Some considerations on the selection of optimum location, timing, and technique, for diagnostic tests

The ageing of the electrical infrastructure is a growing concern for utilities, regulators and customers; and there is no doubt that addressing this problem will become an ever more important priority. Any solution will have to address three basic issues: firstly where is the optimum place and time to start, secondly what is the most appropriate suite of actions that can be taken and finally is the solution going to deliver the expected life. Diagnostic programs play an important part in the first and the third issues. In the first they may be able to guide the identification and prioritization of assets to be addressed; here they operate on the ageing population. The third issue benefits from diagnostics by using them as part of the assurance process that determines that the replacements / repairs have been effective. Addressing the ageing infrastructure is a large, complex and interacting challenge; this paper focuses on the first issue, namely how to select the appropriate locations, timing and technique.