Concepts of data for assessing the reliability of transmission and distribution equipment

This conference is concerned with reliability of transmission and distribution equipment. This authors argue that the concept of reliability can only be objectively assessed by quantifying the behaviour of the individual items of equipment and thus by monitoring, collecting and collating the associated reliability data. This data can then be used to both assess past performance and to predict likely future performance. As importantly, it can be used to judge the merits and benefits, technical and economic, of alternative planning and operational strategies and decisions, It is easily argued that valid and useful data are expensive to collect, but it should be recognised that, in the long run, it will be even more expensive not to collect them