What are the best practices for managing electrical projects in large facilities?

One thing should be added, focus on priorities in the project that which work to be done first or last that is very important by studying the related drawings(Civil,electrical and Mechanical).

In large facilities from my experience, picking durable electrical installations and accessories are very important. However, I believe what is more important is availability of these installations and their components locally in case repairs, maintenance and outright replacement needs to be carried out. Trust me, a large facility can become a shadow of itself if repair or replacement parts are not available locally and have to be ordered with an outrageous shipping cost.

Project Planning: a. Define clear project objectives, scope, and deliverables. b. Develop a detailed project plan with milestones, timelines, and budget estimates. c. Consider the facility's specific needs and constraints. Regulatory Compliance: a. Ensure that all electrical work adheres to local, state, and national electrical codes and regulations. b. Obtain the necessary permits and approvals. c. Keep up-to-date with any changes in regulations that may affect the project. Risk Assessment: a. Conduct a thorough risk assessment to identify potential hazards and develop mitigation strategies. b. Develop a safety plan that includes measures to protect workers, the facility, and the environment.

Before you start any electrical project, you need to define the scope and objectives clearly. This will help you to align your expectations with your clients, contractors, and suppliers. You should also identify the risks, constraints, and assumptions that may affect your project. A well-defined scope and objectives will guide your decision-making and communication throughout the project.

The scope, objective and impacts should be very clear first before starting the project. All things related to execution should be well alligned proactively like vendors, make, specifications, drawings, timeline and flow diagram of jobs. There should be proper communication for everything. Proper responsibility chart should be in place for all. All risks & challenges for all stages should be identified and alternate plan for overcoming them should also be ready. Clear, quick & precise descision making should be in place. Communication should be very clear between all concerned persons and must be documented wherever required. Quality should not be compromised at any stage neither in job execution nor in material/specs.

In my experience, completing a 3D laser scan of the existing conditions is the best way to get off on the right foot. Old drawings "can" be good, but there is always the chance of error. We are wrapping up the replacement of large substations in an existing manufacturing facility which couldn't have happened without an accurate laser scan to start.

Desarrollar el plan de gestión del proyecto electrico, recopilando información de varias fuentes de diverso grado de completitud y confianza. Estos procesos también identifican, definen y maduran el alcance del proyecto, el coste y planifican las actividades que se realizan dentro del proyecto, a medida que se obtenga nueva información sobre el proyecto, se identificarán o resolverán nuevas dependencias, requisitos, riesgos, oportunidades, asunciones y restricciones, de esta manera pueden ser necesarias acciones de seguimiento que generen cambios durante el ciclo de vida del proyecto. Estas actualizaciones del plan de gestión del proyecto proporcionan más precisión respecto al cronograma los costes y los requisitos de los recursos.

Another thing that must be part of the detailed design is the Risk management part. The risks associated with the electrical systems must be documented and proper mitigation measures must be kept in place. e.g one of the major risk during any future maintenance work on Main distribution panel is that the main power supply is uninterrupted and must be cut off during the work. Some times electrical shut down of source is not possible so there should be a separate MCCB installed to cut off main power supply to Distribution panel without electrical shut down of the source. Another good mitigation measures are installation of Surge protection devices and over-under voltage relay switches.

You can achieve the same results with a tape measure and common sense. Constructability is important. With large transformers and switchgear, there has to be a clear path to get the equipment in place. Leave room for work space clearance. Consider all of the components. If you leave the transition between a transformer and switchgear off the layout, the equipment will be longer than anticipated. (Ask me how I know.) When something goes wrong, don't panic (At least, not in front of the craftsmen) there is always a way to correct it. Engineers never make mistakes, they make revisions.

Understanding where you are in the project, will help you to determine how detailed you want to get in your design. If you’re in the early conceptual design phase, it may be best to do a +\- 50% - 100% for the initial economic evaluation. If the economics meet your requirements, then you can dive further into the design and creat a more accurate estimate.

La gestion de calidad se compone de aquellos procesos realizados para observar la ejecución del proyecto de forma que se puedan identificar los posibles problemas oportunamente y adoptar las acciones correctivas. Incluye el seguimiento de las actividades en curso del proyecto, comparándolas con el plan de gestión del proyecto y la línea base de rendimiento del proyecto. Este seguimiento continuo proporciona al equipo del proyecto una idea acerca de la salud del proyecto y resalta cualquier área que necesite atención adicional. En los proyectos de múltiples fases proporciona retroalimentación entre las fases del proyecto, a fin de implementar acciones correctivas o preventivas para hacer que el proyecto cumpla con su plan de gestión

In large facilities, electrical projects often involve coordination with other disciplines, such as mechanical, civil, and architectural. You need to communicate and collaborate with these disciplines to ensure the compatibility and integration of your system. You should also respect and follow the hierarchy and authority of your project team. Coordination with other disciplines will help you to avoid conflicts, delays, and rework.

Implement a quality management system A quality management system (QMS) is a set of policies, procedures, and tools that help you to ensure the quality of your electrical project. A QMS will help you to define the quality criteria, standards, and expectations for your project. It will also help you to monitor, control, and improve the quality of your work. A QMS will help you to deliver a project that meets or exceeds the requirements of your clients and stakeholders.

Esto a traves del avance es que siempre se debe de llevar a cabo, ya que son cosas primordiales en cuestion de cumplimiento con las normas vigentes y las mejores practicas de las instalaciones eléctricas

In my experience, effective coordination with other disciplines is very important for timely and successful execution of electrical projects in large facilities. 1. One time, execution of a project was being delayed due to pending construction of a new substation. A recovery plan was prepared by working hand in hand with Civil team for parallel execution of Civil works and electrical switchgear installation. 2. During another project involving upgrade of a generator excitation system, close coordination with instrument & control team was required due to interfacing with turbine control system and DCS. A detailed signal interfacing list developed beforehand by joint effort saved the day during testing and commissioning.

It is important to be proactive in coordinating with other disciplines. You cannot wait for them to bring the information to you. This may mean that you have to educate yourself a little about their work so that you know enough to ask the right questions that will help them give you the information you need. This requires that you look beyond your own discipline to understand their needs and goals. Communication and commitment to the process enables coordination to occur.

coordination and in depth pre-planning is critical as more often than not, outage windows are not very gracious for such projects.

Todos los individuos y organizaciones que están relacionados con o están impactados por el proyecto, constituyen el grupo de actores o “stakeholders”. La dirección del proyecto debe identificar tempranamente a los “stakeholders”, sus necesidades y expectativas para poder influir sobre ellos y asegurar el éxito del proyecto. Los clientes que usarán el producto o servicio del proyecto se encuentran entre los principales actores con los que la gerencia debe intercambiar información sobre cambios de alcanse y desempe?o. Uno de los actores de gran relevancia en los proyectos es el “sponsor” o patrocinador, quien es la persona que apoya al gerente del proyecto en relaciones con los niveles superiores del cliente de la organización propia.

Communication is key to a successful project and is one of the best ways to avoid rework. Taking a collaborative approach will help your project be successful.

Los objetivos de esta área son aumentar la probabilidad y el impacto de los eventos positivos, así como disminuir la probabilidad y el efecto de los eventos adversos al proyecto. Se compone de los procesos de: a) Planificación de la Gestión de Riesgos b) Identificación de Riesgos c) Análisis Cualitativo de Riesgos d) Análisis Cuantitativo de Riesgos e) Planificación de la Respuesta a los Riesgos f) Seguimiento y Control de Riesgos g) Impacto ambiental del proyecto

Esto es de suma importancia en un proyecto de grandes escalas y que trasciende ya que al paso del tiempo más vale una muy buena inversion que a lo largo de la vida util del proyecto trae más beneficios que las adquisiciones más económicas del mercado, también el proceso a seguir de las mejores prácticas de ejecución del proyecto, manteniendo siempre los estándares establecidos de seguridad e higiene, como principal metodología para los diferentes trabajos a realizar

Proceso de cierre del proyecto eléctrico, este incluye los procesos utilizados para finalizar formalmente todas las actividades de un proyecto o de una fase de un proyecto, entregar el producto, servicio o resultado o cerrar un proyecto cancelado. Verifica que los procesos definidos se completan dentro de todos los Grupos de Procesos para cerrar el proyecto o una fase del proyecto, según corresponda, y establece formalmente que se ha finalizado un proyecto o fase del proyecto.

Compliance with code of practices of the Industry. Compliance with the rules and regulations of the Authorities having jurisdiction. Compliance with the end user's specific requirements.

There are various responses to this question, but from my perspective, the most crucial aspect is to divide the work (WBS) among multiple contractors and closely coordinate with them for system integration. This approach offers several advantages: 1. Concurrent work can proceed in multiple areas simultaneously. 2. In the event of a contractor's default, other areas will remain unaffected. 3. Competition among contractors to complete the work within the schedule, without compromising quality, to maintain their reputation. 4. Enhanced flexibility in resource allocation and scheduling. 5. Mitigation of project risks through diversified expertise and resources.

At large facilities you need to manage the different stages and supplies of your electrical project. Planning, designing, scheduling, study of as built drawings, execution, project tracking and sharing it will ops and others, coordination with all stakeholders, special attention on HSE, following specs and country codes and closure of the project with new as built drawings and handing taking are the key steps for any electrical project.

Una exelente opertunidad para conocer otras opiniones y experiencias de personas que de una u otra forma nos une el echo de aportar un grano de arena a la conclusión de un gran proyecto eléctrico.

Ensure a detailed approved design documentation is used, also make sure a robust check is done during construction following QMS procedure and IEC recommended standards. All put together can also help....the procedures are inexhaustible