Power Plant Turbine Overhaul Project Planning Course

Course Introduction

Power plant turbine overhauls are critical maintenance projects that directly influence generating capacity, equipment reliability, plant safety, and long-term operational performance. Whether undertaken on steam turbines, gas turbines, or other turbine-driven generation equipment, overhaul activities require detailed planning, specialized technical resources, carefully controlled work sequences, and effective coordination among plant personnel, engineering teams, equipment manufacturers, and maintenance contractors. The Power Plant Turbine Overhaul Project Planning Course equips participants with the knowledge and practical project management techniques required to plan, schedule, execute, monitor, and close turbine overhaul projects successfully. The programme addresses the complete overhaul lifecycle, from preliminary condition assessment and scope definition to outage preparation, equipment inspection, repair coordination, reassembly, commissioning, and return to service.

Effective turbine overhaul planning begins with understanding equipment condition, operating history, inspection findings, maintenance recommendations, and manufacturer requirements. Overhaul scope can vary considerably depending on turbine type, service hours, operating cycles, previous repairs, vibration history, component wear, and the results of condition monitoring. Work may involve rotor inspection, blade assessment, bearing replacement, seal refurbishment, casing inspections, valve maintenance, alignment verification, and associated auxiliary system maintenance. This course explores how project teams convert technical findings into a structured work scope, identify mandatory and conditional activities, establish inspection hold points, and define acceptance criteria. Participants learn how to coordinate engineering assessments, maintenance records, material requirements, specialist tooling, and technical documentation before the outage begins.

Turbine overhaul projects are often conducted within tightly controlled outage windows because extended downtime can reduce electricity generation, disrupt dispatch commitments, increase operating costs, and affect plant availability. Planning teams must therefore develop integrated schedules that coordinate isolation, dismantling, inspection, repair decisions, parts procurement, machining, reassembly, testing, and synchronization or return-to-service activities. This course examines work breakdown structures, critical path analysis, resource loading, shift planning, schedule risk assessment, and progress measurement techniques suitable for complex maintenance outages. Participants explore how to identify schedule-critical components, establish contingency allowances, coordinate parallel work fronts, and prepare recovery strategies for unexpected defects, delayed materials, specialist service constraints, and changes to the approved overhaul scope.

Technical coordination and contractor management are equally important to successful turbine overhaul delivery. The work may involve OEM specialists, rotating equipment engineers, rigging teams, machinists, nondestructive testing personnel, instrumentation technicians, electrical engineers, control system specialists, and plant maintenance crews. Each work package has specific prerequisites, tooling requirements, inspection dependencies, quality controls, and safety considerations. The course develops participants' ability to establish clear responsibilities, coordinate technical interfaces, prepare work packages, manage contractor mobilization, verify material readiness, and control work authorization. It also examines procurement strategies for long-lead spares, critical replacement components, specialized repair services, and consumables, while emphasizing the importance of traceability, technical approvals, quality documentation, and contract performance management.

Safety, quality assurance, and technical compliance must remain central throughout the overhaul process. Turbine work involves heavy lifting, stored energy, rotating equipment, high temperatures, pressure systems, electrical hazards, confined or restricted access areas, and specialized mechanical procedures. Planning teams must integrate isolation and lockout/tagout arrangements, permit-to-work systems, lifting plans, risk assessments, environmental controls, and emergency preparedness into the outage plan. Quality management is equally important because incorrect clearances, poor surface condition, improper fastener installation, misalignment, or incomplete inspection can compromise equipment reliability after restart. This course explores inspection and test plans, dimensional verification, nondestructive testing coordination, quality hold points, nonconformance management, and documentation requirements, with appropriate consideration of manufacturer instructions and plant-specific procedures.

Modern turbine overhaul projects increasingly rely on predictive maintenance, digital inspection records, condition monitoring, advanced materials assessment, and data-driven maintenance decisions to improve reliability and control lifecycle costs. Digital work management systems, electronic work packs, real-time schedule dashboards, vibration analysis, borescope inspection data, and maintenance history can strengthen planning accuracy and decision-making. Participants examine how to incorporate condition-based findings, equipment criticality, reliability-centered maintenance principles, and lessons learned into overhaul preparation and execution. The course also addresses post-maintenance testing, control system verification, vibration monitoring, performance assessment, operational readiness, and structured return-to-service planning. By the end of the programme, participants will be better prepared to deliver turbine overhaul projects with improved schedule predictability, stronger technical governance, more effective resource utilization, controlled expenditure, and enhanced plant reliability.

Duration

5 days

Who Should Attend

• Project managers responsible for planning and delivering steam turbine, gas turbine, and power generation equipment overhaul projects.

• Plant maintenance managers coordinating preventive maintenance programmes, major inspections, component repairs, and planned generation outages.

• Outage managers responsible for integrated outage schedules, work package readiness, contractor coordination, milestone control, and return-to-service targets.

• Mechanical engineers involved in turbine dismantling, rotor and blade inspection, bearing maintenance, seal replacement, alignment, and equipment reassembly.

• Rotating equipment specialists responsible for evaluating equipment condition, reviewing inspection findings, assessing component wear, and recommending repair or replacement strategies.

• Planning engineers and project schedulers developing work breakdown structures, critical path schedules, resource plans, progress updates, and outage recovery strategies.

• Electrical and instrumentation engineers coordinating generator interfaces, control systems, protection systems, auxiliary equipment, and turbine instrumentation maintenance.

• Procurement and supply chain professionals responsible for turbine spare parts, OEM services, specialist tooling, replacement components, and long-lead material availability.

• Quality assurance and quality control personnel overseeing inspection documentation, dimensional checks, nondestructive testing, quality hold points, and technical acceptance records.

• Health, safety, and environmental professionals coordinating risk assessments, equipment isolation, lifting safety, contractor compliance, and outage worksite controls.

• Contract managers and commercial specialists handling contractor mobilization, service agreements, variation orders, progress payments, claims, and cost forecasting.

• Commissioning engineers responsible for pre-start checks, functional testing, vibration monitoring, control verification, and return-to-service coordination.

• Reliability engineers and asset management professionals using operating history, condition monitoring, failure analysis, and maintenance data to optimize overhaul scope and intervals.

• Operations supervisors and control room personnel involved in equipment shutdown, operational isolation, startup planning, synchronization, and restoration of generating capability.

• Engineering consultants, OEM representatives, and senior technical managers seeking to strengthen project governance, overhaul execution strategies, technical coordination, and maintenance investment decisions.

Course Objectives

• Develop a comprehensive understanding of the turbine overhaul project lifecycle, including condition assessment, scope development, outage preparation, execution planning, inspection, repair, commissioning, and closeout.

• Establish effective overhaul scopes by evaluating operating history, equipment criticality, inspection reports, manufacturer recommendations, failure records, and anticipated maintenance requirements.

• Prepare integrated outage schedules that coordinate dismantling, inspection, engineering decisions, component repair, spare parts availability, reassembly, testing, and return-to-service milestones.

• Apply critical path analysis, resource loading, shift planning, progress measurement, and schedule risk assessment to improve outage predictability and manage constrained maintenance windows.

• Develop cost estimates, expenditure forecasts, contingency allowances, procurement plans, and change control procedures to maintain financial discipline throughout turbine overhaul projects.

• Coordinate plant personnel, OEM specialists, maintenance contractors, inspection teams, and supporting engineering disciplines through clear work packages, responsibilities, and interface management procedures.

• Integrate occupational safety, equipment isolation, lifting controls, permit-to-work requirements, environmental protection, and plant-specific risk management measures into overhaul planning.

• Establish quality assurance procedures covering component inspection, dimensional verification, nondestructive testing, repair acceptance, assembly checks, technical documentation, and manufacturer compliance.

• Apply condition monitoring data, predictive maintenance insights, reliability-centered maintenance principles, and digital work management tools to improve overhaul decisions and resource utilization.

• Develop commissioning and handover plans covering functional testing, vibration assessment, control system verification, performance checks, operational readiness, lessons learned, and post-overhaul reliability monitoring.

Comprehensive Course Outline

Module 1: Fundamentals of Power Plant Turbine Overhaul Management

• Examine the operational importance of turbine overhauls in maintaining generating capacity, equipment availability, thermal performance, operational safety, and long-term power plant reliability.

• Compare steam turbine and gas turbine overhaul requirements, including differences in operating conditions, inspection scope, component exposure, maintenance intervals, and specialist resource needs.

• Review typical overhaul activities such as dismantling, rotor inspection, blade assessment, bearing maintenance, seal replacement, casing inspection, valve servicing, and auxiliary system checks.

• Establish project objectives, scope boundaries, performance indicators, governance arrangements, outage constraints, and return-to-service requirements for successful overhaul delivery.

Module 2: Condition Assessment and Overhaul Scope Development

• Review operating history, equipment trip records, vibration trends, temperature data, oil analysis, inspection reports, maintenance history, and manufacturer recommendations to establish overhaul priorities.

• Develop work scope matrices distinguishing mandatory inspection tasks, planned component replacements, conditional repairs, optional improvements, and activities requiring engineering approval.

• Coordinate preliminary inspections, borescope examinations where applicable, nondestructive testing requirements, component condition assessments, and technical evaluations of potential failure mechanisms.

• Define acceptance criteria, inspection hold points, repair decision procedures, documentation requirements, and escalation pathways for defects discovered during dismantling and inspection.

Module 3: Outage Planning, Scheduling, and Critical Path Management

• Develop work breakdown structures and integrated outage schedules covering shutdown, isolation, dismantling, inspection, repair, reassembly, testing, and operational restoration.

• Apply critical path method scheduling, dependency analysis, resource loading, milestone tracking, schedule risk assessment, and contingency planning to protect outage completion targets.

• Identify schedule-critical activities such as rotor removal, specialist inspection, component machining, replacement part delivery, precision assembly, and final functional testing.

• Prepare recovery plans for unexpected damage, delayed technical decisions, contractor underperformance, unavailable tooling, extended repairs, and other events affecting the outage critical path.

Module 4: Resource Planning, Contractor Coordination, and Work Package Readiness

• Determine labor requirements for mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, rigging, inspection, machining, commissioning, and specialist OEM activities across the planned outage period.

• Prepare work packages defining task scope, technical drawings, tools, materials, personnel competencies, permits, inspection requirements, work prerequisites, and completion records.

• Establish contractor mobilization schedules, site access arrangements, interface registers, responsibility matrices, daily coordination meetings, and performance reporting procedures.

• Verify readiness through structured reviews of engineering approvals, spare parts availability, equipment isolation plans, lifting arrangements, worksite access, and specialist resource commitments.

Module 5: Procurement, Spare Parts, Budgeting, and Commercial Control

• Develop procurement plans for turbine blades, bearings, seals, fasteners, filters, instrumentation components, specialist tooling, repair services, and other critical overhaul materials.

• Establish budget estimates covering labor, OEM services, contractor costs, spare parts, transportation, machining, inspection, equipment hire, contingency, and potential scope growth.

• Assess supplier lead times, technical compatibility, material traceability, quality certification, repair-versus-replacement decisions, and inventory strategies for critical components.

• Manage purchase orders, contract milestones, variations, claims, payment certification, expenditure forecasts, and cost reporting through documented commercial control procedures.

Module 6: Turbine Dismantling, Inspection, Repair, and Reassembly Coordination

• Plan dismantling sequences, lifting operations, component identification, storage arrangements, preservation measures, and controlled handling of precision-engineered turbine parts.

• Coordinate inspection activities covering rotor condition, blade integrity, bearing surfaces, seals, casings, valves, clearances, alignment features, and relevant auxiliary equipment.

• Manage defect evaluation, engineering dispositions, repair approvals, component machining, replacement decisions, and quality documentation in accordance with approved technical procedures.

• Establish reassembly readiness checks covering component cleanliness, dimensional acceptance, clearances, fastener requirements, alignment procedures, lubrication arrangements, and inspection sign-offs.

Module 7: Safety, Quality Assurance, and Technical Compliance

• Integrate permit-to-work procedures, lockout/tagout, stored-energy controls, electrical isolation, hot work, confined space controls where applicable, and worksite hazard assessments into the outage plan.

• Develop lifting and rigging plans for heavy turbine components, including equipment selection, load verification, lifting supervision, exclusion zones, and coordination with simultaneous activities.

• Establish inspection and test plans covering dimensional checks, nondestructive testing, material verification, repair quality, assembly inspections, nonconformance reporting, and technical acceptance.

• Coordinate compliance with applicable occupational safety requirements, environmental controls, manufacturer instructions, plant engineering standards, and documented quality management procedures.

Module 8: Project Controls, Risk Management, and Performance Reporting

• Create integrated risk registers covering equipment condition uncertainty, technical defects, parts availability, specialist labor constraints, schedule delays, safety hazards, and cost escalation.

• Implement progress measurement systems using work package completion, earned progress, schedule variance, critical path status, procurement readiness, and outstanding technical decisions.

• Establish daily outage reporting, coordination meetings, issue logs, action registers, decision records, and escalation mechanisms for resolving constraints before they affect key milestones.

• Apply change control procedures to assess the schedule, cost, quality, and reliability implications of additional repair work or revised inspection findings discovered during overhaul execution.

Module 9: Digital Maintenance, Predictive Analytics, and Reliability Improvement

• Integrate condition monitoring information, vibration trends, lubrication analysis, thermal performance data, maintenance history, and failure records into overhaul scope decisions.

• Examine the use of computerized maintenance management systems, electronic work packs, digital inspection records, schedule dashboards, and asset information platforms.

• Evaluate predictive maintenance, advanced analytics, digital twins, and remote expert support as tools for improving inspection planning, defect assessment, component reliability, and future outage preparation.

• Apply reliability-centered maintenance, root cause analysis, failure mode assessment, and lessons learned to identify recurring defects and develop targeted equipment improvement actions.

Module 10: Commissioning, Return to Service, and Project Closeout

• Develop pre-start readiness reviews covering mechanical completion, lubrication systems, instrumentation, control logic, protective functions, equipment documentation, and outstanding defect status.

• Coordinate approved functional testing, vibration monitoring, bearing temperature checks, lubrication verification, control system checks, and other applicable post-maintenance validation activities.

• Establish return-to-service procedures that align maintenance completion, operations approval, startup readiness, synchronization where applicable, performance observation, and formal equipment acceptance.

• Complete project closeout through cost reconciliation, final schedule reporting, warranty documentation, technical records, contractor evaluation, lessons learned, and post-overhaul reliability monitoring.

Training Approach

This course will be delivered by our skilled trainers who have vast knowledge and experience as expert professionals in the fields. The course is taught in English and through a mix of theory, practical activities, group discussion and case studies. Course manuals and additional training materials will be provided to the participants upon completion of the training.

Tailor-Made Course

This course can also be tailor-made to meet organization requirement. For further inquiries, please contact us on: Email: training@upskilldevelopment.com Tel: +254 721 331 808

Training Venue 

The training will be held at our Upskill Training Centre. We also offer training for a group (at a discount of 10% to 50%) at requested location all over the world. The Onsite course fee covers the course tuition, training materials, two break refreshments, buffet lunch, airport transfers, Upskill gift package, and guided tour.

Visa application, travel expenses, dinners, accommodation, insurance, and other personal expenses are catered by the participant

Certification

Participants will be issued with Upskill certificate upon completion of this course.

Airport Pickup and Accommodation

Airport pickup and accommodation is arranged upon request. For booking contact our Training Coordinator through Email: training@upskilldevelopment.com, +254 721 331 808

Terms of Payment:

Unless otherwise agreed between the two parties’ payment of the course fee should be done 3 working days before commencement of the training so as to enable us to prepare better.