The article deals with the issues of creating standardized digital simulator systems, in order to ensure reliable service conditions of electric power facilities. The article presents the reasons which prevented all simulator designers in power engineering from ensuring efficient functional properties of simulation systems for operator training. The primary problem was the lack of methods and procedures for developing the simulator’s core subsystem – a mathematical model of a power facility, because the existing standards, norms and technical requirements were only concerned with the structure and functional properties of simulator subsystems. These reasons and circumstances determine the current state of the Russian simulator production; its negative trends are covered in depth in this article. There is also a critical assessment of simulators designed by some of the Russian engineers: these machines are not conducive to improving the quality of training and retraining of operating personnel of power companies. The article identifies the concept of a physical-statistical approach to developing a power facility simulation model: it includes preparing an analytical description of the physical processes at the simulation object, adapted to real processes, taking into account real-time sample observation, collecting and analyzing statistical procedure data, adjusting the model structure and assessing the parameters and states of the facility model. This approach concept defines the main aspect of modern methodology for setting and achieving all goals related to the energy facility modeling for simulator construction. Western sanctions and import substitution requirements dictate the necessity of developing home-grown technology, manufacturing and introducing new equipment in power engineering, including the sphere of simulator production. The designers of Russian simulators should understand that the principles and technical rules of power equipment imported from Western countries, including automatic control systems for such equipment, are different from the ones which the Unified Power System of Russia is based on. It is emphasized that, in real operating conditions of Russian power facilities, reliability of operation, maintenance and repair personnel is essential. It is noted that, in order to improve this reliability, it is necessary to develop a new regulatory document which would fully explore its topic: ensuring consistent and efficient methods for developing the structure and functions of digital technological systems for training power facility personnel.

The issues related to the emission of atmospheric pollutants during the provision of energy supply services and the circulation of household waste in settlements are considered. The ways of air pollution of the residential area with toxic compounds, which are form by the existing methods of heat treatment of waste and during the operation of individual sources of heat supply for residential buildings, are analyzed. The issues of reducing the content of toxic emissions in combustion products are studied based on a numerical experiment using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). Furnace processes in the energy boiler TP-14A (E 220/100) and the individual hot water boiler Vitocrossal 200 VIESSMANN are considered. The appropriate boundary conditions for the processes of aerodynamics, heat exchange and combustion of gas fuel have been defined. Numerical researches were carried out based on the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations (RANS), with the closure of the equations using the two-parameter k-ε model. The combustion process was modeled as the transport of reactants Species Transport. The combustion calculations were performed using the Eddy-dissipation model. The scheme of a one-stage oxidation reaction to the final products of CO₂ and H₂O, the initial gaseous fuel — methane for the VIESSMANN Vitocrossal 200 boiler, and the products of coal dust gasification for the TP-14A boiler was used. The temperature, velocity and concentration fields in the boiler fireboxes have been determined. Based on the results of the calculations performed, the formation of chemical underburning and nitrogen oxides is predicted. The possibilities of numerical modeling of such processes are shown based on new directions in Chemkin modeling technology and the application of the ISAT algorithm. It is noted that they are also promising for modeling the kinetics of combustion processes using household waste as a fuel, but in this area of research, their application is still strongly limited by the computing power of available processors.

A technology is presented for crisis management and handing reputation and image consequences for the JSC IDGC Holding power company in connection with the man-caused accident of 2010 – 2011 (the most extended and painful for power supply of the Russian population), which occurred under the impact of a natural factor in the form of "ice rain" on power transmission engineering systems. Based on the results of a comprehensive analysis of the PR situation, the nature of the crisis has been revealed, which, in terms of its geographical scale, the extent of mass outages of consumers from power supply sources, and the scope of repair and restoration work, was unprecedented in the Russian Federation over the previous 30 year period. It is estimated that the restoration of performance of the electricity network infrastructure took three months (January through March of 2011) and involved huge information and communication resources, mobilization of staff and additional pool of specialists with a total number of more than 3 thousand people. The research methodology is consistent with conventional boundaries, with a full set of approaches typical of research of a systemic social phenomenon, such as the company's communication activities and in interfacing with the essential characteristics of business reputation. As a hypothesis, a convincing and proven assumption has been put forward that mass disruptions of power supply under the influence of natural elements can become a decisive factor for a fundamental shift in public opinion in favor of the power grid company, if the crisis PR program is based on creative ideas for the involvement of journalists, experts, environmentalists, deputies, other stakeholders and opinion leaders in the process of emergency response. By way of example of analysis of communication work in conditions of mass power supply disruption in the zone of responsibility of JSC IDGC Holding, a system of recommendations is suggested for the PR service activities during the crisis period.

The problems and tasks that need to be systemically solved during the operation, adjustment and repair of hightech power equipment (PE) are considered. The main reasons for the deterioration in the quality of repair work are stated. It is noted that the destruction of repair trusts has led to the absence of a systemic approach to repair structures as part of energy systems. The lack of funding for applied science led to the disappearance of scientific schools. All other structures (generation, flow control) are combined and organized. As for repair structures, they were divided after the liquidation of the repair trusts, split into small parts and are virtually uncontrollable, both technically and organizationally. There is a lack of training for specialists in repair and adjustment of PE in the Russian Federation. Today, not a single university trains the required number of specialists in such important areas as installation, repair, commissioning and diagnostics. The number and quality of specialists, for example, at turbine departments of universities do not match the scope of tasks that must be solved today in the design and creation of high-tech equipment. It is shown that a decrease in reliability also takes place during the supply of imported equipment. Examples of loss of performance of equipment manufactured by foreign firms are given. It is noted that the non-compliance of the specialist training programs with today’s requirements already leads to errors in the management of the repair and operation processes. Insufficient attention in the field of training and retraining of specialists, poor-quality training programs and the absence of top-class specialists at departments, who could be able to set and solve urgent problems of the industry, carry the greatest systemic risks. The formulated systemic risks will sooner or later lead to an irreparable situation. These risks can only be reduced only by paying serious attention to the aforesaid problems over the next 5 – 10 years, and by restoring, at least partially, the potential of the leading departments. For most of the above problems, recommendations and proposals for solving the same are presented.

It becomes more and more obvious that focusing solely on economic efficiency is not a good strategy for business development. Moreover, a quantitative assessment of the integral operation indicators, including complex indicators of efficiency, environmental performance and safety, can help to protect a business against possible bankruptcy [1]. In the electric power industry, this is reflected in the modified concept of operational efficiency (OE). OE is not only the usual economic efficiency, but also operational reliability and safety. There is a good reason for such modification of the concept. In electric power systems (EPS), the actual service life of about 60% of the main equipment, devices and installations exceeds the rated value. We shall refer to such equipment as “overage facilities” (OF). The failure of such OF is the main cause of unacceptable system emergencies. During the rated service life of EPS, only a quantitative assessment of operational economic efficiency is performed. Operational reliability and safety (for example, the average monthly values) are not calculated, since they are guaranteed by the manufacturer. However, after the warranty period is over, operators still do not evaluate complex indicators of operational reliability and safety, since there is no methodology for their assessment. Moreover, it is necessary to be able to calculate the integral OE indicators which reflect the actual values of economic efficiency, operational reliability and safety. It can significantly reduce the risk of mistakes when choosing the methods for organizing operation, maintenance and repair. Then, decisions will be made based on comparing these integral indicators. The random nature of changes in technical and economic indicators (TEI) is determined by the random nature of changes in the integral OE indicators. The article presents new methods and algorithms for determining the feasibility of classifying the integral OE indicators of OF.