A survey of HVDC operating and maintenance practices and their impact on reliability and performance

A questionnaire about operating, maintenance, and spare parts practices and station performance was sent to all NVDC converter stations worldwide. This survey is sponsored by IEEE Working Groups 15.05.08, Economics and Operating Strategies, and 17, Reliability of HVDC Converter Stations. Responses from thirty-eight stations are analyzed, and information about the most popular practices is reported. One important conclusion is that energy contracts, ac system constraints, and dedicated generation frequently have strong influences on the operation and maintenance practices of HVDC stations. A search is made for correlations between the operating, maintenance, and spare parts practices, including spending, and the stationsʹ performance and availability. No conclusions about the most cost-effective practices can be made. The results are compared with those of a study published in 1992 which covered a few of the same topics.