POWER GENERATION & UTILITIES
Power Generation & Utilities
Industry Overview
The sector includes conventional power generation facilities, captive and industrial power plants, hydroelectric generation, gas turbine and combined-cycle facilities, steam generation systems, electrical substations and switchyards, as well as supporting utility systems required for reliable plant operation.
Utility infrastructure includes systems for steam, cooling water, raw / process water, compressed air, nitrogen, fuel handling, emergency power, fire water and electrical distribution.
Power Generation Process Architecture
Thermal / Steam Power
Associated systems include:
Gas Turbine Power Generation
Power Generation Process Architecture
The combined-cycle configuration integrates gas-turbine and steam-cycle generation:
This arrangement uses the gas-turbine exhaust energy to generate additional steam and electrical power.
Power Generation Process Architecture
Hydroelectric Power Generation
Major Industrial Applications
The major industrial applications of the sector range from thermal / steam, gas turbine and combined-cycle, and hydroelectric generation, through captive and industrial power generation and electrical transmission and substation infrastructure, to steam and utility generation, emergency and backup power, and plant expansion, revamp and maintenance.
1. Thermal / Steam Power Generation
- Coal-fired power plants
- Oil / liquid-fuel-fired power plants
- Steam turbine generating stations
- Industrial steam power plants
- Captive thermal power plants
- Boiler-based power generation
- Combined heat and power applications
2. Gas Turbine & Combined-Cycle Power Generation
- Open-cycle gas turbine plants
- Combined-cycle power plants
- Gas turbine generator systems
- HRSG-based power generation
- Waste-heat recovery systems
- Combined heat and power applications
3. Hydroelectric Power Generation
- Hydroelectric power plants
- Dam / reservoir-based generation
- Run-of-river generation facilities
- Hydro turbine-generator systems
- Pumped-storage related equipment, where applicable
4. Captive & Industrial Power Generation
- Captive power plants
- Industrial generating stations
- Process-industry power generation
- Cogeneration / CHP facilities
- Standby and emergency generation
- Distributed industrial generation
5. Electrical Transmission & Substation Infrastructure
- Generator switchyards
- Grid substations
- Step-up substations
- Step-down substations
- GIS / AIS substations
- Transformer yards
- Electrical transmission interfaces
- Industrial electrical distribution systems
6. Steam & Process Utility Generation
- Industrial boiler plants
- Steam generation
- Steam distribution
- Process steam systems
- Waste heat recovery
- Condensate recovery
- Boiler feedwater systems
7. Cooling, Water & Plant Utilities
- Cooling-water systems
- Cooling towers
- Raw-water treatment
- Demineralization
- RO systems
- Process-water systems
- Compressed-air systems
- Instrument-air systems
- Nitrogen systems
8. Emergency, Backup & Auxiliary Power
- DG generator systems
- Emergency power systems
- UPS systems
- Battery systems
- DC systems
- Emergency electrical distribution
- Black-start / auxiliary power systems, where applicable
9. Power Plant Expansion, Revamp & Maintenance
- Capacity expansion
- Turbine replacement / upgrade
- Boiler modification
- Generator replacement
- Transformer replacement
- Switchyard modification
- Cooling-system modification
- Plant shutdown / overhaul
- Major maintenance and refurbishment
Major Units, Facilities, Systems & Packages
The following sections set out the major units, facilities, systems and packages of the Power Generation & Utilities sector, grouped by plant type and supporting system. Each section lists its groups and the items under them.
| Ref. | Section | Groups |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thermal / Steam Power Plant | Fuel Receiving & HandlingBoiler / Steam GenerationSteam Turbine SystemCondensation & Feedwater SystemFlue Gas / Emission Systems |
| 2 | Gas Turbine & Combined-Cycle Plants | Gas Turbine IslandHRSG SystemSteam CycleCombined-Cycle Auxiliary Systems |
| 3 | Hydroelectric Power Plants | Water Intake & ConveyanceHydro Turbine SystemGenerator SystemWater Discharge |
| 4 | Electrical Generation & Switchyard Facilities | Generator Electrical SystemTransformer SystemsSwitchyard / Substation |
| 5 | Steam & Utility Systems | Steam SystemsBoiler FeedwaterCompressed AirNitrogen |
| 6 | Cooling & Water Systems | Cooling WaterWater TreatmentWastewater / Effluent |
| 7 | Emergency & Auxiliary Power Systems | Systems listed directly under this section |
| 8 | Fire & Safety Utility Systems | Systems listed directly under this section |
| 9 | Plant Expansion, Revamp & Shutdown | Capacity ExpansionEquipment Replacement / UpgradeShutdown / Overhaul |
1. Thermal / Steam Power Plant
A thermal / steam power plant generates electricity by burning fuel to raise high-pressure steam that drives a steam turbine-generator. The groups below cover fuel receiving and handling, boiler and steam generation, the steam turbine, the condensation and feedwater circuit, and flue gas and emission systems.
Fuel Receiving & Handling
- Fuel receiving facilities
- Coal handling systems, where applicable
- Fuel storage
- Fuel conveyors
- Crushers / pulverizers, where applicable
- Fuel feeding systems
- Fuel oil receiving and storage
- Fuel gas supply systems
- Fuel forwarding systems
Boiler / Steam Generation
- Boilers
- Steam generators
- Economizers
- Superheaters
- Reheaters
- Air preheaters
- Boiler feedwater systems
- Boiler circulation systems
- Boiler blowdown systems
- Combustion systems
- Burner systems
Steam Turbine System
- High-pressure turbine
- Intermediate-pressure turbine
- Low-pressure turbine
- Turbine auxiliaries
- Turbine lubrication system
- Gland sealing system
- Turning gear
- Governing system
- Steam admission system
Condensation & Feedwater System
- Condensers
- Condensate extraction systems
- Condensate pumps
- Deaerators
- Boiler feed pumps
- Feedwater heaters
- Feedwater piping
- Condensate recovery systems
Flue Gas / Emission Systems
- Flue gas ducts
- Chimneys / stacks
- ESP systems
- Bag filters, where applicable
- Flue gas desulphurization systems, where applicable
- Ash handling systems
- Emission monitoring systems
2. Gas Turbine & Combined-Cycle Plants
Gas turbine plants drive a generator directly from a gas turbine, while combined-cycle plants also recover the turbine exhaust heat in an HRSG to run a steam turbine. The groups below cover the gas turbine island, the HRSG, the steam cycle and the auxiliary systems that support them.
Gas Turbine Island
- Gas turbine
- Air intake system
- Air filtration system
- Compressor section
- Combustion system
- Turbine section
- Exhaust system
- Starting system
- Lubrication system
- Fuel gas system
HRSG System
- Heat Recovery Steam Generator
- Economizer
- Evaporator
- Superheater
- Reheater
- Steam drum
- HRSG feedwater system
- Blowdown system
Steam Cycle
- Steam turbine
- Condenser
- Condensate system
- Boiler feedwater system
- Feedwater heaters
- Cooling system
Combined-Cycle Auxiliary Systems
- Fuel gas conditioning
- Gas pressure regulation
- Gas filtration
- Gas metering
- Turbine ventilation
- Lube oil systems
- Seal systems
- Auxiliary cooling
- Control and protection systems
3. Hydroelectric Power Plants
Hydroelectric plants generate power from water flowing through a hydraulic turbine coupled to a generator. The groups below cover water intake and conveyance, the hydro turbine system, the generator system and water discharge.
Water Intake & Conveyance
- Intake structures
- Intake gates
- Trash racks
- Water passages
- Headworks
- Penstocks
- Surge tanks, where applicable
Hydro Turbine System
- Francis turbines
- Kaplan turbines
- Pelton turbines
- Turbine governors
- Hydraulic control systems
- Turbine auxiliary systems
Generator System
- Hydro generators
- Excitation systems
- Generator cooling
- Generator protection
- Generator auxiliaries
Water Discharge
- Draft tubes
- Tailrace systems
- Spillway-related interfaces
- Drainage and dewatering systems
4. Electrical Generation & Switchyard Facilities
These facilities convert and deliver the power that is generated. The groups below cover the generator electrical system, the transformer systems, and the switchyard / substation equipment that connects the plant to the grid or the industrial load.
Generator Electrical System
- Generators
- Generator circuit breakers
- Generator busducts
- Isolated phase bus ducts
- Generator protection systems
- Synchronizing systems
- Excitation systems
Transformer Systems
- Generator step-up transformers
- Auxiliary transformers
- Station transformers
- Distribution transformers
- Transformer cooling systems
- Transformer protection systems
Switchyard / Substation
- AIS switchyards
- GIS substations
- HV switchgear
- MV switchgear
- Circuit breakers
- Isolators / disconnectors
- CTs
- PTs / VTs
- Busbars
- Surge arresters
- Protection and control panels
5. Steam & Utility Systems
Steam and utility systems supply the plant with process and auxiliary services. The groups below cover steam systems, boiler feedwater, compressed air and nitrogen.
Steam Systems
- Main steam systems
- Auxiliary steam
- Process steam
- Steam distribution headers
- Pressure-reducing systems
- Condensate return
- Condensate recovery
Boiler Feedwater
- Feedwater tanks
- Deaerators
- Boiler feed pumps
- Feedwater heaters
- Chemical dosing
- Water treatment interfaces
Compressed Air
- Instrument air compressors
- Plant air compressors
- Air receivers
- Air dryers
- Air distribution systems
Nitrogen
- Nitrogen generation
- Nitrogen storage
- Nitrogen distribution
- Purging systems
6. Cooling & Water Systems
These systems reject heat and supply, treat and dispose of the water the plant needs. The groups below cover cooling water, water treatment, and wastewater / effluent handling.
Cooling Water
- Cooling towers
- Cooling-water pumps
- Cooling-water headers
- Heat exchangers
- Cooling-water treatment
- Closed-loop cooling systems
Water Treatment
- Raw-water treatment
- Clarification
- Filtration
- RO systems
- Demineralization
- DM water storage
- Process-water systems
Wastewater / Effluent
- Effluent treatment
- Wastewater treatment
- Oily-water treatment
- Chemical wastewater treatment
- Sludge handling
- Waste management
7. Emergency & Auxiliary Power Systems
These systems keep essential loads supplied when normal power is unavailable. They cover emergency and standby generation, UPS and battery systems, DC distribution, and essential electrical distribution.
Emergency & Auxiliary Power Systems
- Diesel generator sets
- Emergency generators
- Standby generators
- UPS systems
- Battery chargers
- Battery banks
- DC distribution systems
- Emergency switchboards
- Essential electrical distribution
- Black-start systems, where applicable
8. Fire & Safety Utility Systems
Fire and safety utility systems provide fire-water storage, pumping and distribution, together with hydrant, deluge and foam systems and emergency response support for the plant.
Fire & Safety Utility Systems
- Fire-water storage tanks
- Fire-water pump houses
- Main fire-water pumps
- Diesel fire pumps
- Jockey pumps
- Fire-water ring mains
- Hydrant systems
- Deluge systems
- Foam systems
- Fire detection interfaces
- Emergency response systems
9. Plant Expansion, Revamp & Shutdown
This section covers work on existing plants: adding capacity, replacing or upgrading equipment, and planned shutdown / overhaul activities for inspection and maintenance. The groups below set out the items under each.
Capacity Expansion
- Additional generating units
- Additional transformers
- Switchyard expansion
- Cooling-system expansion
- Boiler / HRSG expansion
- Utility-system expansion
Equipment Replacement / Upgrade
- Turbine replacement
- Boiler components
- Generator replacement
- Transformer replacement
- Switchgear replacement
- Pump replacement
- Cooling equipment replacement
Shutdown / Overhaul
- Turbine overhaul
- Boiler inspection
- Generator inspection
- Transformer maintenance
- Switchgear inspection
- Pressure testing
- Piping inspection
- Reinstatement and functional testing
Major Materials, Equipment & Electrical Items
For IQAS, the inspectable item universe can be considered across the applicable SS17, SS18 and SS19 classifications.
SS17
Basic Metals & Fabricated Metal Products
- Raw Materials
- Piping & Piping Components
- Structural & Fabricated Products
- Boilers & Pressure / Static Equipment
- Fabrication & Welding
SS18
- Turbines
- Pumps
- Compressors & Air Systems
- Valves
- Cooling Equipment
- Lifting & Material Handling
- Utility / Skid-Mounted Equipment
SS19
Electrical & Optical Equipment
- Power Generation
- Transformers
- Switchgear & Distribution
- Electrical Machines
- Cables & Bus Systems
- Protection & Substation Equipment
- Backup & Emergency Electrical Systems
- Earthing & Lightning Protection
SS17 – Basic Metals & Fabricated Metal Products
SS17 — Basic Metals & Fabricated Metal Products covers the following categories for this sector: Raw Materials, Piping & Piping Components, Structural & Fabricated Products, Boilers & Pressure / Static Equipment and Fabrication & Welding. The items under each category are listed below.
Raw Materials
- Plates & Sheets
- Pipes & Tubes
- Bars
- Forgings
- Castings
Piping Components
- Pipe Fittings
- Flanges
- Fasteners
- Gaskets
- Metallic piping components
Fabricated Steel Products
- Structural Steel
- Columns & Beams
- Bracings
- Pipe Racks
- Platforms
- Walkways & Gratings
- Equipment Supports
- Frames
- Fabricated Structures
Static & Pressure Equipment
- Boilers
- Steam Drums
- Pressure Vessels
- Deaerators
- Heat Exchangers
- Condensers
- Feedwater Heaters
- Air Receivers
- Storage Tanks
- Cooling-water tanks
- Fuel storage tanks
Welding & Fabrication
- Welded fabrication
- Boiler / pressure-part fabrication
- Structural fabrication
- Welding inspection
- WPS / PQR / WPQ documentation
- NDT
- Heat-treatment records
- Dimensional inspection
- Pressure-testing records
SS18 – Machinery & Equipment
SS18 — Machinery & Equipment covers the following categories for this sector: Turbines, Pumps, Compressors & Air Systems, Valves, Cooling Equipment, Lifting & Material Handling and Utility / Skid-Mounted Equipment. The items under each category are listed below.
Turbines
- Steam Turbines
- Gas Turbines
- Hydro Turbines
- Turbine auxiliaries
Pumps
- Boiler Feed Pumps
- Condensate Pumps
- Cooling-Water Pumps
- Raw-Water Pumps
- Fire-Water Pumps
- Fuel Pumps
- Process / Utility Pumps
Compressors & Air Systems
- Instrument Air Compressors
- Plant Air Compressors
- Process Compressors
- Blowers
- Fans
Valves
- Gate Valves
- Globe Valves
- Check Valves
- Ball Valves
- Butterfly Valves
- Control Valves
- Safety / Relief Valves
- Other applicable process valves
Cooling Equipment
- Cooling Towers
- Cooling Fans
- Cooling-Water Equipment
- Heat-Rejection Equipment
Lifting & Material Handling
- EOT Cranes
- Gantry Cranes
- Jib Cranes
- Hoists
- Lifting Equipment
- Applicable lifting accessories
Utility / Skid-Mounted Equipment
- Chemical Dosing Packages
- Water Treatment Packages
- Air Compressor Packages
- Nitrogen Packages
- Pump Packages
- Filtration Packages
- Fuel Gas Packages
- Other applicable skid-mounted equipment
SS19 – Electrical & Optical Equipment
This sector has a particularly significant electrical equipment universe because electrical generation and distribution are fundamental to the industry. SS19 — Electrical & Optical Equipment covers the following categories for this sector: Power Generation, Transformers, Switchgear & Distribution, Electrical Machines, Cables & Bus Systems, Protection & Substation Equipment, Backup & Emergency Electrical Systems and Earthing & Lightning Protection. The items under each category are listed below.
Power Generation
- Generators
- Turbo Generators
- Hydro Generators
- DG Sets
- Emergency Generators
- Excitation Systems, where applicable
Transformers
- Generator Step-Up Transformers
- Power Transformers
- Auxiliary Transformers
- Station Transformers
- Distribution Transformers
Switchgear & Distribution
- HV Switchgear
- MV Switchgear
- LV Switchgear
- Switchboards
- Distribution Boards
- MCCs
- Electrical Panels
- Control Panels
Electrical Machines
- Motors
- HV Motors
- LV Motors
- Electrical Drives
- Motor Control Equipment
Cables & Bus Systems
- HV Cables
- MV Cables
- LV Power Cables
- Control Cables
- Instrumentation-related electrical cabling, where applicable
- Busducts
- Isolated Phase Bus Ducts
Protection & Substation Equipment
- Circuit Breakers
- Protection Relays
- Current Transformers
- Potential / Voltage Transformers
- Surge Arresters
- Disconnectors / Isolators
- Protection and Control Panels
Backup & Emergency Electrical Systems
- UPS
- Battery Chargers
- Battery Banks
- DC Systems
- Emergency Switchboards
Earthing & Lightning Protection
- Earthing Equipment
- Earthing Conductors
- Lightning Protection Systems
- Associated protection components
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