New Orleans' turbine explosion was likely human error, report says

The December 2019 explosion that knocked out a major source of electricity for the city’s drainage pumps was likely caused by operator error, according to a consultant’s incident report, contradicting the explanation given by the Sewerage & Water Board last year as it sought insurance money for turbine repairs.
A causal analysis by consultant ABS Group says the exhaust stack exploded on Turbine 5, a large gas-fired generator at the Sewerage & Water Board’s Carrollton Power Plant, because the operator likely opened the primary valve to feed gas into the turbine “late,” after already starting the machine.
“Opening the ¼ turn valve late results in an even larger opening position of the gas pressure ratio valve at the onset of firing,” the report says.
The report says the turbine operator denied opening the valve late. But the report also says the operator’s word was the only thing contradicting its conclusion that the valve was opened later than it should have been.
HJ Bosworth, an engineer with the watchdog group Levees.org, said opening that valve late would have created a rush of gas into the system that likely caused the explosion, which broke windows in nearby homes and could be felt miles away.
“The first valve that they have in the sequence of valves that power the turbine, from what I have read from that report, wasn't open until all of the other valves were busy opening and closing for no good reason,” Bosworth said. “You didn't have any gas in through those other little valves until someone decided, ‘Oh, wait, the main valve may not be open.’”

[@diaryofamadman6436]

"but he's a human. we all are." is exactly what a space alien would say

[@michaelg8642]

or what a reptile man would say

[@miket2120]

The agency depended on "generational memory" in operating the power system. Information and know-how is passed from senior operator to subordinates but is not written down in the manual. Each operator down the line gets less and less information, leading to a dangerous and expensive consequences. And of course the internal investigation would show that it was a "mechanical failure". They have neither the expertise nor experience to determine the actual cause. An outside consultant will have the knowledge, experience and expertise to figure it out. They also won't have to cover their butts.

[@oddlyrightoddlyright2475]

Gas isn’t dangerous.. Idiots are

[@diegaspumper8501]

So they’re lying about the cause of the fire to get insurance money. Umm isn’t that insurance fraud??

[@servantelijah03]

We're going to have an "Automated Controls" in New Orleans but we still in the 18th Hundreds, wow ,are we still in the plantations days!?

[@mississippiguy1234]

An ad for 3 mins -- no way

[@patforet7336]

Of all the incompatance in the city the S&WB is by far the worst, ever!

[@vincentrusso4332]

Imagine if the manufacturer didn't put lighting instructions on a gas fired water heater... furthermore why didn't gas detectors go off and warn the operator to stop and get assistance?

[@suzylarry1]

that is the way the whole world should be ...we are only human, takes more than 1 issue in any fault, so learn , improve and move forward

[@vanrex7682]

RIP to the control engineer 🫡. I always think of the crazy idea of running a giant and unreasonable step response on a big steam turbine 0 - 3000 rpm 😂. One in a life time opportunity. You’d lose your license for ripping a $50M turbine, but hey a fair price to pay to become a legend. However no matter how you may fk up, you won’t surpass comrade Dyatlov though, that’s the only man who managed to run a Nuclear Reactor with positive feedback straight into the physical limitations. In all fairness you can’t really blame them since they had no idea or analytical background of what the actual system they were trying to control looked like, that’s what happens when you make bad models for a system.

[@jonfox5366]

Somebody sleeping on watch

[@bulgingbattery2050]

3.6 Roentgen

[@alexgoldstein7997]

😂

[@lynnplease3633]

The city needs to update the out dated equipment...it would save money in the long run and maybe avoid millions in possible future damage elsewhere!