The commissioning process

In order to ensure that the new facilities at the Eco Park Surrey are fully tested and proven before SUEZ takes responsibility for operations and maintenance, there will be a detailed and rigorous process of testing, which is known as commissioning. There are three key stages of commissioning, which are mechanical completion, cold commissioning and hot commissioning.

Mechanical completion involves validating that the plant has been built in strict accordance with the design. This is done by a joint team of M+W Group and SUEZ staff conducting a comprehensive review of the facilities to check that every valve, instrument and pipeline is installed as originally designed. At this stage we will also carry out pressure tests of pipes and vessels in order to prove their integrity. Once we are satisfied that the plant is mechanically complete we move into the next phase – cold commissioning.

During the cold commissioning phase M+W Group, assisted by SUEZ, will check that the individual components of the system function correctly, i.e. motors turn in the right direction, automatic valves open and close correctly. Once all the components of the system have been verified for their correct operation then formal agreement will be given to M+W Group to start the next phase - hot commissioning.

Hot commissioning is when we introduce 'first waste' into the processes and operate the plant fully. During this phase we check the processes are working as they should and meeting all the safety, efficiency, reliability and performance standards required. We also use this phase to optimise the performance of the plant. The final stage is the 30-day test, where M+W Group will demonstrate that the plant operates normally and uninterrupted for a period of 30 consecutive days.

Only once all the phases of commissioning have been completed to the satisfaction of SUEZ, Surrey County Council and the independent certifier, AMEC Foster Wheeler, will SUEZ take responsibility for the operation and maintenance of the facilities.