Mr. Vic Nichols, a Registered Professional Engineer PE 9838 in the State of Oklahoma, has 35 + years of experience in fossil power plant operations, design, construction, startup, controls, maintenance, training, systems upgrades, and performance analysis. Developed and wrote utility specific new plant startup and operations procedures. Managed major new plant construction and replacement of major components from construction to final acceptance testing. Managed and Supervised Engineering Teams during the design, equipment procurement, construction, checkout, startup and final acceptance testing. Extensive experience in gas and coal combustion in conventional boiler and turbine/generator power generation stations. Experience in gas combustion Cogeneration stations in industrial applications. Managed operation and maintenance of four units totaling 1675 MW involving two 500 MW supercritical coal plants.
Major experience in major plant upgrades to extend the remaining useful life of the unit equipment. Experience with testing and modification of major boiler reheaters and superheaters to extend the remaining useful life of components to eliminate the need to replace, at a cost saving to the utility.
Experience with installation of low NOX burners and add on retrofits to existing burners to lower NOX levels to meet current environmental limits. Experience with boiler testing and evaluation to determine NOX levels and make engineered designed recommendations to lower NOX levels.
Recent work includes participating or managing condition assessment to determine remaining useful life projects of superheaters and reheaters of major size coal and gas fired boiler, inspection of seamed superheater and reheater headers and piping to determine if any high stress indications are present in the seamed header or piping.
EXPERIENCE SUMMARY
- Managed the operations and maintenance of a 1,675 MW power plant. This consisted of a 175 MW conventional gas-fired unit, a 500 MW supercritical gas-fired unit, and two 500 MW supercritical coal-fired units.
- Original member of the Electric Power Research Institute Prime Mover Steering Committee Boiler Subcommittee responsible for the development of the Manual for Investigation, Prevention, and Correction of the Boiler Tube Failures.
- Established and implemented strategies to improve the reliability and controllability of fossil generation production equipment.
- Developed a Boiler Tube Failure Team to document boiler tube failures, reduce boiler tube failures by determining root cause of failures, improve boiler reliability, efficiency, and reduce startup cost related to boiler tube failures.
- Develop operating procedures for existing operating units and startup of new units.
- Coordinated and unified the Power Generation Department’s training efforts to satisfy the training needs through consistent, job related, progressive, controlled training programs, that were developed from detailed needs analysis survey for classifications or job titles.
- Developed cost savings projects that reduced or controlled operations and maintenance costs as well as reduced electric power cost to the ultimate customer.
- Manage, coordinate and unify the activities of the Fossil Generation Support Services Team.
- Assist regional power plants in the development of their investment and operations and maintenance budgets, by providing input to the budgeting process for cost of planned capital projects and unit overhauls.
- Review and approve project engineering design and equipment specifications for projects, interfacing with project engineers and customers through project completion and startup.
- Consult with Plant and Fossil Generation Management on future needs and develop manpower plans to meet these needs.
- Coordinate with Environmental and Risk Management Departments to assure project compliance.
- Responsible for the development and control of the Departmental Budget in excess of $5,000.000.
- Responsible for the development of the Department Organization and Staffing, that includes recruitment, position description and responsibilities, supervision, evaluation, career growth development, and all other related personnel matters.
- Standardized performance testing procedures and provided assistance to the Production Department to analyze plant equipment performance problems.
- Provided System Dispatching Department unit incremental heat rate curves to all unit loads to be dispatched in the most economical manner.
- Managed and coordinated the activities of 22 supervisors, 185 operational and maintenance personnel, and 5 office administration staff. Managed all phases of the station consistent with Company and Governmental regulations.
EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND
- BS Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Petroleum Option, Oklahoma State
University
- Registered Professional Engineer, PE 9838, in the State of Oklahoma
SELECTED REPORTS, PUBLICATIONS, AND INVITED LECTURES
Deaerator Examination at Northeastern Generating Station, Unit 3, with T. Burnett, APTECH Report AES 04035364-2-1 (December 2004).
An Examination and Remaining Useful Life Evaluation of the Secondary Superheater Tubing at AEP SWEPCO, Pirkey Generating Station, Unit 1, with T. Burnett, APTECH Report AES 03024984-2-1 (March 2004).
Examination and Remaining Useful Life Evaluation of Reheat Superheater Tubing at AEPSWEPCO's Welsh Generating Station, Unit 2, TubeAlert Report, with T. Burnett, APTECH Report AES 03105192-2-1 (February 2004). |
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