Improving maintainability in the operation of a hydroelectric power plant through knowledge sharing and collaboration

• Main Author: Santiago, John Ezekiel M.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2019
• Subjects: Hydroelectric power plants—Philippines—Mindoro—Maintenance and repair; Power-plants—Philippines—Mindoro—Reliability; Maintainability (Engineering); Business Administration, Management, and Operations
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_masteral/6829
• Institution: De La Salle University

Availability, as a function ofreliability and maintainability, is a fundamental determinant of whether a project will be viable in the energy sector. While system reliability and maintainability are equally important, maintainability is the factor that is significantly influenced by the performance of the people in the organization. The purpose of this research is to find opportunities for the Linao Cawayan Mini-Hydro Power Plant, Upper Cascade, to improve its maintainability, being the factor that is most reliant on human intervention. The case presents issues and causal factors affecting the dynamics of the operation of power plants located in islands, remote from the primary power grid of the country. The insider action research highlights the importance of (1) Knowledge as an asset essential to the organization, (2) Embedding knowledge sharing into organizational culture for an effective knowledge management, (3) Team culture in translating knowledge sharing to team performance, (4) Collaboration as fundamental requirement to knowledge sharing and team performance, (5) Communication to the true spirit of collaboration, (6) Collaboration as the key to finding high-leverage, minimum effort organizational change, (7) Pursuing higher education to managers and leaders, and (8) Collective leadership in fostering social exchange. The research presents an example of an organizational change that promotes a genuine sense of community and modelling managerial behavior.