Hydropower Asset Condition Assessments
Successful strategic planning for capital investments in existing hydropower facilities requires consideration and the balancing of many factors, including the risks and consequences of equipment failure. The hydropower community has long recognized the importance of accurate assessments of equipment condition in order to make informed and sound capital investment planning and management decisions. Seeking to improve the evaluation and documentation of hydroelectric equipment condition, industry leaders have partnered to create the Hydropower Asset Management Partnership (hydroAMP). As part of CEATI’s Hydraulic Plant Life Interest Group, which is comprised of over 60 hydroelectric utilities, the hydroAMP Steering Committee is managing hydroAMP for its current users by assisting in its continued development and guiding its future enhancements.
The goal of hydroAMP is to create a framework to streamline and simplify methods for objectively evaluating the condition of hydroelectric equipment for the purpose of supporting asset and risk management decision-making. The implementers of hydroAMP recognized that equipment condition assessments help:
- Identify and develop long-term investment strategies for hydroelectric facilities;
- Prioritize capital investments in hydroelectric equipment;
- Coordinate operation and maintenance budgeting processes and practices;
- Identify and track performance goals.
Any organization within the hydropower industry can use and derive benefits from the use and implementation of hydroAMP. The hydroAMP tools were designed to be open and flexible to fit into existing maintenance, planning, budgeting, and decision-making structures. HydroAMP can also serve multiple users within an organization who may have distinct roles and responsibilities for hydropower asset management.