Situation
For AES, their mission is simple; to improve lives by accelerating a safer and greener energy future. From solar, wind, and natural gas, the power they generate lights millions of homes and businesses. Guided by the motto, “We are the energy,” they recognize that their people make it all happen—from achieving operational excellence to meeting the world’s changing power needs.
The goal: fully qualified personnel in areas of EHS compliance, operability, and maintainability of new CCGT plants.
Challenge
AES had three large generating assets in California. With the introduction of new regional laws, power plants were required to significantly reduce the use of ocean water for cooling. To repower their technology, AES built two modern gas-fired combined cycle power plants at their Alamitos and Huntington Beach sites.
The process, technology, and automation used in new Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) plants were significantly different from the conventional gas-fired steam generators. This ignited a range of challenges for AES, the most pressing being that their existing workforce had over 25 years of experience with the older units. There was an urgent need to address the technology gap in the local workforce so they could efficiently operate state of the art, highly automated CCGT plants.
Another pressing challenge was that while the existing assets had a run profile of December 2020, part of the assets would retire at end of 2019, so time was an integral motivator.
AES needed a program with training content to solve knowledge and skills gaps and provide a qualification process, developing cross-qualified teams to to support the company’s business plans and organizational goals. The resulting training program needed to quickly upskill the workforce to capability and competence with the new technology, while giving operators and technicians enough exposure to grasp the complexity of the new units.
AES called on long-time learning and development partner GP Strategies to develop and deliver this critical training in collaboration with other training vendors.
Solution
Prior to designing the training, AES reviewed their business needs, then assessed and analyzed the existing knowledge and skills of their onsite teams. They recognized that while some of their employees had limited experience with induction turbine technology, most had no experience in combustion turbine technology.
AES worked with us for 12 months prior to the program launch. Together, we established:
- The current state of AES
- The required future state
- The implementation measures needed for their workforce to take operational control
We carried out a comprehensive gap and requirements analysis to understand the training modules required for operations and maintenance (O&M) teams to successfully run the new CCGT power plants. GP Strategies provided the eLearning platform for AES to upload and deliver all training material, provide power plant fundamentals, and develop qualification programs for the new technicians.
We worked with some existing training content, converting unengaging material such as static slide decks into more dynamic learning formats. Working with AES’s other training vendors, we developed 3D modelling, simulator based training, and a formal qualification program to create a center of operational excellence at AES.
GPiLEARN+
We delivered digital training through our GPiLEARN+ industrial eLearning platform. Within the GPiLEARN+ LMS, AES had access to the business intelligence and training content to administer their learning program—easily assigning mandatory systems training, job performance measures, and fundamentals courses to applicable personnel. Thanks to the platform’s global reach, flexibility, and scalability, the training was delivered in two phases to groups on separate sites, and the LMS allowed for custom learning paths for each group.
GPiLEARN+ worked in combination with instructor-led training (ILT) and on-the-job training (OJT) to deliver a blended learning program that helped AES meet their completion and performance objectives.
3D Modelling and Simulations
Many of AES’ technicians work directly in the field and could not physically attend one-to-one training sessions, so three-dimensional (3D) training was developed for improved accessibility and to create a virtual world for learners to explore and practice with new equipment and techniques. This included 3D model-based training, site-specific 3D videos, and a high-fidelity simulator to prepare plant operators for start-ups and for operating the plant under a range of varying conditions.
3D modeling enhanced the training by replacing static 2D training material with more dynamic, spatial explorations of relevant components. The modeling covered complex topics including: gas turbines, steam turbines, heat recovery steam generators, water treatment, air-cooled condensers, and multiple control systems. When delivered through the learner-centric GPiLEARN+ LMS, this approach required one-fifth the training time, reducing training costs vs. previous programs and enabling AES teams to more quickly and efficiently earn their qualifications.
We also worked with training vendors to develop high- and medium-fidelity simulators that presented virtual plant scenarios where operators could learn normal, abnormal, and emergency response mechanisms in the operating plants. This allowed operators to develop the capabilities to understand and explore the response mechanisms to use during malfunctions, bypass, and deviations that can occur during power plant operation. The simulator training increased operator confidence by helping them to practice those skills and embed the knowledge in a safe environment, preventing human errors that can result in plant trips during real-world operation.
Blended Learning
AES and GP Strategies leveraged our combined project knowledge to:
- Present classroom and online training as well as practical labs
- Augment original equipment manufacturer (OEM) manuals and documentation
- Create detailed 3D maintenance procedures for assembly, disassembly, and calibration
- Create operating procedures and task processes
- Enhance system descriptions with immersive imagery
This blended learning journey delivered a highly accessible and engaging experience, providing deeper understanding and quicker learning than through conventional books and PowerPoints.
The GPiLEARN+ LMS allowed AES to track learners’ progress and completion rates. Regular proficiency exams were conducted to identify any potential shortfalls in the training curriculum. After the knowledge-based assessments, AES could determine the level of proficiencies with each learner. For those who had knowledge gaps in specific areas after the initial training, managers could quickly assign refresher courses.
Training leaders and supervisors also carried out site walk-downs to evaluate the technicians’ skills and knowledge in real time.
Results
The training program was completed by April 2019. AES realized benefits for both the learners and the organization.
For the operators and technicians:
- Learners were fully qualified prior to first fire, exceeding their operational goals.
- They understood that AES values their experience and contributions, and are committed to giving them the tools to perform their roles safely and reliably.
- Trained workers have a broader, more current skillset, contributing to higher engagement and satisfaction.
- Digital content elements allowed learners to train at the times most convenient to them, keeping them productive.
For the company:
- Teams can now carry out procedures with improved accuracy and less iteration/contractor time. This in turn has led to a $50,000 saving in contractor cost.
- The use of the simulator refined start-up times, which saved a total of $20,000 in fuel cost.
- The training program allowed AES to not only prepare their operators and technicians, but still operate their classic units as dispatched, and provide reliable energy to their customers.
- The use of the simulator in advance of facility launch validated plant design and systems, identifying a total of 110 potential issues—including seven items that would have tripped the plant on start-up. These can be tied directly to the early completion.
- As a result of the training program, AES have lowered their equivalent forced outage rate (EFOR) by 1% for a projected $8 million savings over 20 years.
Learning design
Based on this collaborative program, AES have recognized that this type of blended, technology-forward approach not only works well but is cost-effective. As a result, the company has explored the use virtual reality (VR) training development for future projects and programs.
