A coordination mission to safeguard operations

As part of the Etivaz drinking water rehabilitation project, HYDRO’s Automation & Control unit was mandated to coordinate the commissioning of the three generators installed on this catchment network, which is jointly owned by Lausanne’s water department and Romande Energie.

Once the installations were assembled, it was time for the hydraulic tests, a crucial phase. If carried out properly, the approved supply will provide guarantees of safety and availability over the long term. It therefore makes perfect sense to have the commissioning coordinated by a dedicated person, so that a critical eye can be kept on supplies.

Central role

While most of the coordination work is carried out in the field, the first intervention phase takes place in the office. A handover protocol and test procedures are drawn up. These tests serve to identify outstanding issues. Some consist of optimisations to facilitate future operation or management, or even to improve operations and production. Problem areas lead to the rest of the programme being temporarily halted and corrections immediately applied.

The coordinator ensures compliance with the specifications and plays a central role as the point of contact between the customer and the suppliers. His or her technical expertise and communication skills are paramount, both for reporting and for challenging suppliers.

The coordinator must bear in mind the safety of people and property. Throughout the commissioning phase, he or she ensures that the facility is in good condition when the teams arrive, and checks that the site is safe when they leave by means of specific arrangements. All this calls for a thorough knowledge of the processes involved.

Finally, when the Etivaz facilities are commissioned, the coordinator ensures the safety of people and property.

Thanks to his or her specialist skills, the coordinator will be able to optimise the operation of the facilities and safeguard their long-term future.