A plant can achieve Commercial Operation Date and still enter operation unprepared.
In large energy projects, the moment of commissioning is often treated as the final milestone.
- Synchronization is completed.
- Performance tests are signed.
- Project teams demobilize.
- Operations officially take over.
From the outside, the project appears complete.
However, in many facilities, the most critical operational problems begin only after the EPC phase has ended.
One of the operational lessons explored in EOM’s Avoiding Bad Practices in Energy O&M book highlights how weaknesses during the EPC to O&M transition can generate long-term operational instability, hidden technical risks, and avoidable reliability problems during the first months of plant operation.
When Operational Readiness Is Assumed Instead of Verified.
In this case, the plant successfully entered commercial operation and formal commissioning activities were considered complete.
But shortly after takeover, multiple operational issues began to emerge.
Some were technical.
Others were procedural.
Most were related to transition quality rather than equipment design itself.
The operational team encountered inconsistencies between documentation and field conditions, unresolved commissioning deviations, limited practical system familiarization, and gaps in operational records required for long-term maintenance and troubleshooting.
Individually, none of these issues appeared catastrophic.
Collectively, they created operational uncertainty during the most sensitive phase of the plant lifecycle: the first months of O&M operation.
The Transition Gap Many Projects Underestimate
In many power and industrial projects, EPC to O&M handover is still treated primarily as an administrative milestone.
A structured EPC to O&M transition is essential for ensuring operational continuity, technical readiness, and long-term plant reliability.
In practice, it is something far more critical:
A transfer of operational responsibility, technical knowledge, and long-term reliability risk.
Project teams are naturally focused on construction completion, commissioning schedules, and contractual milestones.
Operations teams, however, inherit the consequences of unresolved technical deviations, incomplete documentation, temporary modifications, and insufficient operational preparation.
When this transition is rushed or poorly structured, hidden issues often surface later during normal operation.
The Operational Impact of Weak Handover Processes
Weak EPC to O&M transition processes often generate hidden operational risks that only become visible during the first months of plant operation.
Common consequences include:
- recurring operational trips during early operation,
- unresolved commissioning punch points,
- inconsistencies in protection and control settings,
- incomplete as-built documentation,
- limited traceability of modifications performed during commissioning,
- warranty disputes,
- increased maintenance costs,
- and reduced operational confidence during abnormal conditions.
In many cases, the technical systems themselves are functional.
The real weakness lies in the lack of structured operational readiness before O&M takeover.
Commissioning Is Not Only About Synchronization
One of the most common misconceptions in industrial projects is assuming that commissioning is complete once the plant successfully synchronizes and achieves initial performance targets.
Operationally, true readiness requires much more.
High-performing projects typically ensure:
- structured and documented handover protocols,
- closure or formal tracking of punch items,
- validated protection and control settings,
- updated as-built engineering documentation,
- organized digital records for SOPs, warranties, manuals, and reports,
- practical operator training under real operating conditions,
- and early involvement of O&M personnel during commissioning activities.
These practices significantly reduce operational instability during the first year of operation and improve long-term plant reliability in energy O&M.
The First Year Defines Long-Term Stability
The initial operational phase of a power plant is often where hidden project weaknesses become visible.
Temporary commissioning solutions, incomplete documentation, unresolved deviations, and insufficient operator preparation can remain unnoticed during project execution but create recurring problems later under real operating conditions.
A successful EPC to O&M transition depends on structured handover processes, operational preparation, and early involvement of O&M teams.
This is why mature organizations increasingly treat EPC to O&M transition as a dedicated operational discipline rather than a final project checklist.
Because operational continuity depends not only on building the plant correctly, but also on transferring it correctly.
Part of "Avoiding Bad Practices in Energy O&M"
This article is inspired by one of the operational lessons included in EOM’s book:
“Avoiding Bad Practices in Energy O&M”
A collection of real operational lessons, failures, and improvement opportunities identified across energy and industrial projects worldwide.
👉 If you are interested in obtaining the book, you can contact the EOM team through our website.
