Revolutionizing Remote Monitoring: How Commtest and Bently Nevada Transformed Hydroelectric Plant Maintenance

April 07,2025

The Challenge: Protecting Critical Assets in One of Earth's Most Remote Locations

High in the Peruvian Andes, where the air thins and civilization fades, Enersur-Suez Energy operates a 130 MW hydroelectric plant that powers both Peru and neighboring Brazil. This isn't your typical power facility - it's an engineering marvel perched at the jungle's edge, where:

Access requires a white-knuckle 300 km mountain drive after flying to Lima

Altitude sickness affects even seasoned technicians

Traditional maintenance approaches simply aren't feasible

The plant's three massive 44.5 MW hydroelectric generators needed continuous vibration monitoring, but the location made routine inspections impractical. "We couldn't have technicians constantly trekking up here," explained the plant manager. "We needed eyes on our equipment 24/7 without needing boots on the ground."

The Innovative Solution: Merging Two Industry-Leading Technologies

The answer came through an ambitious integration of Commtest's vbOnline® system with Bently Nevada's 3500 monitoring platform. This powerful combination created a permanent condition monitoring solution that:

Leveraged existing Bently Nevada 3500 rack infrastructure

Added Commtest's advanced remote capabilities

Provided comprehensive vibration analysis without additional site visits

Implementation: Overcoming Extreme Environmental Challenges

Installing any system at this altitude presents unique obstacles. Commtest's Shane Smith recalls: "At 3,800 meters, even simple tasks become exhausting. Tools feel heavier, concentration fades faster, and equipment behaves differently." The implementation team:

Precision-Aligned Seismic Sensors:

Installed 18 dual-output (vibration + temperature) low-frequency sensors

Precisely aligned with existing proximity probes

Ensured consistent bearing structure monitoring

Created Redundant Monitoring Systems:

First vbOnline system focused on generator measurements

Second system monitored 12 oil pumps and 2 air compressors

32 accelerometers provided complete machine coverage

Established Robust Data Pathways:

Configured automated twice-daily readings

Implemented secure remote data transmission

Integrated with Commtest's Ascent® analytics platform

The Results: Predictive Maintenance in the Cloud Era

This integration transformed the plant's maintenance approach:

Before Implementation:

Reactive maintenance model

Manual data collection required dangerous travel

Limited vibration analysis capabilities

After Implementation:

24/7 remote condition monitoring

Automated trend analysis and alerts

Predictive maintenance scheduling

60% reduction in unplanned downtime

The system caught its first major issue just three months post-installation - a developing bearing fault in Generator #2 that would have led to catastrophic failure. "That single detection paid for the entire system," noted the maintenance supervisor.

Lessons Learned: Best Practices for Remote Monitoring Integration

This project established several key best practices:

Leverage Existing Infrastructure: The Bently Nevada 3500's buffered outputs saved months of installation time

Design for Extreme Environments:

All components were altitude-tested before deployment

Redundant systems accounted for communication challenges

Prioritize Actionable Data:

Custom alert thresholds prevented false positives

Ascent® software provided intuitive diagnostics

Train for Sustainability:

Onsite staff received comprehensive training

Remote support protocols were established

Conclusion: The Future of Industrial Monitoring Has Arrived

The Enersur-Suez Energy project proves that even the most remote critical assets can benefit from advanced condition monitoring. By combining Commtest's vbOnline system with Bently Nevada's proven monitoring platform, the team:

Eliminated dangerous maintenance trips

Prevented costly unplanned outages

Established a model for other remote facilities

As one engineer put it: "We didn't just install a monitoring system - we built a digital twin of our entire power generation system that we can access from anywhere in the world." For industries operating in extreme environments, this case study demonstrates what's possible when innovative technologies converge.

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Revolutionizing Remote Monitoring: How Commtest and Bently Nevada Transformed Hydroelectric Plant Maintenance

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