Criticality Analysis for Network Utilities Asset Management

Abstract

The proposed work describes the main part of asset criticality analysis for Distribution Network Services Providers (DNSP), also known as Network Utilities, the severity-value factors definition. The methodology is based on the risk-based evaluation of assets, considering potential impacts of their failures on network value. Thus, it provides the capability to take maintenance management decision in terms of value and risk, considering the whole network under unique and homogeneous criteria. A hierarchy of assets ranked according to with value and risk will come out of this process, which represents a fundamental result serving as input of the subsequent steps of the asset management process. Specific attention is paid to network utilities issues, characterizing assets in these companies, and the services that they provide. In addition to this, high requirements established by the Service Level Agreements (SLA), that are characteristics of network services contracts, make this methodology especially suitable in this application. In order to illustrate method applicability, an example extracted from a real electrical network use case is included.