Optimized Asset Management of High Voltage Substations Based on Life Cycle Cost Analyses Integrating Reliability Prognosis Methods

摘要

In liberalized markets, the ever increasing cost pressure forces utilities to operate their networks as efficient as possible. Competing to the demand of cost cutting, the requirement to maintain high power quality levels in the energy networks is present. In this delicate area of conflict, comprehensive and detailed asset management methods - considering both costs of network supply and delivered power quality - are essential for long-term success. Efficient methods to identify the right design of high voltage substations as well as optimal operating strategies are required. The aim is to find the best solution to meet both economic and technical targets in system operation. While in the past the investment cost were mostly considered as evaluation criteria for comparing different solutions, nowadays the investigation of the Life Cycle Cost (LCC) becomes ever more important. The goal is to minimize the life cycle cost - which can only be achieved by a detailed knowledge about the specific parameters and their influence on the life cycle cost. Sensitivity analyses indicate which cost element of the investment and operating cost has which impact. These methods are relevant both for the current network state and also for expected future scenarios considering the long term effects of decisions. In this respect, the prognosis of component reliability performance in dependency of the chosen asset management strategies is a vital necessity. The integration of the probabilistic reliability method in the Life Cycle Cost model allows identifying an optimized operating strategy. The appropriate strategy depends on individual goals, network conditions, the selected technology, the arrangement of the switchgear and some more parameters. Comprehensive sensitivity analyses help to investigate on the influence of the parameters and identify the dominating ones. This paper presents a comprehensive asset management approach based on a Life Cycle Cost model of high voltage substations integrating the method of component reliability prognosis. The application of this model allows the user to identify the optimal configuration and the most economic operation strategy providing a high power quality level for its individual configuration.