Diesel Generator Owner’s Groups Improve Power Plant Operations and Maintenance

Diesel generator sets are installed at nuclear power plants to provide emergency power to ensure safe shut down of the reactor in the event of an accident. In the United States, all nuclear power plants belong to one of six different Diesel Generator Owner’s Groups. Some groups have been in existence for over 17 years and the members have all benefited from their participation. In the past three years, the Diesel Generator Owner’s Group concept has spread and two new groups have been formed among a number of independent diesel generator power plant owners and operators in Latin America and the Caribbean area. This paper describes: (1) how electric power plants, large and small, have formed Diesel Generator Owner’s Groups, (2) how better working relationships between the power plants and the engine manufacturer have been established, and (3) how involvement in a strong owner’s group provides significant benefits to the members. The primary goal of the groups is to increase reliability and improve performance of the diesel engines at the respective power plants. Typical objectives of effective Diesel Generator Owner’s Groups include: • Provide a mechanism for rapid resolution of specific problems with the diesel engine, generator and auxiliary systems, • Provide improved communications among the owners and the diesel generator manufacturer, • Develop a group of “technical experts” and expand that knowledge base to other plant personnel, and • Identify methods to improve diesel engine generator and overall power plant performance, reliability, availability and safety. Active participation in Diesel Generator Owner’s Group has resulted in real payback for the owners and manufacturers alike. To illustrate this fact, several unique diesel engine problems are described along with the approach the Diesel Generator Owner’s Groups used to resolve the problems. Finally, overall diesel generator reliability and availability have improved. These groups have worked to develop the best possible technical environment to continue improving diesel generator power plant performance, operation and maintenance.