Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) Technical Reference for Power Delivery - TR-108068 - Final Report

Sep 12, 2026

Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) is presented as a method to strengthen a utility’s economic position by enabling cost-effective maintenance decisions. The reference supplies essential technical data and practical guidance for conducting RCM studies covering power delivery equipment and systems. It addresses limitations of time-directed, manufacturer-based maintenance by emphasizing preservation of function, combining predictive techniques with corrective actions when failures can be handled more cost-effectively. The work expands generic datasets, adds transmission and distribution-specific terminology, and includes study examples and inspection program guidance.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryPresentations

FormatPDF

Pages347

Reading Time2 h 1 min

AccessFree to download

Report Summary

Background

Objectives

Approach

Results

EPRI Perspective

Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) Technical Reference for Power Delivery TR-108068 Final Report, October 1997 Prepared by SCIENTECH 1690 International Way Idaho Falls, ID 83402 Principal Investigators Earl S. Hill William D. Midgett Clair A. Schwan Prepared for Electric Power Research Institute 3412 Hillview Avenue Palo Alto, California 94304 EPRI Project Managers Paul Lyons / Harry Ng / Don Von Dollen / Predrag Vujovic DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITIES THIS REPORT WAS PREPARED BY THE ORGANIZATION(S) NAMED BELOW ASAN ACCOUNT OF WORK SPONSORED OR COSPONSORED BY THE ELECTRIC POWER RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC. (EPRI). NEITHER EPRI, ANY MEMBER OF EPRI, ANY COSPONSOR, THE ORGANIZATION(S) BELOW, NOR ANY PERSON ACTING ON BEHALF OF ANY OF THEM: (A) MAKES ANY WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION WHATSOEVER, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, (I) WITH RESPECT TO THE USE OF ANY INFORMATION, APPARATUS, METHOD, PROCESS, OR SIMILAR ITEM DISCLOSED IN THIS REPORT, INCLUDING MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR (II) THAT SUCH USE DOES NOT INFRINGE ON OR INTERFERE WITH PRIVATELY OWNED RIGHTS, INCLUDING ANY PARTY'S INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, OR (III) THAT THIS REPORT IS SUITABLE TO ANY PARTICULAR USER'S CIRCUMSTANCE; OR (B) ASSUMES RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY WHATSOEVER (INCLUDING ANY CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF EPRI OR ANY EPRI REPRESENTATIVE HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES) RESULTING FROM YOUR SELECTION OR USE OF THIS REPORT OR ANY INFORMATION, APPARATUS, METHOD, PROCESS, OR SIMILAR ITEM DISCLOSED IN THIS REPORT. ORGANIZATION(S) THAT PREPARED THIS REPORT SCIENTECH ORDERING INFORMATION Requests for copies of this report should be directed to the EPRI Distribution Center, 207 Coggins Drive, P.O. Box 23205, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523,(510) 934-4212. Electric Power Research Institute and EPRI are registered service marks of Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. Copyright © 1997 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved. REPORT SUMMARY The overall goal of Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) is to improve the economic posture of a utility by promoting cost-effective application of maintenance resources. EPRI’s RCM Technical Reference for Power Delivery provides utilities with essential technical data and guidance for conducting RCM studies of power delivery equipment and systems. It serves as the “handbook” of RCM for the utility power delivery sector. Background Preventive maintenance is perhaps the single largest controllable cost of a utility operation. Careful planning and good management are essential to achieve an optimal balance between cost of maintenance and service reliability. Traditional maintenance programs rely heavily on time-directed maintenance and manufacturer recommendations to preserve equipment operation. RCM addresses problems of traditional maintenance programs by focusing resources on preservation of function as opposed to individual equipment operation. RCM also promotes use of predictive techniques and recognizes that some failure can be more cost-effectively handled through corrective maintenance. This project used results of a previous substation effort to expand and refine the material in developing appropriate guidance and references for all of power delivery. Objectives To provide utilities with essential technical guidance and data for performance of RCM studies. Approach Working with the transmission substation version of existing technical materials, investigators enhanced each portion to improve clarity and suitability based on feedback from utility users. They expanded the scope of the generic data set to include transmission and distribution equipment (both overhead and underground), and they added terminology and maintenance technology overviews that were specific to transmission and distribution equipment. Technical examples of RCM studies for transmission and distribution equipm

FAQs

What is the overall goal of Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) in this reference?

RCM aims to improve a utility’s economic position by enabling cost-effective application of maintenance resources while supporting service reliability.

How does RCM address shortcomings of traditional maintenance programs?

RCM focuses on preserving equipment function rather than relying mainly on time-directed maintenance and manufacturer recommendations, and it integrates predictive techniques while recognizing when corrective maintenance is more cost-effective.

What scope and additions are included in the technical reference development?

The project expanded the generic data set to cover transmission and distribution equipment (overhead and underground), added transmission and distribution-specific terminology and overviews, provided technical study examples, and developed a new approach for inspection program addressing.

Sep 12, 2026

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