A power plant may have completed construction, passed the main commissioning tests, and even be approaching its Commercial Operation Date (COD), yet still not be fully ready for operation.
The transition from an EPC project to the Operations and Maintenance (O&M) phase requires much more than having the equipment installed and running. Before commercial operation begins, the plant needs trained personnel, appropriate procedures, defined maintenance strategies, critical spare parts, updated technical documentation, and management systems capable of supporting day-to-day operations.
This process is known as Operational Readiness.
Its objective is to identify and close existing gaps before they become problems during the first months of operation.
What Is Operational Readiness?
Operational Readiness is the process of verifying that a plant, its organization, and its management systems are prepared to begin operations safely, reliably, and efficiently.
It is not limited to the technical condition of the equipment.
A plant may be mechanically complete and have finished much of its commissioning while still having significant operational gaps: incomplete procedures, personnel requiring further training, undefined maintenance strategies, incomplete CMMS data, unavailable critical spare parts, or as-built documentation that has not yet been updated.
A plant is therefore truly ready when equipment, people, processes, documentation, and management systems can work together effectively from the start of operations.
Why Is Operational Readiness Important in a Power Plant?
The first months of operation are a particularly sensitive stage in the lifecycle of a power plant.
During this period, the O&M team begins to assume responsibilities that were previously distributed among the EPC contractor, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), commissioning teams, and other specialists.
Insufficient preparation can result in delayed maintenance activities, operational errors, difficulties diagnosing problems, or excessive dependence on contractors and equipment manufacturers.
A strong Operational Readiness process helps identify these gaps in advance and supports a more structured transition to O&M by helping to:
- Improve safety during the start of operations.
- Reduce risks during the transition to O&M.
- Ensure personnel have the required competencies.
- Ensure procedures and documentation are available.
- Prepare maintenance strategies and resources.
- Support more stable operations during the first months.
When Should Operational Readiness Begin?
One common mistake is to treat Operational Readiness as a final project activity.
If it begins only a few weeks before COD, it may already be too late to properly address certain gaps.
Preparation for O&M should develop in parallel with the final project and commissioning phases, allowing the O&M team to become progressively involved in activities such as training, documentation reviews, procedure development, maintenance strategy definition, critical spare parts identification, and CMMS configuration.
Early involvement also facilitates knowledge transfer from project and commissioning teams to the people who will ultimately be responsible for operating and maintaining the facility.
5 Key Pillars of Operational Readiness
Although every project requires a specific approach, five fundamental areas should be assessed before operations begin.
1. People and Organization
The O&M organizational structure should be defined, critical positions filled, and responsibilities clearly assigned.
Personnel also need sufficient time to become familiar with the facility, participate in commissioning activities, and receive the training required to operate and maintain the equipment safely.
2. Procedures and Documentation
Key operating, maintenance, and abnormal condition procedures should be available, reviewed, and aligned with the actual plant configuration.
Similarly, the O&M team needs access to up-to-date technical documentation, including manuals, P&IDs, as-built drawings, electrical diagrams, test reports, and commissioning documentation.
3. Maintenance and Management Systems
Maintenance strategies for critical assets should be defined before operations begin, including preventive maintenance, inspections, and, where appropriate, Condition Based Maintenance (CBM).
The CMMS should also be ready, with a reliable asset hierarchy, maintenance plans, master data, and the information required to manage maintenance activities from the start of operations.
4. Spare Parts and Resources
Critical spare parts should be identified based on equipment criticality, lead times, and the consequences of not having the required component available when needed.
Special tools, measuring equipment, and consumables required to perform key maintenance activities should also be available.
5. Safety and Emergency Response
Operational Readiness also includes the ability to respond effectively to abnormal situations and emergencies.
Procedures, responsibilities, and response resources should be clearly defined, but they should also be tested through practical training, drills, and operational exercises.
Operational Readiness Checklist: Is Your Plant Ready to Operate?
An Operational Readiness Checklist can provide a structured way to assess readiness before operations begin.
Some basic questions include:
- Is the O&M organizational structure complete?
- Are roles and responsibilities clearly defined?
- Has personnel received the required training?
- Are essential procedures available and approved?
- Has the maintenance strategy been defined?
- Is the CMMS configured and validated?
- Have critical spare parts been identified and procured?
- Are the necessary tools and special equipment available?
- Has the required technical documentation been received and reviewed?
- Are the main as-built documents up to date?
- Have outstanding punch items been assessed?
- Have emergency response procedures been defined and tested?
The purpose of the checklist is not simply to tick boxes. It should help identify gaps, establish priorities, assign responsibilities, and track actions through to closure.
How to Assess Operational Readiness in a Power Plant
An Operational Readiness Review provides a structured way to evaluate the level of preparedness of a facility.
The process can be summarized in five steps:
- Define the areas to be assessed.
- Review their actual status through documentation, interviews, and inspections.
- Identify and classify existing gaps.
- Assign responsibilities, priorities, and target completion dates.
- Verify the closure of critical actions.
Not all outstanding actions have the same impact. It is therefore important to distinguish between those that can reasonably be resolved after COD and those that represent a prerequisite for safe and reliable operation.
Operational Readiness and the EPC to O&M Transition
Operational Readiness and the EPC to O&M transition are closely related, but they are not exactly the same.
The transition primarily focuses on the progressive transfer of the plant, information, and responsibilities from the project organization to the O&M organization.
Operational Readiness addresses a broader question:
Is the organization truly prepared to operate and maintain the plant?
A formal handover alone is therefore not enough. The O&M team needs the knowledge, resources, documentation, and systems required to assume its responsibilities with progressively less dependence on the EPC contractor, OEMs, and commissioning teams.
How EOM Can Support Power Plant Operational Readiness
Through its Operational Consulting Services, EOM can support asset owners, developers, and O&M teams as they prepare for the start of operations through services such as:
- Operational assessments and reviews.
- Theoretical and practical O&M training.
- Review and development of procedures, work instructions, and checklists.
- Support during the transition from EPC to commissioning and from commissioning to O&M.
- Optimization of operational management systems and software platforms.
- Specialized operational support.
The objective is to help identify and close critical gaps before they affect plant operations.
Conclusion
Mechanical completion, successful commissioning, and COD are fundamental project milestones, but they do not necessarily mean that a power plant is ready to operate.
Operational Readiness provides a structured way to verify that people, procedures, maintenance strategies, spare parts, documentation, and management systems are prepared to support the plant from day one.
When this process begins early enough and the O&M team is actively involved during the final project phases, the transition to operations can be more structured and the risks associated with the start of operations can be reduced.
A power plant is not truly complete when it is ready to start up. It also needs to be ready to operate and maintain safely and reliably.
👉 Preparing a new power plant for operation? Contact EOM to discuss how we can support Operational Readiness and the transition to O&M for your project.
