SEC Tehama EPP – Upgrade of HMIs for GE DCS and Units

Project Overview

Project Owner	Saudi Electricity Company (SEC-WOA)
Main EPC Contractor	Saudi Arabian Engineering Co. (SAECO)
Consultant	SEC Tehama EPP – Technical Support Department
Employer / Company	Energy Resources Development Company (TAACA)
Location	Al Qunfudha
Country	Saudi Arabia

Industry	Power
Technologies & Systems	Controls & Instrumentation, HMI
Project Type	Retrofit
Status	Completed
Start Month / Year	Mar 2023
End Month / Year	Mar 2025
Project Duration	2 Years

The Role

Position / Role: Control Systems Engineer & Projects Leader

Scope of Work

Upgrade of Human-Machine Interfaces (HMIs) associated with the GE DCS and generating units at SEC Tehama EPP, including engineering, configuration, integration, testing and commissioning of the upgraded operator-interface systems.

Key Responsibilities

Managed the EPC Contractor as Owner’s Engineer / Projects Leader.
Supervised engineering and implementation activities for the HMI upgrade.
Reviewed technical documentation, drawings, configurations and implementation plans.
Coordinated HMI integration with the existing GE DCS and unit control systems.
Coordinated interfaces between the EPC Contractor, plant technical teams and operations.
Monitored installation, configuration, testing and commissioning activities.
Supported functional verification and operational readiness of the upgraded HMI systems.
Ensured implementation activities were coordinated with the requirements of an operating power plant.

Key Achievements

Successful completion of the assigned HMI upgrade scope with controlled integration into the existing GE DCS and generating-unit control environment.

Lessons Learned

HMI modernization in an operating power plant requires careful management of existing control-system interfaces, operator requirements and configuration changes. Effective coordination between the Owner, EPC Contractor and plant operations, together with systematic testing and commissioning, is essential to ensure a smooth transition to the upgraded operator-interface environment without compromising plant availability or operational safety.