Generic procedures on the assessment and management of existing switchgear to optimise network performance

With privatisation in 1990 the trend within the electricity supply industry in the UK towards greater efficiency and the management of increasing consumer demand, has brought commercial and regulatory pressures on utilities to maximise their plant utilisation and minimise their plant lifetime costs. In addition the Health and Safety Executive is continually seeking to improve the safety of electrical installations. New developments resulting in low maintenance circuit breakers and microprocessor based protection and control equipment is enabling these strategies to be met. The Asset Manager´s dilemma is in deciding when to change equipment, what options are available for that change and which option is best suited to their particular need. The generic decision trees set out the fundamental decisions to be made but in applying them to particular equipment and situations, some expansion will be required to take account of the particular conditions applying at the time. The authors give some guidance to the asset manager in his dilemma and hope that this will contribute to what undoubtedly will be an important ongoing topic