Live Outage: Learning from the past to better define the future
Jeremiah Smedra
October 14, 2025
4 min read
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It's 2025 and digitization is all the rage: Machine learning, cloud-based applications, on-demand access—and many of us are trying to understand how to integrate it into our work, including outage management.
Defining the role of a traditional outage management system (OMS)
A traditional outage management system is the foundation many power generation service providers have relied on for years to plan, coordinate, and track the complex work of a maintenance outage. It brings structure to the process—organizing schedules, resources, safety procedures, and documentation to keep teams aligned and outages on track. While the components of the process are effectively timeless, the vehicle for them needs an upgrade.
How OMS works behind the scenes
A traditional outage management system serves as the command center for planned maintenance—helping to keep everything organized, on time, and within scope. Its primary purpose is to bring structure and accountability to a complex, high-risk process by helping to ensure that every task is tracked, every resource is assigned, and every milestone is met. It plays a critical role in helping teams maintain safety, compliance, and control throughout the outage lifecycle.
Core functions of a traditional outage management system include:
- Work planning and scheduling: Laying out the full timeline of tasks and milestones
- Resource coordination: Assigning the right people, tools, and materials to each job
- Document control: Managing work instructions, safety procedures, and inspection records
- Progress tracking: Monitoring daily activities and flagging delays or issues
- Compliance and reporting: Ensuring regulatory standards are met and documented
Unfortunately, this standard approach is often paper-based, and siloed. It’s time for a smarter, faster, more connected approach.
GE Vernova’s Live Outage: The next generation of outage intelligence
Live Outage brings together hardware (touchscreen tablets and kiosks), connectivity (cell and/or satellite solutions), software (an app), and content (covering all the paper-based information). The digital task packages are tailored to each unit, available to the worker on a variety of devices, and provide real-time visibility to progress.
Live Outage provides:
1
A visual dashboard
that tracks shift planning and progress in real time— for 24/7 clarity on what’s completed, what’s in progress, and what’s next.
2
Work methods
with step-by-step checklists, videos, and images—improving safety, quality, and speed of work.
3
An integrated quality control plan
you can view remotely—eliminating time wasted searching for a paper copy.
4
Detailed shift turnover notes
stored in the platform—permanently.
5
Field-driven feedback
to improve future outage execution—enabling the site team to quickly submit suggestions, and for the support organization to change drawings, part numbers, or work procedures efficiently.
The role of Live Outage in an evolving energy landscape
Legacy outage management systems did the best they could considering the circumstances, but in today’s fast-moving energy landscape, that isn’t enough. Live Outage gets you out of the 1990s. It replaces paper notebooks and patchwork digital tools with a real-time, cloud-based command center—one platform that connects the data, the team, and the decisions. Think of it like upgrading from a flip phone to a smart device built for industrial power: faster, smarter, and fully connected.
Live Outage is not just about streamlining tasks—it’s about reducing risk, gaining visibility, and giving the team the confidence to execute with precision from start to finish.
Ready to modernize your outage?
Explore GE Vernova’s outage services portfolio, including Live Outage, and reach out to discuss modernizing your next outage.
Jeremiah Smedra
General Manager, Value Stream Programs,GE Vernova’s Gas Power One Field Services
With more than two decades of experience in commercial and operations roles – and degrees from the US Merchant Marine Academy and Penn State – Jeremiah plays a pivotal role in shaping outage execution at GE Vernova. He leads the Live Outage initiative, integrating lean principles and digital solutions to drive consistent, high-performance outcomes on a global scale.
