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2014 PV Reliability, Operations & Maintenance Workshop: Arizona Public Service Solar O&M

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Sandia National Laboratories: Energy & Climate: Renewables
Sandia National Laboratories: Energy & Climate: Renewables

APS operates 238 solar sites totaling 188 MWAC in Arizona, including 9 utility-scale sites totaling 170 MWAC, 59 school and government sites at 12 MWAC, 41 legacy sites between 5-15 years old at 4 MWAC, and 129 residential sites at 1 MWAC. Solar O&M involves monitoring sites in real-time for performance and security issues as well as preventative and corrective maintenance, with the biggest impacts on energy production coming from switchgear failures and degraded inverters.

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Arizona Public Service Solar O&M Jim Hansen
2014 PV Reliability, Operations & Maintenance Workshop: Arizona Public Service Solar O&M
APS solar sites under O&M • AZ Sun – (9) utility scale sites, 170 MWAC – Allowed by utility commission • Schools & Government – (59), 12 MWAC – Allowed by utility commission • Legacy – (41), 4 MWAC – 5 to 15 years old • Residential – (129), 1 MWAC – Special DOE project
Solar O&M – AZ Sun Sites • Operations (O) – Monitoring site: real time data, alarms, check against estimated performance, security, 24/7 – “Smart” meter data for smaller sites • Maintenance (M) – PM=Preventive Maintenance • Weekly, semi-annual, annual – CM=Corrective Maintenance • Equipment down, soiling, erosion
Solar O&M Options • Utility owned sites – Contract w/original EPC on each site for O&M • Can be expensive over life of plant • Multiple contracts to manage – Contract w/one supplier on all O&M • Problems with communications, multiple parties • Terms of contract are critical – In-house O&M • Some problems w/warranty response of EPC • Could be most cost effective
Utility Scale Solar Sites • Biggest impacts on energy production – Switchgear, single point of failure • Long lead time replacements • MV fuses, early degradation – Inverters, most events/issues • Could be 1% to 11% impact for 1 inverter down
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2014 PV Reliability, Operations & Maintenance Workshop: Arizona Public Service Solar O&M

  • 1. Arizona Public Service Solar O&M Jim Hansen
  • 3. APS solar sites under O&M • AZ Sun – (9) utility scale sites, 170 MWAC – Allowed by utility commission • Schools & Government – (59), 12 MWAC – Allowed by utility commission • Legacy – (41), 4 MWAC – 5 to 15 years old • Residential – (129), 1 MWAC – Special DOE project
  • 4. Solar O&M – AZ Sun Sites • Operations (O) – Monitoring site: real time data, alarms, check against estimated performance, security, 24/7 – “Smart” meter data for smaller sites • Maintenance (M) – PM=Preventive Maintenance • Weekly, semi-annual, annual – CM=Corrective Maintenance • Equipment down, soiling, erosion
  • 5. Solar O&M Options • Utility owned sites – Contract w/original EPC on each site for O&M • Can be expensive over life of plant • Multiple contracts to manage – Contract w/one supplier on all O&M • Problems with communications, multiple parties • Terms of contract are critical – In-house O&M • Some problems w/warranty response of EPC • Could be most cost effective
  • 6. Utility Scale Solar Sites • Biggest impacts on energy production – Switchgear, single point of failure • Long lead time replacements • MV fuses, early degradation – Inverters, most events/issues • Could be 1% to 11% impact for 1 inverter down