During the operation of hydroelectric power plants, issues arise of improving the skills of hydroelectric power plant personnel, which can be ensured by the introduction of simulators for targeted training of personnel to work both in normal operating conditions and in pre-emergency and emergency situations as close as possible to real ones. It should be noted that the developers of simulators in the Russian energy sector peviously focused on the creation of simulators for thermal power plants, leaving hydroelectric power plants overshadowed. To date, TEST JSC has developed and implemented simulators for Irkutskaya, Bratskaya, Ust-Ilimskaya, Krasnoyarskaya, Ondskaya, Pavlovskaya and Yumaguzinskaya HPPs. This paper discusses the development for the Yumaguzinskaya HPP: a simulator with dynamic computer-aided mnemonic circuits of hydraulic units and electrical circuits of one of the Russian hydroelectric power plants, which will arouse interest among readers of the journal and potential customers. The article describes the prototype facility, the composition of the simulator, which includes a model of the facility and operating modes, a model of the control system, a model of the protection system, a model of locks, a model of emergency and warning alarms, describes in detail the educational and methodological support of the simulator complex, including models of training scenarios, an introductory model, a monitoring program, protocols and instructions. The organization of effective simulator training of operational and maintenance personnel on the simulator for operational switching of the Yumaguzinskaya HPP is achieved through the implementation in the simulator of the following main simulated subsystems: trainee's workplace model, instructor's workplace model, control object model, control system model, training system model. The hydroelectric power plant simulator presented in the paper is versatile and can find practical application both as a tool for training and examination of knowledge of operational personnel, and as a means for conducting occupational skills contests.

Matters are considered of standardization of digital simulator systems for ensuring reliability of service of various power engineering facilities. Definitions are given to such terms as reliability, functioning conditions anf safety.Industry-specific reference normative documents are presented regulating requirements to technical means for training power engineering personnel. Mandatory minimum requirements and criteria are presented to simulators of operating personnel of power generation enterprises according to the rates established. Existing regulatory technical documents and regulations on requirements to simulators of operating personnel are presented in an overview. Particular emphasis is put on creating technical specifications for certification of applied software tools of simulators of thermal power plants and networks, including compliance with requirements to identification characteristics of software tools, to functional characteristics, to data processing functions, as well as to compatibility and safety, and to user interface.Of considerable importance is the method of evaluation of the simulator, especially with consideration of today’s information technology requirements. The current state of most of developments in Russia’s simulator-building is considered in details, including: creating electronic lectures on description of technical characteristics of power engineering facilities and processes therein, generalized models of process devices, limited mode models, partial topology models (nodal models), shells for construction of process devices, integrated analysers of electric equipment, analytic software complexes and ACS.Based on detailed analysis of implementation of applied software tools in the field of simulator-building at power plants and network enterprises of Russia, substantiated conclusions are presented on the software products under consideration, which have positive references from customers and known for various reasons as “simulators”; these, though meeting the requirements stipulated by regulatory documents, do not feature to the full extent the properties necessary for full-fledged training, namely, full-scale applicability, compatibility with all modes and topological adequacy, which largely reduces the efficiency of their application in commercial operation.

The article deals with the issues of creating standardized digital simulator systems, in order to ensure reliable service conditions of electric power facilities. The article presents the reasons which prevented all simulator designers in power engineering from ensuring efficient functional properties of simulation systems for operator training. The primary problem was the lack of methods and procedures for developing the simulator’s core subsystem – a mathematical model of a power facility, because the existing standards, norms and technical requirements were only concerned with the structure and functional properties of simulator subsystems. These reasons and circumstances determine the current state of the Russian simulator production; its negative trends are covered in depth in this article. There is also a critical assessment of simulators designed by some of the Russian engineers: these machines are not conducive to improving the quality of training and retraining of operating personnel of power companies. The article identifies the concept of a physical-statistical approach to developing a power facility simulation model: it includes preparing an analytical description of the physical processes at the simulation object, adapted to real processes, taking into account real-time sample observation, collecting and analyzing statistical procedure data, adjusting the model structure and assessing the parameters and states of the facility model. This approach concept defines the main aspect of modern methodology for setting and achieving all goals related to the energy facility modeling for simulator construction. Western sanctions and import substitution requirements dictate the necessity of developing home-grown technology, manufacturing and introducing new equipment in power engineering, including the sphere of simulator production. The designers of Russian simulators should understand that the principles and technical rules of power equipment imported from Western countries, including automatic control systems for such equipment, are different from the ones which the Unified Power System of Russia is based on. It is emphasized that, in real operating conditions of Russian power facilities, reliability of operation, maintenance and repair personnel is essential. It is noted that, in order to improve this reliability, it is necessary to develop a new regulatory document which would fully explore its topic: ensuring consistent and efficient methods for developing the structure and functions of digital technological systems for training power facility personnel.

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