Assessment of industrial distribution system reliability using Six Sigma methodology

The traditional methods of industrial and commercial power system reliability studies can be enhanced by the use of Six Sigma methods. The goal of the Six Sigma approach is to improve the quality of a process by reducing the number of “defects”. In electrical systems, defects are defined as outages. The method begins by determining which aspects of the process are “critical to quality”, and then uses a systematic approach to reduce variation in the process to reduce the failure rate. Finally, monitoring and control procedures are put in place to ensure continuing quality. This approach is well suited to systematizing the distribution reliability study