Corrosion of reinforcing steel in concrete structures causes concrete cracking and steel diameter reduction, eventually resulting in loss of safety. Conventional repair means heavy, labour intensive and costly work and the required quality level is under economic pressure. Consequently, conventional repair is short lived in many cases. An alternative repair method is cathodic protection of steel in concrete, where corrosion is prevented by applying a current to the structure. This paper presents results from an inventory of CP systems in the Netherlands installed between 1987 and 2010 to assess their service life. About 150 structures have been protected with CP. Performance and maintenance data are reported. Failure of components as a function of age is quantified by survival analysis. Degradation of components and systems appears to occur in limited numbers. On the average, the time until minor repair of parts is necessary is about 15 years. © 2012 Taylor & Francis Group.