Technical Information > Power Plant Operations
The US Bureau of Reclamation maintains a series of manuals entitled Facilities Instructions, Standards, & Techniques (FIST) which pertain to the operation and maintenance of hydroelectric equipment. Below are listed documents relating to Operations.
- FIST Volume1-1, Hazardous Energy Control Program (USBR, 2002) 1.6MB
This Hazardous Energy Control Program (HECP) (Facilities Instructions Standards Techniques (FIST) Volume 1-1) establishes coordinated and consistent procedures and operating criteria for the safe and reliable operation and maintenance of those facilities of the Federal power and water system for which the Bureau of Reclamation is responsible. This program prescribes procedures and minimum performance for the safety of service or maintence personnel who work on, or near, any system that produces, uses, or stores hazardous energy related to servicing or maintenance.
- FIST Volume 1-4, Permissible Loading of Generators and Large Motors (USBR, 1991) 467kb
This volume is intended to fill the need for practical information concerning the temperature and mechanical and electrical overload limits of rotating electric equipment such as generators and large motors.
This volume is intended for use as a guide in determining the amount of overload that oil-immersed transformers and regulators can carry under various operating conditions and with varying degrees of insulation deterioration.
- FIST Volume 1-6, Limitations in Manual and Automatic Synchronizing (USBR, 1990) 1.88MB
In nearly all applications of automatic synchronizers, unnecessarily conservative settings have limited the usefulness of the synchronizer, and sometimes manual synchronizing can be improved. 
- FIST Volume 1-8, Load Division and Circulating Current in Parallel Operated Transformers (USBR, 1990) 1.88MB
- FIST Volume 1-9, Acceptable Generator Power Transients during Switching (USBR, 1990) 1.88MB
There are three principal types of transient disturbances that affect generator stability. One of these is from switching operations. The steady-state stability limit for the operating condition after switching takes place, and the difference between initial and steady-state operating angles, determines the amount of power transferable without loss of synchronism.
- FIST Volume 1-10, Problem with Two-Breaker Switching Schemes (USBR, 1990) 1.88MB
Addresses clearance procedures for the problem that can occur with switching schemes such as ring bus and breaker-and-a-half schemes that require the tripping of two circuit breakers to clear a line fault.
- FIST Volume 1-11, Conduct of Power Operations (USBR, 2002) 739kb
Lists the policies, resources, and assessment required in the operations of Reclamation Hydropower Facilities. The organization and administration of operations is intended to achieve a high level of safety and performance that is accomplished through effective implementation and control of operational activities. These policies set up the lines of responsibility for normal and emergency operations and provide a method to monitor and assess performance.
- FIST Volume 1-12, Abnormal Operations Generic Technical Guidelines for Power Stations (USBR, 2003) 627.91kb
This guide has been prepared to provide a generic technical guideline for Reclamation facilities to develop a site-specific set of abnormal operating procedures, which will become a section in the facility Standing Operating Procedures. Sites will be required to use this manual as a template to develop their own Site-Specific Abnormal Operations procedures.
