CitiPower and Powercor are Victoria’s largest electricity suppliers, delivering electricity to almost 1.1million residential and commercial customers across Australia. In November and December 2013, Nova Systems completed an Operational Safety consulting task aimed at informing CitiPower and Powercor’s 3-5 year Operational Excellence Strategy. One high priority strategic initiative proposed by Nova Systems was a training program to improve High Reliability Behaviours (including Network Controller / Switching Operator communications) for the reduction of the risk of a human error-related switching incidents.

In 2014, Nova Systems was engaged to conduct this training. Nova Systems developed a unique delivery model which used an impactful and relevant story from Apollo 13, to convey instruction on the Nova Systems POWER model of high reliability principles in the Control Room environment. The POWER model was based on a robust combination of theoretical research on High Reliability Organisations and the unique professional experience of the Nova Operational Safety Advisor. This training was delivered and further reinforced by memory jogger posters and handouts to be displayed in the work place.

This task highlighted the importance of not only understanding the subject matter required to be delivered, but to also understand the people, their reputations and being able to relate to them during the training sessions. Nova Systems was commended by CitiPower and Powercor’s for this work and the training was cited by an attendee as the best training package delivered across his 40 year career in the power industry.