At a Glance
One of top publicly listed power utility in Asia with a strong commitment to sustainability and decarbonisation, engaged with Renoir to improve operational performance and contractor management transformation as part of their energy transition strategy.
By overhauling its contractor management framework and embedding performance-led supervisory practices, the client achieved measurable improvements in cost efficiency, execution control and workforce productivity—details follow.
Key results
Achieved cost savings of USD 710k on contractor targets through improved control, behaviour enhancements and optimised planning
Reduced overdue work orders by 26% through improved planning, performance tracking and management.
Boosted value-added wrench time by 23% through improved supervision and shorter control intervals.
Management fees and contractor costs were lowered by redesigning the contractor engagement ecosystem.
Greater ownership and coordination across all supervisory levels supported by data-driven management.
Background
Asian governments are advancing varied decarbonisation goals, with state-owned and investor-owned utilities playing a pivotal role in enabling clean energy transitions and emissions reductions.
According to Fitch Ratings, by 2025 the Asia Pacific region is expected to account for half of the world’s electricity consumption, with power demand growing faster than the global average. Much of this demand will be met through renewable energy, including increasingly complex hybrid and round-the-clock generation projects.
With operations across multiple Asia-Pacific markets and Australia, the client is a vertically integrated power utility providing generation, transmission, distribution and customer services. The organisation’s long-standing commitment to sustainability aligns with national decarbonisation targets, including the objective of reaching carbon neutrality by 2050.
Analysis
To support national carbon neutrality targets, the client recognised that operational transformation was essential. This meant phasing out coal and advancing renewable energy, as well as strengthening how daily work was planned, monitored and executed, particularly in contractor-led activities.
The diagnostic revealed key issues:
- Contractors were driving planning decisions,
- Performance oversight was weak,
- Project timelines and budgets were routinely exceeded,
- Workforce motivation was low.
These challenges were categorised into three priority workstreams: Contractor Ecosystem, Productivity Uplift, and Project Management.
Cross-functional stakeholders from operations, generation, and enabling functions were engaged throughout the analysis, supported by regular Management Action Team meetings to ensure top-down alignment.
Project Approach
Renoir structured the transformation around three targeted workstreams:
Contractor Ecosystem: Developed a structured engagement model, including revised sourcing policies, contract frameworks that drive performance, and strategic contractor groupings to improve coordination and accountability.
Productivity Uplift: Engaged all supervisory levels to design a future-fit Management Control System. This focused on reclaiming ownership of resource planning, embedding daily team support routines, and capturing actionable data for continuous improvement.
Project Management: Prioritised improvements in execution by piloting standardised project tools, enabling faster decision-making and delivering immediate operational gains.
Renoir’s approach involved close collaboration with cross-functional stakeholders across power stations and support departments.
“Renoir did a very good job in stimulating the discussion.”
— Senior Director
Ready for a change in your organisation?
Implementation
1. Leadership Foundation
Trained 200+ supervisors in new working methods, focusing on supervisory behaviors and Short Interval Control (SIC) to establish consistent shop-floor leadership.
2. Digital Integration
Deployed a Works Management Control System that streamlined operations through:
- Automated next-day planning
- Real-time progress tracking
- Live productivity dashboards
- Mobile-enabled SIC forms
This three-in-one system created end-to-end visibility from supervisor level to senior leadership.
3. Practice-Based Learning
On-ground coaching by consultants accelerated the transition from training to daily application, ensuring behavioral changes took root.
4. Continuous Improvement
Weekly Root Cause Analysis sessions using SIC data identified improvement opportunities, with systematic escalation processes keeping leadership engaged in frontline performance.
5. Contractor Excellence
Enhanced contractor oversight through trained resource planners and weekly Planning and Performance Reviews, supported by real-time dashboards for early issue detection.
6. Strategic Integration
Implemented a Contractor Ecosystem framework during the new tendering cycle, embedding accountability and performance metrics into all contractor relationships.
7. Proof of Concept
A pilot project management system validated the approach using standardized tools (e.g. project checklist, RACI matrix), unified planning platforms, and portfolio dashboards. Success led to a structured roll-out plan for organization-wide scaling.
Key Success Factors
- Technology-enabled visibility across all operational levels
- Behavioral change support through coaching and training
- Data-driven decision making through integrated dashboards
- Systematic improvement processes via regular review cycles
- Contractor integration as strategic partners rather than vendors
“MCS meetings created a platform for me to better manage my team.”
— Director
Results
Apart from key results, there was also a change of mindset: all management were more engaged in improving productivity, quality and safety.
At the end of the project, Wrench time studies were repeated and compared to those from the analysis stage. Significant improvement was noted, with 23% more value-added time.
*Client-specific details have been intentionally omitted to maintain strict discretion.
Unsure how to optimise contractor performance that supports your decarbonisation goals?
