles of hydro-electric generating plant operation and protection. 1.1 Theory of mechanical and electrical power and energy is described. civil and hydraulic structures, turbines, valves and gates, potential and kinetic power and energy, moment of inertia, rotational energy, electrical active power and energy. 1.2 The principles of electrical power systems and electricity generators are described. AC systems, DC systems, water turbines, transmission and distribution, frequency, voltage, generators, exciters, transformers, control and protection.
Page 3 of 6 1.3 The principles of efficient resource use are defined and explained. turbine efficiency curves, available static and operating heads, generator capability diagrams, resource consent obligations and limitations, storage, inflows, generation flows, governors, bypass and relief valves. 1.4 The responsibilities of hydro-electric generating plant operators are defined in accordance with operating requirements. controlling output power to dispatch, efficient utilisation of resource, observing resource consent limits, issuing and cancellation of work control documents, batteries, communications, auxiliary plant. 1.5 The principles of generator electrical protection are described. generator circuit breaker control, protective relays for overcurrent, earth fault, generator stator differential, overall generator transformer differential, over and under voltage, over and under frequency, rotor earth fault, field failure, pole slipping, reverse power. Outcome 2 Identify and communicate generating plant status and generation parameters. log contents, work control documents in force, voltage, active power (MW), reactive power (MVAR), generating flows, headwater levels, tailwater levels. 2.1 Plant and auxiliary equipment status is determined. indications, alarms. 2.2 Planned events that impact on plant and equipment status are identified and their impact determined and recorded. planned outages, work requests, work control systems, permits, access approvals, work authorities. 2.3 Information is transferred to relevant personnel in a manner and timeframe which meets established operating requirements.
Page 4 of 6 Outcome 3 Operate generating plant on site. 3.1 Plant and equipment are operated. includes but is not limited to single line diagram, power station layout, turbine, wicket gates or spear valve, swing ring governor servo, governor, relief valve, stator core and windings, rotor core, poles and windings, bearings, slip rings, main and pilot exciters, commutators, associated auxiliary equipment. 3.2 Operating decisions are determined in accordance with plant status, local knowledge, and operating requirements. includes but is not limited to plant availability and service condition, resource consent and loading limits, impact, options, alternatives, local operation, emergency operating. 3.3 Plant and equipment are started in sequence and within defined plant capabilities. starting, running up, speed governing, excitation and matching voltage, behaviour of speed and voltage control before and after synchronising. 3.4 Plant and equipment are operated within legislative requirements to gain maximum efficiency of energy conversion and meet active and reactive dispatch power outputs. resource consents, flow ramping rates, generation flows, cooling water discharge rates, turbine efficiency curves, generator capability diagrams, local standing instructions. 3.5 Plant and equipment are monitored within established operating requirements. includes but is not limited to indications, alarms, power status, defects, action confirmation, SCADA operation. Outcome 4 Respond to events. emergency, unscheduled event, abnormal condition, alarms, protective relay operation, power system faults, forced outage.
Page 5 of 6 4.1 System is stabilised. indications, alarms and protective relay operation acknowledged and reset, active and reactive power outputs stabilised. 4.2 The event and/or cause of the event is identified using available resources. alarms and protective relay operation identified, events lists, event recording charts, alarms and protective relay flaggings listed, SCADA. 4.3 The event is acknowledged. acknowledgement, logging. 4.4 The impact of the event on generation is determined and responded to. local control, contingency plans, emergency operating procedures. 4.5 The event is analysed to identify options to remedy or mitigate undesired conditions and identify future actions using established analysis tools and procedures. event reporting procedures, maintenance management systems, log book, event lists, relay flag sheets, plant history records. 4.6 The event reporting is conducted in accordance with established procedures and instructions. local instructions, event reporting standards, Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992, Electricity Act 1992, Electricity Regulations 1997. Outcome 5 Document the generating plant operation. service report, log book, test reports and results, plant history, work control documentation, event lists, generator availability data system, maintenance management system, electronic log, operating orders and/or switching sheets, plant outage requests, data, check sheets, statistical log sheets. 5.1 Recorded information is complete, concise, and legible. 5.2 Information is recorded in the required format and filed within scheduled timeframe.
Page 6 of 6 Planned review date 31 December 2014 Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions Process Version Date Last Date for Assessment Registration 1 26 August 1997 N/A Review 2 30 November 2000 N/A Revision 3 11 February 2004 N/A Rollover and Revision 4 26 November 2007 N/A Review 5 16 April 2010 N/A Revision 6 15 September 2011 N/A Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR) reference 0120 This CMR can be accessed at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/search/index.do. Please note Providers must be granted consent to assess against standards (accredited) by NZQA, before they can report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses of study leading to that assessment. Industry Training Organisations must be granted consent to assess against standards by NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards. Providers and Industry Training Organisations, which have been granted consent and which are assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that applies to those standards. Requirements for consent to assess and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this standard are outlined in the Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR). The CMR also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations wishing to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for tutors and assessors, and special resource requirements. Comments on this unit standard Please contact the info@esito.org.nz if you wish to suggest changes to the content of this unit standard.