Bermuda Electric and the Power of System Platform

This is the fourth post of a series on the success of Bermuda Electric (BELCO). Today, I'll focus on how BELCO took advantage of the power of System Platform to integrate and unify their various operations management systems, upgrade legacy systems, achieved consistency and created a standard that enables them to easily add whole plants (or new sections of plants) as they come on-line.

What makes using System Platform special?

Choosing System Platform was a no-brainer. BELCO realized quickly that System Platform would be the foundation of the power plant's control system. System Platform would help modernize and enhance the capability of the aging power plants, and more importantly, it will integrate these existing plants with the new ones that are being brought into service.

What makes using System Platform special? It provided BELCO with a common, efficient and centralized infrastructure that helped them develop, maintain, control and manage applications with exceptional scalability, openness and ease. Denton Williams, Vice President of Energy Supplies summarized the advantages of using System Platform at BELCO.

1. Using System Platform, the consistency of interfaces, tools and data has improved analysis and has significantly decreased troubleshooting and post event analysis.
2. The standardization that was achieved using System Platform decrease training time for operational staff and has improved communications between local operators and remote staff.
3. With System Platform, BELCO was able to integrate plant inspection data electronically, a major activity that was previously logged manually on paper. This has enabled BELCO to use integrate inspection data with real-time data.
4. The common systems and synchronized data collection brought about by the System Platform solution allow BELCO to be more proactive in their approach to events or performance issues on a system wide basis.
5. System Platform allows BELCO to proactively and in some cases automatically take preemptive action on plant and/or T&D systems to maintain efficient supply.
6. It has also greatly reduced reporting time and has increased confidence in the accuracy of production related report data allowing for shorter time frames for operational decisions.

 

Consistent accross any type of equipment

"That’s been the great advantage of the Wonderware and Invensys products that we utilize.  They’re consistent across any type of equipment that we have… whether it be generators old or generators new or any other ancillary equipment.  The operator interfaces are the same.  We can train people very easily from many locations.  And we’re able to do a lot with our in house resources and that’s really what we like to do is let people grow technically, take advantage or their knowledge and let them continue to work and develop the systems, which primarily has been happening the last 2 years."

John Blizman, Vice President Plant Management

System Platform really made a big difference when BELCO started using it with the rest of the other Wonderware products. It enabled BELCO to create a fully integrated security system. It has allowed them to enforce standardization with their old and new facilities while at the same time, given them the architectural freedom to create a complete power generation and distribution solution. One that works now and in the future.

More information

In my next post, I will be talking about how BELCO achieved the prestigious ISO 14001:2004 certification for environmental management, using the data collection and reporting capabilities of the Wonderware Historian and Wonderware IntelaTrac.

In the meantime, visit the following interesting links:

1. The new InTouch page where you'll learn about how to get more out of your HMI through a Wonderware Historian
2. The Wonderware Historian videos where you'll find out how it provides greater insight into your processes
3. The System Platform product page that explains how it'll help you do it better, faster, safer and cheaper
4. First Post on Bermuda Electric focusing on reliability and ease of use of the Wonderware software
5. Second Post about Bermuda Electric and the importance of planning
6. Third Post on Wonderware connectivity

Take care,
Jay