Collaboration in the Power Industry Using Business Process Management

 Power Generators and Utilities have to run very efficiently because of narrow profit margins due to rising operational costs.  Changing market conditions require them to ensure zero fault tolerance while maintaining lower operating costs. To meet these challenges, utilities must evaluate, optimize and improve their business processes across their organization. Business Process Management becomes an enabling technology.

The issues that the Power sector faces are numerous:

• High and fluctuating costs of fuel, resulting in narrow profit margins
• Stringent regulatory and environmental compliance requirements
• Uneven load cycles, resulting in inefficient operation of power stations
• Time-sensitive per energy costs, which cause frequent loading/unloading on the power plant
• Significant losses due to unplanned shutdowns
• Lack of effective preventative or emergency maintenance
• Shortage of skilled manpower, and loss of critical process and maintenance knowledge due to a retiring workforce

So what is the solution? Workflow! 
Companies can digitize manual and automated processes that include people, equipment and systems. BPM software like Wonderware Workflow enable companies to model, execute, analyze and improve processes both inside, and outside, of their organization.

Specifically for the Power Industry, Wonderware Workflow brings:

• Enforcement of standardized processes, allowing them to be "digitized" into Standard Operating Procedures/Good Manufacturing Practices
• Coordination of human-centric, equipment-centric and system-centric tasks for complete collaboration of tasks
• Support of comprehensive compliance management and audit trails.

For more information on how Wonderware Workflow can enable better practices within the Power Industry, please visit: http://software.invensys.com/products/wonderware/manufacturing-operations-management/workflow/.