Multiobjective Maintenance Policy for a Distribution System an Application Study

Maintenance managers of today´s electrical distribution systems are faced with the problem of where their maintenance resources will be utilized best. In previous work the authors have developed a method for maintenance policy optimization for electrical networks. This paper presents results from an application study performed for a distribution system, including both urban and rural parts, for this method. A basic optimization is performed in order to find the right level of maintenance for the involved components with respect to customer interruption costs and maintenance budget. For the rural parts of the system the conclusion is that intensified tree trimmings is the most beneficial maintenance activity. While for the urban parts the maintenance should be focused towards customer intense areas. Furthermore, it becomes clear, especially for the urban part of the system, that the operation mode of the network becomes important. The method presented helps the managers to prioritize their maintenance to the places where it will result in the best system performance.