Case Study: Control System Upgrades and Remote Monitoring for Maranoa City Council

Maranoa City Council, located in Queensland, Australia, oversees a vast area of approximately 59,000 km². To ensure continuous power supply during outages, the council relies on a network of 40 backup generators spread across this large region. Managing these generators efficiently was challenging, leading to the decision to upgrade the control systems and implement Eneraque’s signature remote monitoring package. Background The backup generators are crucial for providing power to critical services during outages. Before the upgrade, the maintenance manager faced several significant challenges:

• Lack of Real-Time Information: The serviceability of the generators was not known in real-time.
• Inefficient Troubleshooting: Discovering a generator offline required sending technicians over long distances, often necessitating multiple visits to diagnose and fix the problem.

These issues resulted in delayed power restoration and increased operational costs. Objectives.

1. Enhance Monitoring Capabilities: Provide real-time visibility into the operational status of all generators.
2. Improve Troubleshooting Efficiency: Enable remote diagnostics to reduce the need for on-site visits.
3. Increase Reliability: Ensure that generators are ready to provide backup power when needed.

Scope of Work

Eneraque’s upgrade project involved:

• Installing customised control system packages for each generator.
• Setting up multiple remote data feeds.
• Enabling desktop computer access for remote monitoring and control.

Eneraque’s Process

1. Initial Assessment:
   • Conducted a detailed analysis of the existing generator control systems.
   • Identified key challenges and requirements through discussions with the maintenance team.
2. System Design:
   • Eneraque designed a customised control system package tailored to the council’s needs and budget.
   • Integrated remote access capabilities to provide real-time data and control.
3. Implementation:
   • Installed the new control systems to integrate all 40 generators.
   • Set up secure remote data feeds accessible via desktop computers.
   • Configured the system to allow multiple authorised users to monitor and control the generators.
4. Testing and Training:
   • Conducted thorough testing to ensure the system’s reliability and accuracy.
   • Trained the maintenance team on using the new system for monitoring and troubleshooting.

Results

The control system upgrade at Maranoa City Council delivered significant benefits:

• Enhanced Monitoring: Maintenance managers now have real-time access to the operational status of all generators, providing complete peace of mind.
• Efficient Troubleshooting: Most issues can now be diagnosed and resolved remotely, reducing the need for site visits. When on-site intervention is required, technicians are better prepared, often resolving issues in a single visit.
• Increased Reliability: The council is confident that their generators will provide backup power when needed, improving service continuity during power outages.

Key Project Highlights

• Daily Online Checks: Post-project completion, the maintenance team can perform daily online checks, ensuring all 40 generators are online and available when required.
• Tailored Solutions: Eneraque tailored a package to suit the individual requirements and needs of Maranoa City Council, ensuring optimal performance and cost efficiency.

Conclusion

The successful upgrade of the backup generator control systems at Maranoa City Council underscores the importance of remote monitoring and control in managing critical infrastructure across large areas. By implementing a customised solution by Eneraque, the council not only improved the efficiency and reliability of their power generators but also optimised their operational processes, resulting in significant cost savings and enhanced service delivery. This case study serves as a valuable example for other municipalities and organisations managing remote or critical infrastructure, demonstrating the benefits of modern control systems and remote access technologies.