It is widely recognized within the sector that Predictive and Preventive Maintenance play a key role in preserving the useful life of installation components and, consequently, in their operation and reliability.
One of the main objectives of a good O&M Operator must focus on anticipating and preventing the occurrence of any corrective actions and operational impacts on the facilities. To this end, both Predictive and Preventive Maintenance are established as absolutely essential activities.
However, extreme weather phenomena—increasingly frequent and intense—represent one of the greatest challenges for the operation and maintenance of renewable generation facilities. It is precisely in these discouraging scenarios where a good O&M Operator must stand out as a solid and outstanding figure, rapidly providing solutions and improvements (Revampings) for the assets.
Indeed, when faced with an unpredictable, high-intensity DANA, significantly affecting a photovoltaic installation and causing a large-scale incident, the Owner requires the support of a committed specialist equipped with the necessary resources to effectively address the situation.
And it is precisely in adversity where the aBalados team rises to the occasion and demonstrates the effectiveness of a good O&M Operator.
In one of the projects managed by aBalados, with an initially high water table and a situation severely worsened during a high-intensity DANA, the direct impact of a lightning strike in the vicinity triggered a total loss incident by damaging the same phase of the three dry-type transformers present at the facility. Preliminary tests confirmed very significant damage to one transformer and moderate impact on the other two.
Three weeks were sufficient to restore the plant’s operation to 63%.
- Confidence is conveyed to the Owner.
- Diligence and responsibility are demonstrated to the insurer.
- The impact on Equivalent Operating Hours is minimized (an exceptional impact or situation not foreseen in RD 413/2014 nor in its subsequent amendments).
Once the storm had subsided, aBalados immediately mobilized its resources and activated an urgent action plan structured around three parallel lines of work: technical assessment of the scope of the damage, identification of operational continuity solutions, and optimization of the economic and regulatory impact of the incident.
First, a thorough technical analysis was carried out in coordination with specialized workshops, with the aim of repairing the dry-type transformers through the reuse and reconfiguration of unaffected windings that could ensure proper operation.
Despite initial difficulties in locating a workshop with availability and sufficient technical capacity to undertake the required work, perseverance and joint efforts with Transformadores Cabrera ultimately made it possible to rebuild and recover two of the three transformers. This avoided their complete replacement and significantly reduced the timelines (and costs) associated with the incident.
Simultaneously, in order to avoid prolonged production losses, preserve the equivalent hours recognized by the CNMC, and protect the economic viability of the project, the urgent sourcing and installation of replacement transformers on a rental basis was managed. This came with the foreseeable added difficulty of not having equipment with identical or similar operating voltages, nor double-winding configurations to energize the associated pairs of central inverters.
Far from representing an obstacle for the aBalados engineering team, the decision was made to source and install transformers with identical transformation ratios and suitable power ratings, together with a reconfiguration of the PV generator, so as to optimize the apparent power made available.
Thanks to this action, the plant was able to maintain operational continuity while the remaining processes were carried out in parallel, recovering 89% of its nominal capacity within a very short timeframe (by week 13 after the incident, with the arrival of the original dry-type transformers already repaired).
With only a few weeks remaining until receipt of the sole transformer whose definitive replacement was required—and, consequently, the removal of the last rental transformer and restoration of the plant to 100%—the management of this incident by the aBalados team has not only made it possible to restore the operability of the facility within an exceptional timeframe, but has also helped strengthen the project’s resilience. This was achieved by incorporating improvements to the plant components, adapted to its environment and to increasingly frequent extreme weather conditions.
This case demonstrates that, in situations of maximum complexity, the difference lies not only in the installed technology, but in the capacity for anticipation, response, and comprehensive management of the responsible team, including its procedures for responding to extreme events and proper technical coordination with specialized suppliers.
Because major setbacks are also opportunities to improve.
And at aBalados, we prove it.
