A STATE of the art power plant simulator is to revolutionise training at Pembroke Power Station.

In 2011 RWE launched a project to acquire a simulator to give both new teams and experienced plant operators the best chance of being at the top of their game when it comes to operating the latest control systems.

For plant operators at the £1 billion power station, the importance of knowing how to operate the gas turbine control systems inside and out is crucial.

Pembroke Power Station began generation in September 2012, a year after its sister plant in Staythorpe.

The power stations are the most efficient in Europe and require skilled, experienced technicians to operate them.

RWE has developed a system that provides a safe environment for operators to test and develop their skills and competence. The company worked with GSE power systems and ABB - both manufacturing experts in power plant simulation to develop the simulator.

The simulator, which was developed in Sweden and Switzerland, needed to be a custom solution modelled on the actual power plant systems and controls.

After successful commissioning and testing at Pembroke Power Station it is now based at the company’s Technical Support Centre at Didcot, Oxfordshire.

Pembroke Power Station manager Andrew Morgan said: ”Without hands-on experience, it’s impossible to understand the intricacies of the latest control systems. The simulator will help our operators with training and provide the business with an innovative solution to on the job training.”