Head of French energy regulator RTE, Xavier Piechaczyk, stressed in a recent government briefing to local authorities that power cuts are not inevitable, but explained that the aim was to reach between 40 and 41 gigawatt of available nuclear power by the beginning of January 2023 and end the month with around 43 – significantly less than the nation’s 61 gigawatts of total capacity.

Why doesn’t France have enough power?

In recent months, European nuclear power providers have been scrambling to bridge the deficit created when Moscow cut off gas supplies in retaliation for sanctions imposed by the European Union over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. During this same period, French power supplier EDF experienced an unprecedented number of reactor outages that reduced nuclear output to a 30-year low.

What will happen if electricity supply becomes too low?

Piechaczyk explained that if the country’s electricity monitoring application, Ecowatt, displays a red light in response to dwindling electricity reserves, there would be a need to load users partially off the power grid.

Partial load shedding is a term used to describe the prioritisation of power allocation. The government has issued binding instructions to regional government officials on how to prioritise power if the app displays a red right. In addition, these instructions urge local officials to meet with local authorities and businesses to make sure all emergency power generators are working.

This is an important message for all businesses that want to remain operational during planned power cuts – make sure you have access to a generator, and more importantly, make sure that generator is in full working order. Generators are an emergency energy source, so by their nature, they spend large amounts of time unused, increasing the risk of failure when you need that emergency power most. Testing generators now, before any planned power cuts will ensure that should your business be partially offloaded from the grid, your business will remain operational.

How should French local authorities and businesses check the performance of their generators?

Having a generator in place is the right first step to ensuring your business can remain fully operational during a planned power cut, but this does not guarantee power resilience.

Before the planned power cuts, businesses should conduct thorough testing to validate the reliability and performance of backup power under the types of loads found in real operational conditions. The only way to do this is to use a load bank to simulate the operational load that a generator would encounter. This process “tests” the generator – including fuel, exhaust and cooling systems, and alternator insulation resistance – to ensure that it is fit for purpose in the event that it is called upon.

Ideally, generators should in fact be tested at least annually using a resistive-reactive 0.8pf load bank, to ensure they can perform in real-world emergency conditions. If multiple gensets are run in parallel, they should be run in a synchronised state, ideally for 8 hours but for a minimum of 3. Where a resistive-only load bank is used (1.0pf), testing should be increased to 2-4 times per year at 3 hours per test minimum.

A robust testing regime ensures that generators are effectively tested and system issues can be uncovered in a safe, controlled manner without the cost of major failure or unplanned downtime.

Test now before planned power cuts commence

In reality, not many maintenance engineers uphold a regular testing schedule to ensure the performance of their generators. This puts the generator at risk of failure – with the fuel, exhaust and cooling system untested, along with the potential for embedded moisture, putting the system in the very high-risk category.

For businesses in France, now is the time to rectify this. By using a load bank now to test back up power systems, there is still time to make many essential repairs before the anticipated planned outages. Power resilience is an increasing concern, and the difficulties faced this winter are unlikely to be a one-off. Using a load bank to prepare for the planned outages this year will provide a sound foundation for the development of an ongoing maintenance regime into 2023 and beyond.

To find out more about how to incorporate backup power testing into your business continuity plan, speak to our team here: sales.uk@crestchic.com or use our contact form here: Contact Form

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Meeting the power needs of ‘super vessels’

In recent times we have witnessed a massive growth in the size of seagoing vessels for transportation of products, leisure and oil & gas exploration & production. As these vessels continue to grow in size, their power needs grow too, as does the complexity of on-board systems. Modern sea vessels often contain complex propulsion, production and environmental support systems which must operate reliably for long periods of time, often hundreds, if not thousands of miles offshore. Ensuring the availability of power for these systems is a critical function to guarantee vital services can run uninterrupted, making pre-launch reliable testing of power supplies of particular importance.

In the 1940s the world moved on from colonialism to globalisation. This movement was accompanied by rapidly growing trade and the need for effective means of transport which was the first driving-force in the development of sea vessels. Fast forward 70 years and we now have different driving-forces in the growth and development of these vessels. For example the reason behind the recent increase of the size of container ships is economy of scale. Fitting more products on container ships and making less journeys will inevitably save money. One of the world’s largest container ships, the MSC Zoe,is 1,297ft (396m) long and can carry over 19,000 20ft equivalent units “TEU” or shipping containers as most people know them. Simply put, it is a lot cheaper to transport cargo if you move large quantities at a time.

As ships continue to grow in size and complexity, the power systems will continue to develop and the need for testing will remain an absolute necessity.

Any offshore power generation unit is a complex system, or series of systems, working together to perform several functions at once, and at the system’s heart is the generator or gen-set. This could consist of several gas turbines and/or diesel generators. However, various discrete systems and components complete the total package, such as alternators, regulators, transformers and switchgear.   

These additional components typically come from various manufacturers, and are usually designed to interface with a number of makes, models, and sizes of generators. As with any other mechanical or electrical components, all are potentially subject to failure, and have varying maintenance needs, at the very least requiring regular testing and servicing.

Ship categories and their power needs

Ships can fall into a number of categories, all with different uses and power needs. Cruise ships, for example,require massive electrical installations in order to power the shopping malls, entertainment centres, bars and restaurants on-board. One of the largest cruise ships in the world, the Allure of the Seas by Royal Caribbean, is 1,187ft (362m) long. Setting a new world record for the most passengers able to be accommodated, the ship can hold 6,360 passengers, 2,200 crew members and features 25 restaurants and 24 passenger lifts.  

Military vessels, in comparison, also have high power needs in order to run complex propulsion, life support and weapon systems. Failure of these systems in operation may have a devastating impact so it is extremely important to perform rigorous testing. 

Other types of ships include car and passenger ferries, oil tankers, nuclear ships and fishing vessels, all with specific power requirements. These systems must be able to operate at full power even in the harshest conditions, with all components working together to do their individual jobs

The issues created by increased vessel size

Operating these huge vessels requires complex electrical systems which need to be correctly and thoroughly tested. However, the stresses introduced by this level of operation cannot be simulated by discrete tests of a system’s numerous individual components: automatic transfer switches, switchgear, load-sharing centres, voltage regulators, alternators, electrical cabling and connectors, ventilation, cooling systems and fuel systems.

While the generators may have been tested at the factory, the variables of their interaction with other parallel-connected power generation units, load profile, ambient temperature, humidity, fuel, exhaust and cooling systems can be significantly affected by the installation.

A system-wide test is therefore the only way to ensure the individual components of any power generation system will work together harmoniously, whether for continuous production demands, or in emergency power outage situations.

Main engines and generators on board these vessels require a constant and reliable electricity supply to keep them going. Pumps driven electrically take in cold water from the ocean to cool engines, and also convey fuel from fuel tanks to the engine. Electrical power is vital for many operational functions – without it, ships literally come to a halt.

Large equipment such as propulsion motors and bow thrusters, requires electricity of high voltage. As for smaller machinery (cabin lights, galley equipment), the electricity goes through transformer and is thus stepped down into lower voltage. Large cables snake through the whole ship to distribute electrical power. They carry power from generators to switchboards, through passageways, public rooms, and crew and passenger cabins.

The correct and comprehensive testing of these systems at the commissioning stage is vital to ensure trouble-free propulsion, production, efficient power generation and the safety of personnel.

R+R – the role of resistive and reactive testing

A resistive-reactive load test of an installation’s power system can accurately simulate the system’s response to a changing load pattern and power factor (pf) demands, such as would be encountered during real world running conditions or in the event of standby genset having to operate.

Resistive-reactive load banks are used to test the engine/turbine generator set at its rated pf. In most cases this is 0.8 pf. The reactive component of the load will have a current that “lags” the voltage. The resulting power is described in two terms, the kW, or real power, and the kVA or apparent power. The combination of resistive and reactive current in the load will allow for the full kVA rating of the generator windings to be tested. Even though the genset is producing more kVA, it is actually not producing more kW. The “real” power (kW) required from the engine/turbine is essentially the same.

The inductive loads developed during reactive testing illustrate how any given system will handle the voltage drop in its regulator, paramount when paralleling generators. The test will also verify that this regulator is working properly. If not, its magnetic field could collapse, rendering the generator useless and preventing other generators in the system from operating efficiently in parallel. Resistive-reactive testing can also reveal additional stresses (and help predict pending failures) of a system’s switchgear, alternators, and other systems that resistive-only testing cannot.

It is clear that a procedure involving reactive as well as resistive testing is far more comprehensive and thorough than a resistive-only test, more accurately replicating the conditions likely to be faced in a real conditions, and so more readily identifying any potential source of a problem. Carefully managed reactive-resistive testing is therefore the only way to guarantee the operation of full-time or emergency power systems. 

Commissioning aside, which is invariably performed onshore, loadbanks have other uses on large vessels. Permanently installed loadbanks allow for comprehensive testing to be integrated into the maintenance procedures of emergency systems in particular. Oversized generators can be cleared of any carbon build-up with regular sessions of full load application, ensuring reliable performance when called upon for particular production cycles or an emergency.

What does the future hold ?

The need for testing these systems is supported by the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), a classification society, with a mission to promote the security of life, property and the natural environment, primarily through the development and verification of standards for the design, construction and operational maintenance of marine-related facilities.

All major ship classification companies will have a close eye on competent testing more so then ever before with the recent growth in the industry. Through all levels of the shipbuilding journey from the ship owner, the ship builder and the ship insurer all parties must insure power on the ship has been tested adequately to avoid a disaster.

ENDS

Founded in 1983, Crestchic is one of the world’s leading specialist manufacturers of loadbanks which are used in the testing of power supplies in the most demanding climactic and environmental conditions across seven continents. Operating from locations in the UK, North America, China, Singapore, Netherlands, France, Germany and UAE, the company is at the forefront of innovation and design, with thriving sales and rental operations and a loyal and growing customer base worldwide. For further information call +44 (0)1283 531645.

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Crestchic Loadbanks, specialist loadbank manufacturer and loadbank rental company, has provisioned a one-week hire of 2x 2055kW 11kV packages to enable a client in Ashbourne, Derbyshire, to carry out acoustic testing on their power generation sets.

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