Get the Buzz… SMUD Cosumnes Outage Showcases Safety, Planning & Craft Expertise!
At the Cosumnes Power Plant in Herald, California, the Power Generation Services team delivered a strong outage performance for Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), completing more than 6,000 manhours with zero recordables and zero quality issues.
The big picture:
From September 22 through November 8, the team executed a 7FA.04 AFS & OBB Upgrade with a clear focus on safety, quality and teamwork. The result: successful unit startups, no leaks and a jobsite that demonstrated the value of preparation and field leadership.
Site Safety Professional submitted 17 positive safety observations recognizing strong crew working habits.
Planning made the difference:
Success in the field started well before lockout/tagout.
A Lean Action Work Out (LAWO) was held onsite to align the team ahead of the outage. While there were some scope challenges early on, the planning process still proved valuable.
Even more important, the site team mobilized three weeks prior to LOTO. That early presence allowed the onsite team to identify a critical issue — certain required parts had not been ordered.
Catching that gap early helped protect outage execution and reinforced the value of getting boots on the ground before the work began.
A strong safety culture in action:
The site also demonstrated the importance of stopping work when needed.
An item was dropped by another onsite contractor, and a STOP work was immediately initiated, followed by a safety standdown with the site team. All personnel engaged to discuss the contributing factors and mitigations needed to prevent future events.
Additionally, the Site Safety Professional onsite submitted 17 positive safety observations recognizing strong crew working habits throughout the outage.
Life Saving Rules were actively applied throughout the job to reduce risk and reinforce safe work practices.
Line of Fire controls included using barricades to keep unauthorized personnel out of active crane and work zones, push/pull sticks to keep hands clear while guiding loads, strong attention to body positioning when using high-force tools, and tool tethers to prevent dropped objects from striking workers below.
Energy Isolation was reinforced through a joint LOTO walkdown by the Field Engineer, Supervisors, Site Safety Professional and plant personnel to verify all hazardous energy sources were isolated before work began, with each worker applying a personal lock to the lock box.
Mechanical Lifting requirements were also consistently followed through crane certification and inspection checks, daily operator inspections, barricaded swing and landing zones, pre-lift meetings, crane operator participation in toolbox talks, and strict forklift controls including pre-use inspections, required spotters, seatbelt use and no phone use while operating equipment.
The takeaway:
Strong safety cultures are not measured only by the absence of incidents. They are also measured by how teams respond in the moment, reinforce expectations and learn together.
Crew excellence on display:
The outage was supported by 16 APM craft professionals and two supervisors, with Javier Castillo and Jose Rosales serving as Superintendents.
Several team members were recognized for elevating the site through quality execution, leadership and mentorship:
Agustin Ortiz — A 10-year APM employee who brought valuable experience and expertise to the team.
Steven Aguilar — A 9-year APM team member known for creating teaching moments, mentoring apprentices and coaching at every opportunity.
Rafael Medina — A 10-year APM employee recognized for his deep knowledge and support of the team.
Michael Nowak — A 12-year APM employee whose crew leadership allowed others to stay focused on other critical areas of the unit.
Jaime Gonzalez — A 9-year APM employee who began his career as an apprentice and has grown into a highly valuable member of the company.
Miguel Herrera — A 9-year APM employee who consistently brought a positive attitude and strong work ethic to the site.
A key lesson learned:
One of the biggest learnings from the outage was the importance of pre-mobilization inventory work.
Bringing in a crew to open boxes and complete a pre-mobilization inventory was described as critical to outage execution, especially given the additional FMI and upgrade scope.
Preparation is productivity. Early inventory checks can uncover material gaps before they become schedule risks.
The final word:
The Cosumnes outage success story is a strong example of what happens when detailed planning, strong leadership and craft expertise come together.
With more than 6,000 manhours, the team delivered:
Zero recordables
Zero quality issues
Successful startup with no issues
No leaks