Reliability centered maintenance implementation in Hydro-Quebec transmission system

In today's competitive market, utilities want to optimize their maintenance efforts in order to maximize equipment reliability and availability at lowest cost. Thus, utilities want to know as much as possible the real condition of equipment by the use of an optimal SPM (systematic preventive maintenance) program. An SPM program usually defines "what to do" and "when to do" SPM actions. The "what" and the "when" are of course closely related because for any inappropriate task selection, there won't be any appropriate task interval that will prevent failure. Inversely, appropriate actions performed at an inappropriate interval will lead to a nonoptimized SPM program (too expensive or poor apparatus reliability). The RCM method is very effective to select "what to do" in a SPM program. Optimal task interval ("when to do") is rather defined by the use of historical data and experience or, for some utilities, by economical evaluation.