Case Study: RWE Power AG achieves virtual DCS commissioning for Neurath retrofit with GSE Solutions

German Power Plant Uses Simulator for Virtual DCS Commissioning

RWE Power AG needed to retrofit units D and E at its Neurath lignite power plant while minimizing risk, downtime, and commissioning uncertainty in a highly complex 30-year-old facility. The company worked with GSE Solutions and KRAFTWERKSSCHULE E.V. (KWS) to use a full-scope simulator for advance commissioning of the Siemens SPPA-T3000 main DCS.

GSE Solutions adapted an existing 600 MW simulator model from RWE Power’s Niederaußem plant to match Neurath unit D and transferred the engineering to a Siemens SPPA-S3000 commissioning simulator. The virtual commissioning validated interfaces and engineering consistency, improved control tuning, and allowed the control system to be commissioned before the real retrofit work, helping achieve fast, safe startup with minimal resource use, reduced wear on the plant, and high availability from first synchronization.

RWE Power AG