Distribution System Health Indices

Client: CEATI International & Utility Working Group

Year of Completion: 2016

Utilities need decision-support tools to help guide their prioritization of assets and ensure that investments made to the system are prudent, objective and data-driven. Recognizing the importance of field-captured inspection and testing data, CEATI wanted to develop a reporting solution that would more accurately reflect the local conditions of assets based upon actual degradation modes, as opposed to relying on age to predict end-of-life criteria.

The CEATI Distribution System Health Indices (T134700-50118) report is designed to help utilities leverage their available visual inspection and testing results to derive a health index – a concise and easy-to-understand condition score – for each individual asset. The report, which was completed with the participation of 20 CEATI member utilities, presents key requirements, rules, and criteria to develop these health index results and integrate these into the broader planning process.

By replacing assets based upon their condition as opposed to age, utilities can reduce capital spending by 25% on average, while also reducing system risks by 4%, when compared to a purely age-based replacement approach. This means that utilities are able to successfully target a smaller number of higher risk assets for replacement, thereby creating a more cost-efficient program that yields greater benefits for utilities.