Power asset management: Methods and experiences in Colombian power system

Results of a review of the literature on asset management in the electricity sector is presented, as well as a glance at some progress on it in Colombia. Such results can serve as a reference for the development of tools that strengthen the implementation of asset management systems in the electricity industry, as well as help to identify shortcomings in the methodologies in use today in Colombia. A proper management of power assets is of paramount importance, especially since such assets are characterized by high capital costs and also by the high economic losses that are faced when assets fail. The review focuses on the power transformer given the characteristics which make it a strategic asset in the management of the power system. It is concluded that the adoption of policies and techniques of asset management is of strategic importance for the electricity sector, and that there are general and specific guidelines provided by worldwide acknowledged organizations and they are being assimilated and implemented by large electric power companies in Colombia.