3 Ways to Improve Fire Safety in Power Generating Stations

It is common knowledge that power generating facilities are safety critical and extremely high value assets. As a result, there is a great focus on business continuity due to the pressures and costs incurred due to accidents, faults, fires, or other temporary outage disruption. Here are 3 ways we have helped these businesses and will do in the future: CONTINUOUS MONITORING: Our first ever made-to-order fixed, permanent, continuous monitoring system was for Sellafield Nuclear Power Generation Plant in the UK over 12 years ago. MORE FREQUENT INSPECTIONS OF FIRE SYSTEMS: Currently there is a major power generation player in the USA keen to Portalevel® MAX an unbeatable ultrasonic level indicator following a recommendation by leading insurers, FM Global. We are in discussions with several leading power generation companies in North America who will be serviced and supported by our American Strategic Partners. INTEGRATED REAL-TIME MONITORING OF FIRE SYSTEMS: Now we offer this Safesite® smart solution liquid level indicator so the facilities safety manager will be instantly alerted in the case of agent leak, to ensure the system’s integrity. Here are some extracts from an interesting article on electric generation stations from PowerMag to illustrate. “Occurrences at Thermalito Power Plant (California) in 2012, Detroit Dam (Oregon) in 2007, and Watts Bar Hydroelectric Plant (Tennessee) in 2002 resulted in major electrical fires. In almost all cases, the fires caused forced shutdowns, some for a year or more. The loss of generation as the result of an electrical fire often outweighs the actual fire damage.” [sic]“Even after a relatively small fire, smoke and soot removal can cost several millions of dollars in facilities with large open spaces. For example, cleanup costs at Thermalito were reported at approximately $90 million, with a total cost of the fire around $200 million. SOURCE. Here are further extracts taken from PowerMag: “Hydro plants are not without fire risk, and history reminds us that large-loss fires have occurred (see table). SOURCE