Operations and Maintenance
Protecting the Investment
O&M Training Tiers
Tier 1 - Six Senior Ministry of Education staff are taking executive management courses and leadership essentials courses at Georgia Tech in Atlanta, GA.
Tier 2 - 36 power plant senior managers are taking courses in electrical business development, leadership essentials, and advanced power plant management at Georgia Tech in Atlanta, GA.
Tier 3 - 83 power plant middle management members are taking courses in electrical business development, combustion power plant operations, thermal power plant operations, and 'Train-the-Trainers' instruction at the University of Jordan in Amman.
Tier 4 - 115 power plant operator and maintenance technicians are taking courses in safety training, instrument calibration, plant system maintenance, optimum plant operations, distributive control systems, boiler chemistry, and water clarifier and filtration at the University of Jordan in Amman.
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The Operations and Maintenance (O&M) initiative that accompanies the Iraq Infrastructure Reconstruction (IIR) program protects more than $3 billion invested since 2003 in improvements to Iraqi infrastructure. In its development work in Iraq, USAID pairs investment in equipment and infrastructure with investment in human resources to prevent new and improved equipment from being misused or destroyed through neglect. IIR has provided project-specific O&M training since the program began in 2003. Training for operations staff begins as particular infrastructure projects enter their final construction stages.
USAID is only one of several US government agencies involved in repairing and installing electrical and potable water infrastructure. There has been renewed recognition in recent months of the importance of O&M training as some equipment has deteriorated or broken down due to its absence.
Training Activities
USAID has provided training to officials in the Ministry of Electricity (MOE) and operations staff at MOE power plants. 239 MOE staff were trained in tiers corresponding to their management level.
Although O&M training takes place on a particularly large scale for power plants, it is also provided for a range of other facilities. Training has benefited airport firefighters receiving new fire equipment, stevedores and customs officials at Iraq's largest port in Umm Qasr, and workers at Baghdad International Airport.
Future Steps
To protect infrastructure investments in the future, USAID is helping Iraqis create and train a team of O&M advisors to assist infrastructure staff around the country as needs arise. A subsequent step is to use the budgetary process of the Iraqi government to fund certain O&M expenses to ensure that new and repaired plants will remain in operation.
Similar O&M deficiencies exist at potable water treatment plants and sewage plants. USAID has recently initiated a hands-on O&M training program which will utilize local Iraqi subcontractors to tutor Iraqi employees and demonstrate best practices in operating and maintaining water and sewage plants.
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