With the commissioning and connection to the energy distribution grid, operators and directors of an operating company will assume operating responsibility of their wind farm. The ensuing obligations are set forth in DIN VDE 0150-100 on the operation of electrical plants. Accordingly, plant operators are responsible for the safe operation and orderly condition of their wind farm. This means specifically: In case of accidents, they will be held responsible, since they are personally liable. “Many plant operators are unaware of this risk,” knows Oliver Klausch, head of technical management of wpd windmanager GmbH & Co. KG. “Should a damage occur, then comes the bad awakening. Operators should definitely hedge their risks.” As technical operator, wpd windmanager disburdens the wind farm operators and takes on operators’ responsibility with all corresponding obligations. “Operators and also managing directors of operating companies are thus exempt from liability for the most part,” Klausch explains. “We take care of any and all tasks which are necessary of the safe operation and orderly condition of the electrical plant.”
Directors released from liability
The plant operators’ duty of care include organization, selection, controlling, issuing of switch operation authorization and documentation of all relevant safety issues. “At the beginning, the general responsibilities have to be allocated”, Klausch specifies. “In connection with this, we will draft a risk assessment, which describes the risks stemming from the plant or the minimum qualification to enter the plant.” Also, the maintenance intervals of single plant components will be specified. Among the obligations of the plant operators is the selection of necessary qualifications for all persons that will work on the plant. Employees deployed by service companies with maintenance contracts will be checked randomly to make sure that they have all the pertinent requirements. All other persons that wish to enter the wind turbine generator will be questioned by wpd windmanager before taking up their work to ensure their necessary qualifications.
Furthermore, the Bremen based company will clarify whether a service company will supply a responsible person for the plant and the works pursuant to VDE 0105-100 for the work to be carried out. “For many of our wind farms, we will do that ourselves”, says Klausch. “Our person responsible for the plant will then release work spaces, will instruct the service team and will issue the permission to carry out the works. After the work is finished, we will check the execution of the works. If we find any infringements, we will immediately terminate work on the plant.” In this way, the operator will help to make sure that no incorrect work is being done in the wind farm and that accidents will not occur. From this, too, wind farm operators and managing directors of an operating company will profit.