The Impact of Information Technology on Maintenance Management at the Marib Gas Power Station

This study aimed to identify the impact of Information Technology (IT), represented by its dimensions: (IT infrastructure, maintenance systems and applications, maintenance-support communication networks, and maintenance data systems), on maintenance management with its dimensions: (maintenance planning, maintenance methods, maintenance tools, and human resources) at the Marib Gas Power Station. To achieve the objectives of the study and test its hypotheses, the descriptive analytical approach was adopted. A questionnaire was used as the main instrument for data collection. The study population consisted of employees occupying supervisory positions, including the General Manager of the station and his deputies, department managers, heads of sections and their deputies, as well as all employees in the Maintenance Department and Planning Department at the gas power station in Marib, totaling (110) individuals. Due to the limited size of the study population, a comprehensive survey method was employed. The collected data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The findings of the study revealed that the level of Information Technology implementation in maintenance management at the gas power station was moderate, with noticeable weaknesses in some fundamental dimensions. The IT infrastructure represented an acceptable level of performance, while maintenance systems and applications, maintenance-support communication networks, and maintenance data systems showed relative weaknesses in effectiveness and integration, which negatively affected maintenance efficiency and the station's responsiveness to failures. The study also found that the level of maintenance management practices at the gas power station was high. The dimensions of maintenance planning, maintenance methods, and human resources achieved high levels, reflecting the station's strength in systematic planning, the application of effective maintenance methods, and reliance on qualified and experienced technical staff. However, the dimension of maintenance tools achieved a moderate level, indicating certain shortcomings in the availability of spare parts and the modernization of tools and equipment to keep pace with recent technological developments. The study concluded with several recommendations, the most important of which were the necessity of developing and modernizing Information Technology at the gas power station through improving maintenance systems and applications, upgrading communication networks, and establishing integrated digital data systems to support decision-making. The study also emphasized the importance of improving maintenance tools, ensuring the availability of spare parts, and enhancing technical and practical training programs for employees, in addition to achieving integration among IT components in order to increase maintenance efficiency and improve the station's operational performance.