Best Practices – Arrow Canyon
Multi-facility horizontal management planning
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Arrow Canyon ComplexNV Energy Inc Chuck Lenzie Generating Station 1100-MW gas-fired, two 2 × 1 combined cycles located near Las Vegas, Nev Silverhawk Generating Station 520-MW gas-fired, 2 × 1 combined cycle located near Las Vegas, Nev. Co-owned with the Southern Nevada Water Authority Harry Allen Generating Station 630-MW gas-fired, 2 × 1 combined cycle and two simple-cycle peaking units located near Las Vegas, Nev Regional plant director: Steve Page |
Challenge. Operating three separate plants as an integral team is difficult, even when the plants are only a few miles away from each other. Lean staff and other resources at the plants can be leveraged to optimize efficiency, when we truly operate as one team. Standardization can eliminate duplication of efforts and ensure consistent quality. Additionally, managers with different strengths can combine to form an elite team, bearing numerous qualities which can be utilized.
Solution. We developed a plan to organize the Arrow Canyon management team into areas of responsibility and ownership of initiatives on a “horizontal” (by subject) basis, rather than a “vertical” (by location) basis. Improvement initiatives are assigned and managed the same way. Execution of the plan is delineated by calendar quarter, and updated as such.
Results.
• Alignment: We achieved management alignment about how we would operate, and what areas to focus improvements on, for the selected year. This plan was used to align sub-teams and individual supervisor priorities and improvement initiatives.
• Efficiency: Eliminating duplicative efforts, plus standardization, lead to more effective execution of processes and more predictable results.
• Leveraging diverse talents: Organizing, thinking and operating as a larger entity of three plants versus one gives us a larger talent pool, and a wider spectrum of strengths to draw upon. Higher-quality solutions come with broader perspectives
• Job Satisfaction: Each individual has a broader opportunity to do what they do best, and for that to help 3 plants, rather than just 1.
• Teamwork: True teamwork can only happen when the participants are synchronized. Using the plan as a basis allowed us to synchronize what were formerly three distinct operating entities.
Project participants:
David Hall, manager of engineering and technical services
Forrest Hawman, production manager
Deborah Henninger, generation consultant
Ron McCallum, production manager
Shane Pritchard, production manager
Brian Paetzold, assistant regional director
