Improving Production Safety by Influencing Energy Supply Processes

Energy Independence as the Foundation of Production Safety

Stable energy supply is not only a matter of economic efficiency but also a critical factor for personnel safety and the continuity of technological processes. Given the wear and tear of external networks and the instability of resource supplies, enterprises face high risks: from sudden equipment shutdowns to emergency situations requiring urgent personnel intervention. In his presentation, Dmitry Korsakov, Deputy Head of the Administrative, HSE and Fire Safety Department at Nanolek, details the experience of transitioning a pharmaceutical production facility to its own power generation and water supply sources.

Using his enterprise as an example, the speaker demonstrates how the implementation of gas reciprocating units (GRU) and artesian wells has not only reduced financial costs but also drastically decreased the number of repair and recovery operations, thereby minimizing risks for operating personnel.

Problems of Dependence on External Suppliers

Prior to the implementation of investment projects, the enterprise faced several serious problems related to the quality of supplied energy resources:

• Power supply instability: Voltage dips and surges led to malfunctions in expensive foreign equipment, product defects, and frequent production stoppages.
• Lack of control: The enterprise acted merely as a passive consumer. Any accident on external power transmission lines meant an immediate halt to technological processes without the ability to promptly influence the situation.
• High risks for personnel: Frequent failures required constant unscheduled repair and recovery work, which objectively increased the likelihood of injuries.
• Lack of reserves: There was no way to sustain production until the end of the technological cycle in the event of a sudden external power outage.

In-house Generation: Gas Reciprocating Units and Artesian Wells

To solve the problems of energy independence and stability, two key projects were implemented: the construction of in-house gas reciprocating power plants and the commissioning of artesian wells.

Power Supply: Efficiency and Safety of GRUs

The transition to GRUs allowed the enterprise to independently control the quality of electricity. The automated GRU control system eliminates voltage surges, delivering a strictly specified power output. This protects sensitive production equipment from breakdowns. In addition, the speaker notes a significant economic effect: the cost of in-house electricity is almost half the purchase price. With an investment of about 200 million rubles, the project's payback period is approximately 5 years, and annual savings reach 33 million rubles.

An additional advantage was cogeneration — using the heat from GRU operations to heat the enterprise. This increases the overall energy efficiency of the system.

Water Supply: Independence and Environmental Friendliness

The development of artesian wells solved the problem of uninterrupted water supply. The cost of in-house water turned out to be half the purchase price (about 55 rubles versus 110 rubles), and the payback period for a well costing 5 million rubles was only 1.5 – 2 years. It is also important to note the environmental aspect: the use of groundwater reduces the burden on surface water bodies (rivers), which is especially relevant given their shallowing.

Impact on Safety and Maintenance Planning

The key thesis of the presentation is the direct link between the quality of energy supply and occupational safety. The integration of in-house energy sources made it possible to:

• Eliminate unscheduled shutdowns: The absence of accidents in power grids means no emergency recovery work, which radically reduces risks for personnel.
• Optimize MRO: It became possible to properly plan the maintenance and repair of utility networks in conjunction with production plans, without rush or emergencies.
• Use domestic solutions: The projects were implemented using Russian software and components, and maintenance is carried out by in-house personnel, which increases independence from external (including geopolitical) factors.

Environmental Aspects and Development Plans

The rejection of diesel fuel in boiler houses in favor of gas led to a significant reduction in atmospheric emissions (down to 25,000 tons against an allowable 150,000 tons). The enterprise plans to construct a second phase of GRUs for a complete transition to in-house generation (external networks will remain as a backup), install water treatment systems to upgrade technical water to drinking water status, and build up gas reserves to ensure autonomous operation for 3-4 hours in the event of gas pipeline accidents.

What you will learn from this webinar:

• How the instability of external power grids affects personnel safety and why in-house generation sources reduce injury rates.
• What the real economic efficiency of implementing gas reciprocating units and artesian wells in production is.
• How GRU automation protects technological equipment from voltage surges.
• What permits are required to operate in-house gas reciprocating power plants.
• How the transition to in-house generation optimizes maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) planning.