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Regular training is critical for maintaining reliable legacy governor equipment. These intricate and precise machines can provide NERC-level primary frequency response but only if they are properly maintained, tuned and periodically calibrated. The lack of vital hands-on training is a major loss for the hydropower industry worldwide.

As virtual events have gained popularity over the last decade, many hands-on workshops have moved from inside power plants or an OEM’s classroom to behind computer screens without actual equipment to work on. Removing the hands-on components of critical training and routine maintenance is a disservice to plant personnel and the utility’s customers alike.

Hydro utilities, private and public, are seeing decades of governor knowledge dissipate and disappear due to retirements and budget cutbacks. “Doing more with less” has become even more ubiquitous as recent years have seen dramatic changes in the workforce. Despite the movement towards digital transformation, there are still thousands of mechanical governors currently in service in hydro plants all over North America. Sooner or later, these legacy mechanical governors will need to be serviced, and newer plant technicians likely lack the knowledge and skills necessary to confidently overhaul and maintain this equipment: that’s why proactive, hands-on governor training plays a critical role. Reskilling and upskilling the hydro workforce is crucial for long-term success.

Emerson will again host its annual Governor School workshop from June 15-18, 2026 at its Hydro Governor Training & Repair Center in Amherst, Wisconsin. Whether your team is comprised of apprentice technicians or decades-in-the-making expert governor mechanics, this intensive workshop will enhance their knowledge of legacy governors, digital controls, and all relevant ancillary equipment. Emerson’s interactive workshops feature both classroom theory and intensive hands-on learning, making them ideal for the plant technicians who are responsible for tuning, adjusting and troubleshooting legacy governor fleets.

Emerson’s trainers have decades of experience building, calibrating and repairing legacy Woodward and Pelton governors, oil systems and auxiliaries. Our governor training and repair center features Woodward Gateshaft and A-Actuator governors, Woodward 20 Series and XX Herringbone gear pumps, and Woodward and Pelton Permanent Magnet Generators (PMGs), as well as working examples of Woodward and Pelton Mechanical Cabinet Actuators.

Governor School classroom instruction utilizes cutaway examples of a Woodward distributing valve, permanent magnet generator and XX Herringbone gear pump while hands-on instruction centers around a working, pressurized Woodward Mechanical Cabinet Actuator, Woodward Gateshaft Governor, PLC-based digital governors, and our industry-leading Ovation distributed control system. In addition to demonstrating how these various controls work, real-world problems will be programmed into the governors and attendees will be challenged as a group to resolve them. The dashpot lab features over a dozen Woodward dashpot assemblies for attendees to disassemble, clean inspect, reassemble and test with the guidance of our governor experts. Intensive troubleshooting sessions combined with smaller class sizes are what make the workshops so effective for maintenance crews.

It is crucial to ensure teams are equipped with the critical knowledge and skills to keep the plant running reliably, and to remain fortified against future disruptions. The technical workshop format at Emerson makes it a great choice for learning governors from scratch or refreshing a team’s knowledge and boosting their experience.

If you prefer learning tailored to your site’s own equipment, Emerson’s on-site training classes may be right for your team. Our on-site training classes span three to five days depending on the number of students and the amount of hands-on time desired. These hands-on sessions are especially powerful as attendees get to apply the theory learned in the classroom sessions to their own unit(s).

If you own more than one type of governor, several classes may be combined into one. More cost-effective than separate classes, a combined training class offers complete training for all the governor types in a powerhouse or project. To maximize the effectiveness of hands-on sessions we recommend limiting class attendance to no more than 12 trainees.

To learn more about Emerson’s Governor School or on-site training classes visit us online or email [email protected].