How to ensure stable and efficient operation of a solar power plant? KNESS O&M experts know the answer to this question, as they have 10 years of practical experience in servicing power facilities with a total capacity of over 1.93 GW. Moreover, the team continues to improve in its field, guided by international standards and taking into account local characteristics in Ukraine, Poland, and Latvia, where KNESS has representative offices.

Aleksandrs Maculevičs is the deputy head of the O&M department in KNESS Baltic. Together with his team, Aleksandrs performs operational switching, scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, testing, regular inspections, and thermal imaging surveys of electrical equipment, as well as operational troubleshooting.

How do you manage to maintain a high level of service for industrial SPPs throughout Latvia? Aleksandrs revealed the details of the team’s work.

24/7/365 monitoring: dispatching and regular preventive maintenance work

“KNESS Baltic service team works systematically and comprehensively. My colleagues at the KNESS dispatch center monitor the technical parameters of all solar power plants remotely in real time. To do this, they use a monitoring system chosen by the customer or KNESS’s own software and hardware complex, PV.SCADA. At the same time, even if there are no deviations according to the data received, together with a team we physically check the condition of the electrical facility every month,” says Aleksandrs.

Regular maintenance of SPP by KNESS Baltic team includes:

• standard inspections: diagnostics of power circuits, transformer substations, cable lines, and safety systems.
• in-depth inspections: inspections of PV modules, inverters, transformers, insulation resistance measurements, thermography of conductive parts, thermal imaging of solar modules, etc.
• comprehensive maintenance: inspection and repair of all systems at SPP — from PV modules and distribution units to power supply systems, fire alarms, and weather stations.

Such preventive measures help reduce the risk of emergencies and keep SPP equipment in proper working condition throughout the year.

Prompt response to any emergency situations

“If we receive information from KNESS dispatch center about remarks or deviations in the operation of equipment at SPP, we arrive at the facility within 3-6 hours, perform the necessary diagnostics, and, if possible, immediately fix minor malfunctions to minimize equipment downtime,” Aleksandrs explains how the KNESS Baltic team works to prevent emergencies.

In Latvia, the rapid response team consists mainly of engineers of the highest category (group C), who are constantly improving their skills and therefore have the necessary qualifications to perform corrective work.

Special equipment and qualifications for the highest quality service

KNESS Baltic uses modern equipment to perform diagnostics and repair work.

“We use robotic equipment to mow vegetation, handheld thermal imagers to inspect live parts, and a thermal imaging drone to diagnose panels. To perform thermography using a drone, our personnel regularly improves their skills: in addition to obtaining special permits for drone flights (EASA Category A1/A3 European certificates), the team has undergone internal training and training from DJI Enterprise,” notes Aleksandrs.

The team continues to improve its skills: taking training courses on operation and maintenance from equipment manufacturers such as SMA and Sungrow. It also actively participates in courses at the Sadales Tīkls training center. For example, the team has completed a course in thermography, and Aleksandrs has confirmed his skills in servicing grid equipment of various voltages up to 110 kV, in particular, he has received special permission to perform operational switching and operate medium-voltage grids.

Practical experience combined with continuous learning and mastering new technologies yields results: high standards, efficiency, and a comprehensive approach to service, and most importantly — trust from solar station owners throughout Latvia, Ukraine, and Poland.