ABSTRACT
Many electric distribution utilities in the United States, Europe, and other countries around the world are experiencing problems in meeting their customer service quality targets, and in achieving the stockholder profit margin or government cost-control obligations they must meet. These problems are due to the fact that large portions of their systems consist of aging infrastructures. A power system composed of mostly old equipment near the end of its lifetime, configured in a layout that is itself quite old and not completely compatible with modern needs, produces reliability, maintenance, and budgeting challenges. If these challenges are not anticipated and brought under control, they will eventually overwhelm even the most effective organization.
