Quantitative risk assessment; A key to cost-effective SAIFI and SAIDI reduction

The Dutch utility ‘Eneco Utrecht’ (part of the ENECO group) was faced with increasing financial risks due to increasing risks of failure of their ageing infrastructure. The challenge was, to mitigate these risks in the most cost-effective manner. KEMA developed a practical methodology for identifying and ranking these measures on the basis of maximum risk mitigating for minimum costs. The methodology was based on a quantitative risk assessment (QRA) with input from data-analyses and staff knowledge. Results were very encouraging, as the structured methodology not only ensured optimum use of available knowledge but also initiated open communication between the different participating departments. Also, the quantified results in some cases proved the anticipated results wrong.