EXPERIENCE
The large-scale of utility solar projects can be daunting, especially with the volume of testing and certification requirements for commissioning. Thorough acceptance testing is critical to certify equipment reliability and SCADA functionality before the site's commercial operation date. These checks include equipment verifications, burn-in testing, control programs, and feedback signal loops throughout the array and substation.
However, even with rigorous quality assurance processes in place, faults can still pass unnoticed, particularly in large fields leaving developing operational technicians to be the catch-all. Component infant mortality is inevitable on projects of this scale and resolving punch-list mitigation issues can be time-consuming as well as frustrating for owners, commissioning teams, and construction affiliates. In many cases, substantial man-hours are lost as teams are forced to review contracts for "flexibility".
The result of all this complexity is that issues can slip through the cracks, leading to potentially significant oversights.