A plant can reach its Commercial Operation Date (COD) and still begin operations without being truly ready.
In large energy projects, commissioning is often considered the final major milestone of the project.
- Synchronization is completed.
- Performance tests are successfully completed.
- Project teams are demobilized.
- The Operations and Maintenance (O&M) team officially takes over the plant.
From the outside, the project appears to have been successfully completed.
However, in many facilities, some of the most important operational problems begin precisely when the EPC phase ends.
One of the operational lessons included in EOM’s book, Avoiding Bad Practices in Energy O&M, shows how a poor EPC to O&M transition can lead to operational instability, hidden technical risks, and reliability issues during the first months of operation.
When Operational Readiness Is Assumed Rather Than Verified
In this case, the plant successfully enters commercial operation and formal commissioning activities are considered complete.
However, shortly after the O&M team takes over the plant, several problems begin to emerge.
Some are technical.
Others are procedural.
Most are related to the quality of the transition rather than to the design of the equipment itself.
Operations personnel encounter discrepancies between documentation and actual field conditions, unresolved commissioning issues, limited practical knowledge of the systems, and gaps in the operational records required for maintenance and troubleshooting.
Individually, none of these issues may appear particularly serious.
Together, however, they create operational uncertainty during one of the most sensitive stages of a plant’s lifecycle: the first months of operation and maintenance.
Why Is a Proper EPC to O&M Transition Important?
In many industrial and power plant projects, the handover from the EPC contractor to the O&M team is still treated primarily as an administrative process.
However, a structured EPC to O&M transition is essential to support operational continuity.
It also helps improve technical readiness and long-term plant reliability. In reality, the transition represents something much more important: the transfer of operational responsibility, technical knowledge, and the risks associated with the future reliability of the facility.
While project teams are focused on completing construction, finalizing commissioning activities, and meeting contractual milestones, the O&M team inherits the plant.
It may also inherit unresolved technical deviations, incomplete documentation, temporary modifications, and insufficient operational readiness.
When the transition is rushed or inadequately planned, these hidden issues often emerge later during normal operation.
Proper Operational Readiness helps identify and close these gaps before the O&M team takes full responsibility for the plant.
Risks of a Poor EPC to O&M Transition
A poor EPC to O&M transition can create operational risks that only become visible during the first months of operation.
Common consequences include:
- Repeated trips or shutdowns during initial operation.
- Unresolved commissioning punch list items.
- Inconsistencies in protection and control settings.
- Incomplete or outdated as-built documentation.
- Limited traceability of modifications made during commissioning.
- Warranty-related disputes.
- Increased maintenance costs.
- Lower operational confidence when responding to abnormal conditions.
In many cases, the equipment itself operates correctly.
The real weakness lies in the lack of structured operational readiness before the O&M team takes responsibility for the plant.
Commissioning Is Much More Than Synchronizing the Plant
One common mistake is to assume that commissioning ends when the plant successfully synchronizes with the grid and achieves its initial performance targets.
From an operational perspective, true readiness requires much more.
Proper preparation for the transition should include:
- Structured and documented handover protocols.
- Formal closure or follow-up of all outstanding commissioning items.
- Validation of protection and control settings.
- Fully updated as-built documentation.
- Digital organization of operating procedures, manuals, warranties, and reports.
- Practical operator training under real operating conditions.
- Early involvement of O&M personnel during the commissioning phase.
These practices help reduce operational instability during the first months of operation and contribute to improving long-term plant reliability.
The Importance of the First Months of Operation
The first months of power plant operation are often when hidden project weaknesses begin to emerge.
Temporary solutions adopted during commissioning, incomplete documentation, outstanding deviations, or insufficient personnel preparation may go unnoticed during the project phase but later become recurring problems during actual operation.
An effective EPC to O&M transition depends on structured handover processes, adequate operational readiness, and the early involvement of Operations and Maintenance teams.
For this reason, the EPC to O&M transition should be approached as a specific operational readiness process rather than simply the final item on a project checklist.
Because operational continuity does not depend solely on building a plant correctly.
It also depends on handing it over correctly.
Need Support During the EPC to O&M Transition?
At EOM, we provide technical support during the transition from EPC to commissioning and from commissioning to O&M, helping teams identify risks, improve operational readiness, and facilitate a structured handover into the operation and maintenance phase.
Based on One of 100 Real Lessons from Power Plant Operations
This article is inspired by one of the operational lessons included in EOM’s book:
Avoiding Bad Practices in Energy O&M: 100 Real Lessons from Power Plant Operations
A collection of real-world cases, failures, and improvement opportunities identified across industrial and energy projects worldwide.
👉 If you are interested in obtaining the book, contact the EOM team through our website.
