River Road Generating Plant
Owned by Clark Public Utilities
Operated by GE Vernova248 MW, gas-fired 1 × 1 7FA.02-powered combined cycle equipped with a Foster Wheeler HRSG, and a GE A12 steam turbine, located in Vancouver, Wash
Plant manager: Robert Mash
Challenge. River Road relies on a twin, double-pass reverse-osmosis system to provide ultrapure water for HRSG makeup, gas-turbine water wash, and the hydrogen generator. Over time, the operators most familiar with operating and maintaining the RO units have moved on. Only one outside operator remained who had been trained and certified in RO O&M.
Solution. The operations manager recognized the value the one certified operator brought to the table and decided to expand the knowledge base of the whole team. All operators attended a Reverse Osmosis Specialist Certification Course.
Results. The site now has a full team of certified operators who provide system knowledge and take ownership of it. The additional training has increased reliability and efficiency: The operations team is now able to quickly identify potential issues before they have a negative impact on plant operations.
Project participants:
Jake Sanderson, Micah Wild, Mark Todd, Allen Barnes, and Jesse Robinson are now certified in RO O&M.
River Road’s 2023 Best Practices