WESSEL VAN WYK
Outage Management Advisor
Northmead, Benoni,Johannesburg
Summary
Senior Outage Manager leading fleet-level outage strategy for multi-unit power stations and emergency repair events. Directs planning of 9+ outage plans per year, critical path control for 21+ workstreams, and contractor coordination for 9+ teams per outage window to restore equipment safely and on schedule. Built outage preparation and quality frameworks that improved execution consistency across major overhauls.
Overview
2
2
Languages
5
5
Certifications
21
21
years of professional experience
Work History
Outage Management Advisor
Aboitiz Power
Mariveles Bataan
07.2026 - Current
- Developed strategic initiatives to enhance operational efficiency across power generation facilities.
- Led cross-functional teams to implement innovative solutions in energy management systems.
- Analyzed market trends and regulatory changes to inform strategic planning and decision-making.
- Facilitated workshops to train staff on compliance standards and best practices in the industry.
- Mentored junior advisors, fostering professional development and knowledge sharing within the team.
- Collaborated with stakeholders to design and execute community engagement programs for renewable projects.
Outage Manager (TRAC Business Unit)
GNPOWER
12.2019 - Current
- Oversee the overall planning, execution, and delivery of major and minor outages across 3 power stations (8 generating units, 2,580 MW total capacity). Lead interdisciplinary teams to optimize reliability, performance, and environmental health & safety adherence.
- Key Achievements:
- Successfully led and executed a complex emergency breakdown outage following a main stop valve failure, steering a custom redesign and repair strategy to restore operations.
- Directed 3 major general overhaul unit outages covering wide-ranging plant systems on time and within specification.
- Co-founded the Outage Management Team (TRAC-OMT) processes, establishing fleet-wide outage preparation, execution, and quality control frameworks.
- Formulated a comprehensive vendor and contractor performance assessment program to continually improve plant reliability standards.
- Philippines & China
- Developed operational strategies to enhance efficiency and reduce downtime in power generation processes.
Offshore Manufacturing Projects Coordinator
01.2018 - 11.2019
- Managed project engineering and quality-related offshore manufacturing activities in China for a new 2 × 660 MW Supercritical Coal-Fired Power Station.
- Key Achievements:
- Implemented partial delivery strategies and system package break-ups to mitigate schedule risks and prevent site construction bottlenecks.
- Streamlined cross-functional coordination meetings between engineering, procurement, logistics, project controls, and quality assurance teams across global locations.
- GNPOWER | Philippines & China
Site Project & Commissioning Manager
DB THERMAL (SPX CORPORATION)
01.2012 - 12.2017
- Directly managed site construction, commissioning, and engineering activities for large-scale power generation and petro-chemical contracts (including Eskom Medupi & Kusile power stations).
- Key Achievements:
- Successfully constructed and commissioned Pulse Jet Fabric Filters, Gas Air Heaters, Continuous Emission Monitoring, and Emergency Spray Systems across multiple units.
- Co-designed and launched a Field Progress Monitoring System and site material tracking layout.
- Managed the fabrication and delivery schedules of 6 primary sub-contractors covering 12 fabric filter units.
- South Africa
QA/QC & Expediting Manager
RAMFAB & RAMFAB STEEL SERVICES
07.2010 - 12.2012
- Led quality control, quality assurance, welder qualifications, and material tracking for carbon and stainless steel plant manufacturing.
- Key Achievements:
- Maintained 100% compliance across 3 external ISO 9001:2008 audits with zero major non-conformities (NCRs).
- Integrated safety, health, and environmental standards compliant with ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001.
- South Africa
Senior Field Service Technician / Fitter & Turner
DONNLEE ENGINEERING
07.2007 - 06.2010
- Progressed from Workshop Fitter & Turner to Senior Field Service Technician responsible for high-pressure multistage centrifugal pump installation, commissioning, and warranty sign-offs in underground mining environments.
- Key Achievements:
- Commissioned 95 out of 95 pumps successfully (55 as Junior Technician, 40 as Senior Technician).
- Assembled 60 multistage pumps that achieved a 100% pass rate at SABS testing.
- South Africa
Site Construction Supervisor
RINGWAY INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICES
01.2006 - 06.2007
- Supervised 3 site construction teams on major highway construction, sign development, and winter ice management projects for local county councils and government bodies.
- Key Achievements:
- Completed 18 consecutive construction projects on time with zero defects and zero lost-time injuries.
- Introduced a new tracking system that modernized historical job data retrieval.
- United Kingdom
Education
Project Management Professional (PMP) -
Project Management Institute (PMI)
USABTEC Diploma - Mechanical/Electrical Engineering
Pearson College
London, UKNational Trade Diploma - Engineering - Fitter & Turner
MERSETA
South AfricaInternal Auditing ISO 9001:2008 Certificate -
Quality Management Systems
South Africa Lean Six Sigma Black Belt - Lean Six Sigma
SSGI
USA 04.2001 -
Skills
Outage Planning & Execution
Scope Definition
Schedule Compliance
Risk Mitigation
Quality Control (QC/QA)
MS Project
Primavera
SAP Procurement
Accomplishments
- Supervised team of 20 direct staff members and over 1200 contractor resources.
Affiliations
Member, Project Management Institute (PMI)
Certification
Project Management Professional (PMP) | Project Management Institute (PMI)
Timeline
Outage Management Advisor
Aboitiz Power
07.2026 - Current
Outage Manager (TRAC Business Unit)
GNPOWER
12.2019 - Current
Offshore Manufacturing Projects Coordinator
01.2018 - 11.2019
Site Project & Commissioning Manager
DB THERMAL (SPX CORPORATION)
01.2012 - 12.2017
QA/QC & Expediting Manager
RAMFAB & RAMFAB STEEL SERVICES
07.2010 - 12.2012
Senior Field Service Technician / Fitter & Turner
DONNLEE ENGINEERING
07.2007 - 06.2010
Site Construction Supervisor
RINGWAY INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICES
01.2006 - 06.2007
Lean Six Sigma Black Belt - Lean Six Sigma
SSGI
04.2001 -
National Trade Diploma - Engineering - Fitter & Turner
MERSETA
BTEC Diploma - Mechanical/Electrical Engineering
Pearson College
Project Management Professional (PMP) -
Project Management Institute (PMI)
Internal Auditing ISO 9001:2008 Certificate -
Quality Management Systems
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Engineering Student of the Year (BTC Training Centre)