New Spin on Collaboration

New Generation Dispatch Team Helps Keep the Turbines Turning and Power Flowing

TVA may encompass a sprawling service area across different states and terrain, but the enterprise’s new Generation Dispatch Control Center (GDCC) distills asset functionality into one single room.

Situated within the new System Operations Center, the GDCC is comprised of personnel who will have 24/7 access to all the main dispatch functions at various TVA sites. Currently, this technology is being implemented on select simple cycle units at Paradise and Colbert, but the GDCC’s capabilities are slated to be applied in other areas, too.

The solar panels at Shawnee, the synchronous condenser at Bull Run and the battery storage at Vonore will all be integrated into this new control center.

Working with onsite operators, the GDCC coordinators help streamline dispatch decisions and optimize the use of assets in real-time. Their desks are made up of screens with custom, high-performance graphics that mimic the main dispatch functions at plants across the region.

“We are learning to navigate this new way of doing business together,” GDCC manager Greg Curtis said. “We’ve supported one another during commissioning and testing and now we are in the handoff period. Even though we are pressing buttons and monitoring alarms and parameters – they are also doing those things.”

The GDCC also allows for greater flexibility in staffing, as well as enhancements in communication.

Given the remote locations of some gas sites and the neighboring communities where operators live, contact and response times can sometimes be delayed.

The GDCC gives employees a direct, central point of contact, while also ensuring the onsite personnel are dialed into each plant’s core functions.

“The idea is to facilitate a steady flow of information,” said GDCC coordinator Keith Burley, one of the employees who monitor the function of the plants. “The goal was to create a one-stop shop. If the sites have something going on, they talk to us. Having someone available 24/7 for all questions related to generation is important to our reliability.”

That reliability relies on standardization.

Because these plants are states apart and they have units with varying technology, staying on the same page is critical to sustainable success.

The GDCC team has become that intermediate voice – and they aren’t alone. They work with scheduling specialists, meteorologists and TVA’s Balancing Authority to evaluate the predicted load and get megawatts flowing in a matter of minutes.

“This is the heart of what TVA does,” Curtis said. “I’ve been working in this industry my whole career, but getting the chance to collaborate more with the Transmission folks and other entities across TVA is what makes this job so interesting.”

Another aspect of operations that the GDCC is improving is alarm management and prioritizations. Improved capabilities allow Burley and other employees to better monitor alarms, determining when they’re simply informational or when they’re part of a more important notification.

That work can help prevent alarm fatigue or desensitization.

“Something like this is for the greater good of the Valley region,” Burley said. “It's going to strengthen the system.”

When asked about the high standards of the GDCC team, their mantra is clear – to be best in class.