Abstract
M.Ing. (Engineering Management)
Power utilities are faced with a challenge of sustaining the continuity of supply by reducing the frequency and durations of power interruptions and outages. There is also an increasing expectation and responsibility to meet the escalating electricity supply demands while maintaining the required level of reliability and customer satisfaction. Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) has been implemented by various industries to promptly identify and mitigate equipment failure with the aim of improving overall system reliability and availability. Studies have been conducted on the RCM process highlighting the process steps and analysis to be followed during the implementation. This research study is focused on introducing a cost effective maintenance strategy for Power Utility X which is responsible for generating, transmitting and distributing electricity to its customers.
This research analyses and compares nine case studies that were conducted for various industries including; rail, chemical, electricity, oil, and marine defence. The research explores the best practices in achieving a successful RCM strategy and the benefits of the strategy to the organisation. The adopted case study method provides an in depth knowledge and experience on how various organisations approached the RCM implementation and the results thereafter.
This research study proposes five key success drivers which Power Utility X can adopt in order to achieve a successful RCM program implementation namely: support, training, team competency, culture change and the use of a pilot project. The research further identifies the benefits that are attributed to a successful RCM program which includes: reduced preventive maintenance costs, reduced corrective maintenance costs, reduced labour costs, reduced outage costs, reduced spare parts costs, increased plant availability, increased plant reliability, reduced maintenance frequency and an increase in production.
This research has provided an experienced view on factors that can be considered in order to achieve a successful RCM implementation and the typical benefits that can result from a successful RCM program.