How to Avoid Common Pre-Commissioning Errors: Insights for Engineers and Technicians

Pre-commissioning tasks in substations requires careful planning and attention to detail to ensure safety, compliance and system reliability. Drawing on best practices recommended by industry experts, here is a guide to help testing and commissioning personnel minimize errors in substation commissioning.

1. Thorough Pre-Job Planning

Effective pre-commissioning begins with a well-structured plan. By taking the time to prioritize pre-job checklists and verify drawings, it ensures a smoother pre-commissioning execution and reduces errors during fieldwork. Key considerations include:  

• Review Drawings and Scope: Familiarize yourself with the latest engineering drawings, technical manuals and as-built documents. This ensures that every action aligns with the intended design and that potential mismatches in equipment or wire connections are identified before fieldwork begins.  
• Develop Pre-Job Checklists: A checklist is crucial for ensuring that no step is overlooked. This should include verification of tools, equipment and protective gear. Checklists streamline workflows and guarantee that tasks follow the correct order, particularly in complex substations with numerous interdependent components. 
• Verify Equipment and Instruments: Make sure equipment being brought into the field, such as multimeters, insulation resistance testers and protective relay test sets, are properly calibrated and verified to operate as intended so testing results are accurate. 
• Verify Outages and Clearances: Confirm that the necessary outages have been coordinated with the operations team. This step is critical for both safety and efficiency, as it prevents inadvertent energization and allows clearances to be securely managed. Additionally, ensure the scope of the clearances encompass all required equipment to perform the secondary commissioning.
• Expect the Unexpected: Develop contingency plans for unexpected failures by anticipating risks involved and have a plan in place for critical systems. Contingency plans should be emphasized to everyone involved. 

Notably, real-world challenges do arise like missing or outdated documentation, non-functional tools or last-minute scope adjustments. These pitfalls can be mitigated by staying agile and adaptable by allocating more time and resources than originally anticipated. 

2. Allocate Adequate Time and Resources

Hastening a commissioning task often leads to oversights that can compromise both safety and the equipment itself. To prevent this, your project schedule must include enough time for each task by:

• Allowing Time for Inspections and Troubleshooting: Inspections for issues such as loose connections, incorrect wiring or potential grounding faults can require extra time, especially if issues arise unexpectedly.
• Ensuring Safety Resources are Readily Available: Equipment such as ground gear, voltage detectors and lockout-tagout (LOTO) systems should be readily accessible. This minimizes the risk of injuries and ensures compliance with safety protocols.

3. Prioritize Safety Measures and Site Protocols

Safety is paramount in a high-voltage environment. Implementing effective safety measures not only protect personnel but also prevent damage to sensitive equipment. Key safety practices include:

• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Ensure you have the appropriate PPE for the job, including arc-rated clothing, insulated gloves, hard hats and face shields. These measures are essential when working with high voltage equipment.
• Using Grounding Procedures: Verify that grounding and bonding are in place prevents accidental energization, which can be lethal at high voltage levels.

4. Emphasize Communication

Clear, timely communication with team members and stakeholders can significantly reduce the likelihood of errors. Pay special attention to:

• Pre-Job Briefings: Conduct briefings with everyone involved in the project. Discuss each task’s specifics, potential hazards and contingency plans. These briefings will help each team member understand their responsibilities and how their role fits into the overall project.
• Real-Time Updates: Maintain an open line of communication throughout the job. This allows team members to report any issues immediately, avoiding delays or complications later in the project.
• Three-Part Communication: To effectively share important information, using three-part communication is essential to deliver a clear understanding, safer environment and protected equipment. This communication style is commonly used between two people, a sender and a receiver. The sender verbally states their message. The receiver acknowledges the communication by repeating the message to the sender for confirmation. The sender then confirms or corrects the message to ensure that all important information is relayed accurately.
• Clear Documentation and Reporting: Recording each action and observation during the commissioning process is vital. Detailed documentation not only supports compliance but also provides a reference if problems arise after commissioning.

5. Conduct Peer Checks and Job Walkdowns

Before declaring the system operational, perform thorough peer checks and job walkdowns to ensure each component functions as expected. Key areas of focus include:

• Peer Review: Having another qualified engineer or technician verify your work can catch issues that may have been overlooked. Peer reviews are particularly valuable for confirming that every connection, control setting and safety measure has been correctly applied.
• Verify Coordination of Systems: Final testing should be done on the integrated systems of a substation such as a SCADA, communications and other protective systems for verification that it fulfills design requirements and desired outcomes.
• Final Walkdown: The last step should involve a full walkdown of the installation. This verifies that every part of the system is installed according to the plans and that all tools, temporary grounds and barriers are removed from the substation. A final check confirms that no hazards remain and that the system is ready for safe and reliable operation.

Next Steps: TRC Can Help

With dedicated practitioners and decades of experience in testing and commissioning, TRC creates new pathways to resolve the complexities of modern substations. From verifying compliance with regulatory standards to ensuring that systems are fully operational before energization, we deliver comprehensive solutions tailored to each project. Our team offers a suite of integrated services including factory acceptance testing, system integration, protection and control testing and final commissioning. By leveraging advanced diagnostic tools and a rigorous quality assurance process, we help your substation operate reliably and efficiently from day one. Contact us to learn more.