Time is money.
This is particularly true during the pressure-packed refinery shutdown and turnaround season that occurs each Fall – when temporary power and lighting are crucial to keeping projects on time and on budget.
When the success of a shutdown, turnaround, or maintenance project depends on power and lighting, planning ahead can eliminate costly delays, safety concerns, and unexpected downtime caused by inadequate electrical capacity.
For industrial facilities, few periods are more demanding than fall turnaround season. Across oil refineries, petrochemical plants, terminals, and processing facilities, scheduled maintenance events bring an influx of contractors, specialized trades, and temporary equipment. Welding systems, pumps, inspection equipment, ventilation systems, heat tracing, and temporary lighting all require dependable power to keep projects moving safely and efficiently.
“Every hour matters during a turnaround,” said John Ericson, President of Ericson Manufacturing. “Delays caused by insufficient power can knock projects off schedule, drive up labor costs, and postpone startup. That's why industrial power planning is so critical to any maintenance strategy -- and Ericson Manufacturing provides the ready-to-deploy power and lighting systems that can help refineries hit their deadlines.”
Industrial power systems are designed to support large equipment loads, operate in harsh environments, and run continuously. They are essential to supplying safe and reliable electricity throughout the facility.
Just as important is proper lighting. Many maintenance activities occur around the clock, including overnight shifts in processing units, tank farms, pipe racks, confined spaces, and elevated work platforms. Without adequate lighting, productivity suffers and safety risks increase dramatically.
When power or lighting systems fail, the result can be lost time, increased costs, and potential safety incidents. Understanding the causes of power loss and implementing preventive measures can help facilities complete maintenance work on schedule while maintaining safe working conditions.
Causes of Industrial Power Drains
Industrial power drains can come from a variety of unexpected sources, especially during large-scale maintenance events when electrical demand suddenly increases.
- Aging Equipment and Temporary Assets: Older equipment often requires substantially more energy than modern alternatives. And facilities will supplement existing infrastructure with temporary compressors, pumps, welders, and ventilation systems that may or may not be adequate. If these assets are inefficient or poorly maintained, power consumption can increase significantly.
- Inefficient Temporary Lighting Systems: Lighting is often one of the most overlooked sources of power consumption during maintenance outages. Traditional metal halide fixtures and aging portable lighting systems can consume large amounts of electricity while providing inconsistent illumination. Modern LED temporary lighting solutions offer significantly improved energy efficiency, longer operating life, and better visibility for maintenance crews. When facilities deploy hundreds of temporary lights throughout a turnaround, upgrading to efficient lighting technology can generate substantial energy savings while improving worker safety.
- Unreliable Electrical Infrastructure: Whether stemming from aging plant infrastructure, inadequate temporary distribution systems, or poor maintenance practices, unreliable power can disrupt critical maintenance activities and delay project milestones.
- Excessive Equipment Usage: Turnarounds often involve dozens of contractors working simultaneously. Temporary trailers, battery-charging stations, ventilation equipment, pumps, and lighting systems may remain powered long after they are needed, creating unnecessary energy consumption and strain on electrical systems.
- Overloaded Circuits and Distribution Systems: As electrical demand increases, temporary circuits can become overloaded if not properly designed and managed. Besides causing outages and equipment damage, overloaded systems create potential safety hazards for maintenance personnel working in demanding industrial environments.
- Improper Wiring and Connections: Temporary power installations must withstand exposure to moisture, chemicals, vibration, and heavy traffic. Damaged cables, improper connections, or inadequate equipment can lead to power loss, equipment failures, and serious workplace hazards.
The Role of Lighting
Power distribution and lighting work hand-in-hand during industrial maintenance activities.
Many turnaround projects operate on a 24-hour schedule to minimize downtime and accelerate startup. During evening and overnight shifts, maintenance crews depend on portable lighting systems to safely perform inspections, repairs, and equipment replacements.
Poor lighting can lead to:
- Reduced worker productivity
- Difficulty identifying hazards
- Increased risk of slips, trips, and falls
- Lower quality workmanship
- Delays caused by reduced visibility
- Increased safety incidents
Industrial facilities require lighting specifically designed for harsh environments. Fixtures must withstand impact, moisture, dust, chemicals, and extreme temperatures while providing consistent illumination throughout the project.
In hazardous locations, lighting systems may also need to meet specific safety requirements and certifications to protect personnel and equipment.
Temporary lighting should be viewed as an investment in both productivity and safety -- not a project expense.
An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure
- Prepare for Turnaround Power Demands Early: Successful outages begin with accurate planning. Evaluate anticipated electrical loads, temporary power requirements, and lighting needs well before maintenance activities begin. Understanding power requirements upfront helps prevent overloads, outages, and costly schedule disruptions.
- Upgrade Temporary Lighting Systems: Modern LED lighting solutions consume less energy while providing superior illumination. Facilities that replace outdated temporary lighting equipment often realize improvements in both electrical efficiency and worker visibility.
- Conduct Comprehensive Energy Audits: Energy audits can identify hidden inefficiencies, aging equipment, and opportunities to optimize power distribution before a turnaround begins. Audits are particularly valuable when planning large maintenance events that require extensive temporary infrastructure.
- Monitor Compressed Air Systems: Compressed air remains one of the largest hidden energy expenses in industrial facilities. Leaks and poorly maintained systems can dramatically increase energy consumption during maintenance activities.
- Implement Proactive Equipment Maintenance: Routine inspections help identify equipment that may be drawing excess power or creating reliability concerns before problems impact operations.
Ericson Industrial Power and Lighting Solutions
For more than a century, Ericson has helped industrial facilities maintain safe, reliable power in some of the world's most demanding environments.
From refinery turnarounds and petrochemical shutdowns to ongoing maintenance and reliability programs, Ericson provides temporary power distribution, industrial lighting, cable management, and electrical safety solutions designed to keep operations moving safely and efficiently.
As fall turnaround season approaches, facilities that invest in dependable power infrastructure and professional-grade temporary lighting can reduce downtime, improve worker safety, and help keep critical maintenance projects on schedule.