Section B: Lessons learned in new build-projects and O&M

Thursday, 14 September 2017, 11:15-11:45h/B04

Qualification for operations managers of power plants

Ernst Michael Züfle and Christian Jaffke, KWS Kraftwerksschule e.V., Germany; Andreas Weilnhammer, SWM Services GmbH, Germany

The energy system in Germany is under transformation due to political and societal changes. Basis in future shall be renewables. The conventional power plants will contribute with an important function to balance and to back-up the volatile renewable production in order to secure the overall goals: safe, environmentally friendly, affordable and sustainable energy supply on a 24/7 basis.

This transformation changes the operation of conventional power plants substantially, eg by reduced operating hours, less predictability, higher requirements on the technical flexibility, higher loads on components and altered profit situation. From this it follows that the framework and the needs for the operation staff changes too, and the education and training have to be adapted. The Kraftwerksschule e.V. (Power Tech Training Centre, KWS) is the educational institution and service provider for the german and international energy companies and offers courses since 60 years, that are modern and tailored to the market needs. KWS addresses this current adaption.

The „Energie-Einsatzleiter / Operations manager“ has been developed in close cooperation with Munich City Utilities (Stadtwerke München) as a new advanced training for power plant master craftsmen. It shall qualify for having to a great extend the sole responsibility for operating one or several power plants, and eventually further productions like boilers for district heating systems. The technical and operational potentials of the plants can be utilized best and maximum benefits can be achieved. Furthermore internal interfaces can be reduced.

The training modules comprise:

• Combined heat and power production
• Energydynamic correlations
• Technical dependencies between the energies
• Turbines and operation modes
• Language training as preparation for stock exchange permit
• Stock exchange (eg EEX)
• Balancing group stream
• Legal frameconditions
• Network management power (eg redispatch) und district heating
• Communications
• Excercises

The presentation illustrates in addition to the explanation of the training modules the recommended requirements on trainees and the company and provides information about the benefits.