D ATA D R I V I N G D E C I S I O N S
2021 Asset Almanac
Western Area
Power Administration
CONTENTS
Letter from the Acting
Chief Operating Ofcer
1
About Asset Management
2
Glossary of AM Terms
3
Asset Condition Data
5
10-Year Asset Investment
Projection
17
10-Year Health and Risk
Projection
18
Reliability-Centered
Maintenance
19
Data Communication
24
Data Validation
25
LETTER FROM THE ACTING CHIEF
OPERATING OFFICER
WAPA’s Asset Management and Asset Maintenance programs continue to evolve
and meet the challenges of an ever-changing and dynamic utility industry. WAPA’s
service territory is vast – encompassing 15 states that have diverse climates and
operating conditions. While historical challenges, such as aging infrastructure
remain, newer challenges of wildfre, drought and cyber security also have emerged
and continue to pose new and compounding challenges. Clearly understanding
the health, risk and maintenance aspects of critical electrical infrastructure is more
important now than ever. WAPA’s Asset Management Program ensures the agency
is strategically and efciently investing time and capital into the assets that optimize
the performance, reliability and resiliency of the grid and leverages best practices within the utility industry to do so.
WAPA’s Project and Asset Services organization is responsible for executing four specifc lines of business:
l The Asset Management program
l The Asset Maintenance program
l The Geospatial Information Systems program
l The Project Management program
This Asset Almanac showcases the key aspects of WAPA’s asset management framework, particularly around the
inventory and assessments of the current state of the system and evaluating lifecycle and maintenance costs. Both
are critical components to inform near term decisions as well as an overall maintenance and funding strategy. The
methodology and asset data represented in this Asset Almanac are direct products and services produced by the Asset
Management and Asset Maintenance programs. The Almanac is specifcally designed to provide a high-level overview
of WAPA’s assets, with a target audience of WAPA customers, senior leadership and other electric utilities.
In November 2021, President Biden signed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal, or Infrastructure Investment and Job
Act. Part of this deal includes $65 billion of investment to upgrade power infrastructure in the U.S. WAPA will play a
signifcant role in this efort, and Asset Management data will be a critical tool to ensure money is being spent on the
most vulnerable portions of our transmission system.
WAPA’s Project and Asset Services organization plays a major role in supporting the agency’s operations and strategic
goals in service to the customers and regions we serve. By ensuring WAPA is investing in the right assets at the right
time, we ensure asset performance and lifecycle is maximized as much as possible, resulting in optimum reliability and
lowest cost consistent with sound business principles. This is especially important during times of extended drought
and the resulting fnancial impacts in rates. We remain committed to continuing to evaluate and improve our analytical
approaches so that operational and fnancial decisions are based on sound, repeatable and consistent data and
honoring our commitment to “Serve like your lights depend on it.”
Tina Ko
Acting Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Ofcer
WESTERN AREA POWER ADMINISTRATION
1
ABOUT ASSET MANAGEMENT
WAPA owns, operates and maintains more than 17,000 circuit miles of
transmission lines and approximately 325 substations. These assets are
located in diverse operating conditions, posing unique, feetwide asset
management challenges. Asset Management meets these challenges
with a methodology that can be consistently applied to assets throughout
WAPA’s 15-state footprint, four distinct regions and a management center.
By identifying risk associated with WAPA’s critical systems and equipment
and providing data-driven insight on mitigating that risk, AM supports
a wide range of eforts that reinforces the resilience and reliability of the
grid. The approach combines extensive feld knowledge with input from
applicable WAPA departments to develop databases, perform analyses and
generate reports that inform objective decisions on budget development, capital
plans, operations and maintenance practices, fnancial forecasting and safety and
security upgrades.
Objectives
l Integrate all assets into risk-based methodologies to strategically inform capital
investments.
l Maximize value of assets.
l Correlate asset maintenance history, health indices and consequence values to drive riskbased decisions.
l Use asset population and performance data to inform best maintenance practices.
Goals:
l Better utilization and visualization of existing asset data.
l Leverage the use of asset consequence data to make risk-based asset replacement decisions
in the face of challenging hydrological conditions.
l Develop labor forecast models to better understand the integration of budget and program
execution.
l More stable and accurate asset inspection platforms.
l Improve use of historical asset maintenance records to inform future asset maintenance
procedures.
2 2021 ASSET ALMANAC
GLOSSARY OF AM TERMS
Asset Management or AM
A formal strategy that protects critical physical equipment and
systems by collecting data on their condition and performance and
mitigating risk associated with their potential failure.
Asset
Any resource that has potential or actual economic value. The
resource may be physical in nature (tangible) or information
(intangible) and expressed in terms of cost or other value.
Asset classes
A further division of assets within each asset category. A class may be
defned by any accepted distinguishing feature, such as equipment
type, location, population, voltage level, current level, power ratings
or manufacturer.
Asset risk
The product of probability of failure and the consequence of that
failure.
Confdence Index
A framework for evaluating the quality of the data in the AM recordkeeping system as it relates to asset health.
Consequence
The identifable and measurable efect from the failure of an asset.
Consequence analysis
The process of determining the efect of an asset failure (asset
unavailable for service) by evaluating consequence, or criticality,
factors which measure the relative importance of the asset or asset
transmission line system. The analysis yields a score of 0 to 100,
with 100 being the most severe efect. The functional groups within
WAPA involved in determining consequence of asset failure include
Operations, Maintenance, Power Marketing, Energy Marketing,
Planning, Transmission Business Unit/Tarif administration teams and
regional Asset Management specialists.
Consequence factors or criticality
factors
A series of parameters that identify and measure the efects of an
asset’s failure. Consequence factors may include monetary and
non-monetary consequences. Examples of monetary consequence
factors are loss of generation, energy replacement, bypassed water,
transmission purchases, contract-liquidated damages, internal
regulation/spin replacement, lost merchant transmission resale
revenue, curtailed customer load and asset material cost. Nonmonetary consequence factors include replacement time, impacts
to others, increase in regulatory scrutiny, worsening of reliability or
customer relations and damage to brand name.
Critical assets
Facilities, systems and equipment, which if destroyed, degraded
or otherwise rendered unavailable, would afect the reliability or
operability of the bulk electric system.
WESTERN AREA POWER ADMINISTRATION
3
Geographical Information System or
GIS
Computer system designed to capture, manipulate, analyze, manage
and present all types of geographical data. This data is stored in a
coordinate system which references a particular place on the Earth.
GIS systems allow users to create interactive queries, analyze spatial
relationships, edit data in maps and present the results of these
operations.
Health Index or HI
A composite quantitative measure of asset condition and historical
performance that comprises available condition data about the
asset, such as test results, reliability performance, age, visual
inspections, maintenance records and loading. HI is expressed as
a score from 0 to 100, with 0 corresponding to an asset that is near
end-of-life and 100 corresponding to a new asset.
Health assessment
An analysis of condition data to determine an asset’s HI. The
collection of standardized data can be used to optimize maintenance
and/or replacement strategies for assets within an asset class.
Health factors
Also referred to as condition parameters, these are characteristics
used to assess the asset condition. Examples of condition factors
include transformer oil quality, maintenance records, age or loading.
Each factor may consist of multiple elements.
Life cycle
The series of changes an asset passes through during its existence.
Stages of an asset’s life cycle include planning, budgeting, approval/
funding, design, construction, commissioning, in-service period and
routine maintenance and repair, planned replacement, retirement or
de-energization and disposal.
Probability of failure or POF
The statistical likelihood that an asset will not function as designed
or expected, cease to function or otherwise become unavailable for
service within the next 12 months.
Reliability
Consistent, predictable operation of the bulk electric system.
Reliability-centered maintenance or
RCM
The systematic process of optimizing and managing WAPA’s major
power system asset maintenance with the goal of preserving
important power system function.
System asset(s)
Broadly speaking, all capital assets that directly support WAPA’s
mission to deliver reliable hydropower and related services.
4 2021 ASSET ALMANAC
ASSET CONDITION DATA
Much like fnancial portfolio managers look to minimize risk and maximize return from stock portfolios, AM combines
data collection and analysis to efectively manage reliability and minimize risk. Utilizing a combination of asset
data, enhanced application of historical maintenance records and improved asset inspection platforms, AM can
maximize the value of WAPA assets, ensure overall reliability and performance and maximize return on WAPA’s capital
investments.
AM collects data based on the equipment’s criticality to WAPA, lead time for acquisition and replacement, its relevance
to the asset class and the ability to validate the accuracy of the data. WAPA’s equipment and systems are diverse in
nature and, because of this, AM may collect diferent types of data and apply diferent metrics to determine health
and risk for specifc asset classes. AM develops algorithms based on the type of equipment to best understand the
asset condition and risk of failure, as well as the fnancial consequence of potential failure. These algorithms, based on
relevant data available, are used to calculate asset health and risk scores, and are based on the ability to gather relevant
data and the criticality of that asset to WAPA’s power system.
When new assets are added to WAPA’s AM program, creating a data collection and analysis framework can be a longterm undertaking. The time it takes to collect and organize sufcient data to calculate health and risk scores for new
asset classes depends on the complexity of the asset, the number of units in use and previous tracking eforts. It was
anticipated in the 2020 almanac “Shaping the Future Through Data,” the 2021 almanac would include data on load tap
changers and bushings, but due to the complicated nature of data collection, validation and cybersecurity, reporting
on these asset classes is still underway.
Large take-of structures support the conductor connecting WAPA’s Glen Canyon Substation to the Bureau of Reclamation generation
facilities below.
WESTERN AREA POWER ADMINISTRATION
5
TRANSMISSION LINES
Transmission lines are made up of multiple components and diferent materials, all exposed to the local elements,
and their failure carries serious consequences for WAPA’s system. For this reason, AM has moved away from agebased assessments to focus on condition-based data that gives a clearer picture of the line’s health and potential for
failure. Through routine inspection, performance ratings are assigned to individual structures and components. These
ratings drive Health Index algorithms by integrating feld inspection data into the overall condition rating of WAPA’s
transmission line system.
TRANSMISSION LINE ASSETS OVERVIEW
Transmission Line Systems by Region
Commentary: Transmission
line systems are those owned or
partially owned by WAPA, greater
than or equal to 100-kV, currently in
service and classifed as being in a
transmission line system.
533
WAPA
CRSP MC
61
12%
DSW
102
RM
117
SN
65
19%
22%
12%
188
UGP
0
100
35%
200
300
400
500
600
Number of Systems
Transmission Line Miles by Region
Commentary: Transmission
line miles are reported by circuit
miles and include lines that have
voltages 100-kV and below and are
partially owned by WAPA.
17,280
WAPA
CRSP MC
2,320 13%
DSW
2,424 14%
3,438 20%
RM
SN
1,362 8%
7,736 45%
UGP
0
5,000
Miles
6 2021 ASSET ALMANAC
10,000
15,000
20,000
TRANSMISSION LINE INSPECTION DATA
Transmission Line Structure Maintenance Priority Rating
60,000
Number of structures
50,000
40,000
30,000
20,000
10,000
0
B
A
C
D
E
Grade
DSW
RM
SN
UGP
Commentary: Maintenance priority ratings were developed by the Electric Power Research Institute to
assign a standardized condition to each transmission line structure or conductor component based on
periodic visual inspections, physical test results and age. These ratings, which range from “A” (like new) to “E”
(imminent failure), are applied to every component visual inspection.
The defnition of each rating is:
A. Good condition, no action required.
B. Minimal defect, monitor degradation.
C. Moderate defect, schedule maintenance.
D. Severe defect, repair as soon as possible.
E. Component failed, repair immediately.
Transmission lines within the boundaries of the Colorado River Storage Project Management Center
territory are maintained by the Rocky Mountain and Desert Southwest regions.
WESTERN AREA POWER ADMINISTRATION
7
TRANSMISSION LINE INSPECTION DATA
Transmission Line Structure
Defciencies by Material
Transmission Line Structure
Defciencies by Component
84%
36,982
40,000
Number of structures
Number of deÿciencies
35,000
30,000
25,000
20,000
15,000
10,000
5,000
0
15,000
12%
5,328
Steel
9,000
6,000
3,000
4%
1,514
Lattice
12,000
0
Wood
Brace
Crossarm Insulator
Lattice
Steel/
Concrete
Transmission Line Maintenance Items by Cause
Hours
0
7,000
14,000
Conductor 869 2%
Crossarm 526 1%
Debris in Line 232 0%
Fiber Optic 45 0%
Fire 324 1%
Insulator
1,077 2%
Line Interruption
1,142 2%
1,958 4%
Misc/Other
Patrol
Pole/Structure
6,827 13%
Right of Way/Access
1,357 3%
Static Wire 527 1%
Storm/Weather
4,633 9%
Vandalism/Theft 66 0%
Vegetation Management 879 2%
Wildlife 23 0%
X-Brace 446 1%
21,000
28,000
35,000
32,591 61%
Total hours
53,522
Commentary: The data is for preventive, reactive, corrective and emergency maintenance work combined
for all types of transmission line structures.
8 2021 ASSET ALMANAC
Pole
Wood
Vibration
Damper
TRANSFORMERS
The transformer asset class includes power transformers, grounding transformers, oil-flled reactors and phase-shifting
transformers.
Electrician explains how annual oil samples are collected from a 345/230-kV transformer in WAPA’s Rocky Mountain region.
TRANSFORMER ASSETS OVERVIEW
Transformer Count by Region
WAPA
Commentary: Single-phase assets are counted as stand-alone when part of a three-phase
transformer bank.
497
CRSP MC
63
13%
DSW
71
14%
RM
21%
102
SN
60
12%
UGP
40%
201
0
100
200
300
400
500
Number of Assets
WESTERN AREA POWER ADMINISTRATION
9
TRANSFORMER ASSETS: RISK AND HEALTH INDEX OVERVIEW
Trend: Exceeds Risk
Threshold > 2
30
29
28
27
25
25
28
25
Number of Assets
21
20
15
10
5
0
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
Commentary: Transformer risk is quantifed by understanding the consequence of asset failure within the
transmission system and correlating that to individual health scores.
Trend: Below Health Index
Threshold < 50
Number of Assets
3
3
3
3
2
2
2
1
1
1
0
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
Commentary: The health of oil-flled transformer-type assets is determined by feld information gathered on oil
condition, operations and maintenance history, electrical condition and age or design factors.
CRSP MC
DSW
10 2021 ASSET ALMANAC
RM
SN
UGP
WAPA
TRANSFORMER MAINTENANCE ITEMS
Power Transformers
Phase-Shifting Transformers
Hours
0
2,000
Hours
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000 12,000
0
4
Bushing
1,749 10%
Bushing 0 0%
Electrical
1,463 9%
Electrical 0 0%
1,499 9%
Phys-Strct
Total hours
17,088
Blanks
20 100%
Blanks
Hours
Hours
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
0
2,500
71
Bushing
65 2%
Bushing 0 0%
Electrical
77 2%
Electrical 0 0%
LTC
527 16%
124 4%
Phys-Strct
83 3%
Blanks
142
213
284
355
Insulation 0 0%
0 0%
Mechanical
20
Grounding and Mobile Transformers
Oil-Filled Reactors
Insulation
Total hours
Phys-Strct 0 0%
11,291 66%
0
20
Mechanical 0 0%
636 4%
Mechanical
16
LTC 0 0%
58 0%
LTC
12
Insulation 0 0%
392 2%
Insulation
8
LTC 0 0%
Mechanical 0 0%
Total hours
3,303
Phys-Strct
2,427 73%
Total hours
0 0%
354
354 100%
Blanks
Commentary: The data is for preventive, reactive, corrective and emergency maintenance work combined.
WESTERN AREA POWER ADMINISTRATION
11
POWER CIRCUIT BREAKERS
The circuit breaker asset class includes all oil, gas, air and vacuum breakers.
230-kV oil circuit breakers, like these at a WAPA substation, are strategically being phased out of service and replaced with more efcient SF6
breakers. Assets such as these are replaced when asset-specifc data determines the need for replacement.
CIRCUIT BREAKER ASSETS OVERVIEW
Breaker Count by Region
1,764
WAPA
CRSP MC 200
10%
DSW
344
RM
279 16%
SN
293
20%
17%
648
UGP
0
37%
500
Number of Assets
12 2021 ASSET ALMANAC
1,000
1,500
2,000
CIRCUIT BREAKER ASSETS: RISK AND HEALTH INDEX OVERVIEW
Trend: Exceeds Risk
Threshold > 2
79
80
51
70
Number of Assets
60
51
50
40
37
38
41
43
32
30
20
10
0
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
Commentary: Power circuit breaker risk is quantifed by understanding the consequence of asset failure within the
transmission system and correlating that to individual asset health scores.
Trend: Below Health Index
Threshold < 50
12
12
11
10
Number of Assets
10
8
7
7
6
6
5
4
2
0
2016
2107
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
Commentary: The health of power circuit breakers is determined by feld information gathered on operations and
maintenance history, power system stress, age or design factors and obsolescence.
CRSP MC
DSW
RM
SN
UGP
WAPA
WESTERN AREA POWER ADMINISTRATION
13
POWER CIRCUIT BREAKER MAINTENANCE ITEMS
Gas Circuit Breakers
Hours
0
Bushing
2,200
4,400
6,600
8,800
11,000
43 0%
1,370 9%
Electrical
Insulation
829 6%
Mech-Hyd
577 4%
1,266 8%
Mech-Pneu
529 4%
Mech-Spring
Total hours
155 1%
Phys-Strct
14,973
10,204 68%
Blanks
Oil Circuit Breakers
Hours
0
500
Bushing
1,000
2,000
2,500
540 13%
Electrical
63 2%
Insulation
69 2%
Mech-Hyd
447 11%
Mech-Pneu
479 12%
Mech-Spring 0 0%
Phys-Strct
1,500
Total hours
4,032
21 1%
2,412 60%
Blanks
Commentary: The data is for preventive, reactive, corrective and emergency
maintenance work combined.
14 2021 ASSET ALMANAC
POWER CIRCUIT BREAKER MAINTENANCE ITEMS
Vacuum Circuit Breakers
Hours
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
Bushing 0 0%
99 15%
Electrical
Insulation
0 0%
Mech-Hyd
0 0%
Mech-Pneu
0 0%
Mech-Spring
28 4%
Phys-Strct
17 3%
Blanks
Total hours
655
511 78%
Commentary: The data is for preventive, reactive, corrective and emergency
maintenance work combined.
Field inspections and annual testing of assets like this 345-kV circuit breaker in WAPA’s Rocky Mountain region, are critical to WAPA’s AM
program.
WESTERN AREA POWER ADMINISTRATION
15
EQUIPMENT
Breakers >100-kV
100%
540
Coupling Capacitor
Voltage Transformers
2,910
42/8%
100%
Current Transformers
2,930
100%
317/11%
82/15%
80%
538/19%
80%
80%
722/25%
149/28%
60%
527/18%
60%
252/46%
60%
461/16%
381/13%
15/3%
40%
215/7%
40%
293/10%
40%
1,269/43%
1,117/38%
20%
20%
20%
0%
0%
0%
Commentary: Breakers <100-kV are not included
in the breaker asset class because they receive
only Health Index scores, rather than point-offailure, consequence or risk scores. They are
routinely monitored for missing data.
Cranes
Station Batteries
40
100%
2/5%
100%
696
80/11%
18/45%
80%
80%
60%
60%
5/12%
40%
40%
15/38%
109/16%
167/24%
Commentary: CTs, CCVTs and station batteries have
diferent risk and health scores than other assets due
to typically short lead times for replacement and the
current lack of individual asset health tests.
49/7%
290/42%
CRSP MC
20%
20%
0%
0%
Commentary: WAPA
Headquarters has one battery.
16 2021 ASSET ALMANAC
DSW
RM
SN
UGP
10-YEAR ASSET INVESTMENT PROJECTION
AM developed the WAPA Asset Risk Estimator, or WARE, for 10-year asset investment projections. WARE considers the
current known values and gives a projection for which assets will exceed threshold limits over the next 10 years.
AM evaluates existing health and risk thresholds annually based on input from stakeholders and subject matter
experts. The thresholds establish actionable boundaries on mitigation for individual assets. Mitigation may include
maintenance on the asset to bring it back within threshold, asset replacement or acceptance of risk. The evaluations
ensure that the data is validated against the observations and experience of the maintenance crews.
WARE RESULTS: POSSIBLE FUTURE INVESTMENT NEEDS
Possible Transformer Investment:
10-Year Outlook: 2022 – 2031
Possible Circuit Breaker Investment:
10-Year Outlook: 2022 – 2031
175
ASSETS
EXCEED
THRESHOLD
17
ASSETS
EXCEED
THRESHOLD
$60K
$55.1K
$40K
$30K
$10K
$0K
7
ASSETS
EXCEED
THRESHOLD
4
ASSETS
EXCEED
THRESHOLD
$10.5K
CRSP MC
3
ASSETS
EXCEED
THRESHOLD
$18.8K
$7.2K
DSW
$60K
$48K
$36K
$24K
0
ASSETS
EXCEED
THRESHOLD
$12K
$0
RM
SN
UGP
$82.2K
$72K
Conceptual Costs
Conceptual Costs
$50K
$20K
$84K
$0K
97
68
ASSETS
EXCEED
THRESHOLD
ASSETS
EXCEED
THRESHOLD
$24.0K
$19.2K
CRSP MC
DSW
117
97
ASSETS
EXCEED
THRESHOLD
ASSETS
EXCEED
THRESHOLD
$19.0K
$18.7K
RM
SN
UGP
Commentary: The WARE tool projects asset replacement using current health and risk data for the current year, but only uses age data
to extrapolate to future years. Mitigation options for assets that fall outside thresholds may include asset investment, replacement,
additional maintenance or accepting the risk.
WESTERN AREA POWER ADMINISTRATION
17
10-YEAR HEALTH AND RISK PROJECTION
Assets that fall outside of the established health and risk thresholds are identifed for mitigation actions.
The graphs below show a projection of health and risk values for the respective assets if current thresholds are
maintained, and all assets are replaced during the year in which they begin to exceed those thresholds.
RISK AND HEALTH INDEX FORECAST
Transformer Risk Score Forecast
Transformer Health Index Forecast
0.35
92
0.30
91
Health Index
Risk Score
0.25
0.20
0.15
0.10
89
88
87
0.05
86
0.00
2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031
2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031
Commentary: If the program thresholds remain at current
set points, average risk scores trend upwards. The risk
threshold is used to establish annual maximum risk, which
infuences but does not directly control average or median
risk. Reducing the current risk threshold may be a solution
to the climbing trend.
Commentary: Health forecasts remain steady, so no
adjustments to thresholds may be necessary.
Breaker Risk Score Forecast
Breaker Health Index Forecast
0.36
95
0.30
93
Health Index
Risk Score
90
0.24
0.18
0.12
0.06
91
89
87
85
0.00
2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031
Commentary: If the program thresholds remain at current
set points, average risk scores trend upwards in the short
term. As breaker replacement occurs, the risk scores then
stabilize. The risk threshold is used to establish annual
maximum risk, which infuences but does not directly
control average or median risk. Reducing the current risk
threshold may be a solution to the climbing trend.
83
2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031
Commentary: Health forecasts are increasing, so no
adjustments to thresholds may be necessary.
Average
18 2021 ASSET ALMANAC
Median
RELIABILITY-CENTERED MAINTENANCE
Reliability-centered maintenance, or RCM, is a systematic approach to developing an optimal maintenance strategy
that focuses on preserving important power system equipment functions. WAPA’s maintenance crews collect data as
part of WAPA’s RCM program. By knowing intended functionality of equipment, potential failures of equipment and
consequences to WAPA’s system, maintenance planning decisions can be made that balance an acceptable level of
operability with an acceptable level of risk. This focus on maintenance strategy makes the RCM program a valuable
resource when adding assets to the AM portfolio or improving the data-collection process for assets already in the AM
system.
Field crews inspect the functionality of the remote monitoring system for the 230/115-kV transformer at WAPA’s Coolidge Substation in the
Desert Southwest region.
WESTERN AREA POWER ADMINISTRATION
19
CREW HOURS OVERVIEW AS OF FYE 2021
Percent Direct:
2-Year Trend of the 4-Quarter Moving Average
20 Q2
20 Q3
20 Q4
21 Q1
21 Q2
21 Q3
21 Q4
Percent Administrative:
2-Year Trend of the 4-Quarter Moving Average
22 Q1
20 Q2
75%
26%
73%
24%
71%
22%
69%
20%
67%
18%
65%
16%
63%
14%
61%
20 Q3
20 Q4
21 Q1
21 Q2
21 Q3
21 Q4
22 Q1
12%
Goal
10%
59%
Commentary: This graph represents the percentage of time that
crews in each region and WAPA as a whole perform direct work on
WAPA assets, also known as wrench time. Wrench time includes
preventive, reactive, corrective and emergency maintenance;
construction; minor additions, enhancements and retirements; and
operations support. AM established the goal of 60% or more wrench
time for direct work based on industry benchmarking. Maximizing
wrench time for performing direct work is a measure of resource
management efectiveness. Rocky Mountain and Desert Southwest
regional Maintenance organizations maintain the assets of the Colorado River Storage Project Management Center (approximately 12%
of WAPA’s major assets), which are included in the graph.
DSW
RM
20 2021 ASSET ALMANAC
SN
UGP
WAPA
Commentary: This graph represents the total percentage of time
that crews in each region and WAPA as a whole perform administrative duties. Administrative duties include work activity such as
drawing updates, general engineering support, credit-card reconciliation and timekeeping. Training and compliance activities
such as training, attending meetings, union activities, safety and
security investigations and environmental inspections are also in
this category. Although no ofcial goal has been established, 25%
or less is considered acceptable due to the amount of training
and compliance activities (safety, environmental, North American Electric Reliability Council, Western Electricity Coordinating
Council, etc.) mandated for maintenance craft teams. Minimizing
administrative duties of craft personnel results in better use of
the employee skillset. Administrative work is tied to maintenance
organizations rather than specifc assets.
CREW HOURS OVERVIEW AS OF FYE 2021
Percent Overtime:
2-Year Trend of the 4-Quarter Moving Average
20 Q2
20 Q3
20 Q4
21 Q1
21 Q2
21 Q3
21 Q4
Percent RCM:
2-Year Trend of the 4-Quarter Moving Average
22 Q1
12%
20 Q2
20 Q3
20 Q4
21 Q1
21 Q2
21 Q3
21 Q4
22 Q1
99%
11%
97%
10%
95%
9%
93%
8%
91%
7%
Goal
6%
89%
Commentary: This graph represents the total percentage of time
that crews in each region and WAPA as a whole perform work
while in overtime. Although there is no set goal for this metric,
tracking percent overtime gives a fair indication of resource
(personnel) needs and system health. An excess of scheduled
overtime indicates the need for more full-time employees, while
excessive unscheduled overtime suggests problems with system
health, as emergency-type work often occurs during typically
non-working hours (overtime). RM and DSW regional maintenance organizations maintain CRSP MC assets (approximately
12% of WAPA’s major assets), which are reported with these regions in the graph. Note: the WAPA 4-Qtr Moving Average follows
the same trend as the RMR 4-Qtr Moving Average.
DSW
RM
SN
UGP
Commentary: This graph measures WAPA’s ability to maximize
preventive and reactive maintenance work (typically a planned
follow-up to issues discovered during preventive maintenance)
over corrective and emergency maintenance and is a key performance indicator for WAPA’s RCM program. There are no industry
standards published for this metric; however, WAPA has established its own standard based on historical data gathered over
the past 15 years. Reactive and preventive maintenance that represents 90% or more of maintenance work indicates a successful
RCM program. Falling below that threshold triggers an action plan
to address program improvements. RM and DSW regional maintenance organizations maintain CRSP MC assets (approximately
12% of WAPA’s major assets), which are included in the graph.
WAPA
WESTERN AREA POWER ADMINISTRATION
21
PREVENTIVE, REACTIVE, CORRECTIVE AND EMERGENCY MAINTENANCE
Maintenance-related work orders fall into four categories:
l Preventive maintenance, or PM, is planned work intended to predict, prevent or detect asset and component
failure or progression to failure. This work at WAPA is based primarily on time intervals but can also be
determined by counter readings, system events or asset condition.
l Reactive maintenance, or RM, occurs when a PM or a remote indicator alarm uncovers a degraded condition on
a functioning asset that can be mitigated before the asset’s function fails. Since the asset is still functioning as
intended, the repair can be planned and scheduled.
l Corrective maintenance, or CM, fxes a problem that has caused an asset to fail in its intended function. This
type of failure is not detected through a PM or alarm indication, making unplanned repairs necessary to restore
the asset to functionality. It difers from emergency maintenance in that the problem, while imminent, does not
require immediate attention. Corrective maintenance is typically follow-up work to emergency maintenance.
l Emergency maintenance, or EM, mitigates a sudden disruption of the power system or other emergency
condition and either restores unexpected loss of essential functions or mitigates the emergency condition. EM
warrants cessation of other assigned work and may result in sending crews out after hours. While EM focuses on
immediate restoration or mitigation measures, CM work typically follows EM to repair the item that caused the
emergency condition.
Overview of PM, RM, CM and EM
Hours
0
20,000 40,000 60,000 80,000 100,000 120,000
11,249 6%
CM
6,893 4%
EM
107,736 60%
PM
54,406 30%
RM
Total hours
180,284
Total hours
53,521
Transmission Line PM, RM, CM and EM
Hours
0
CM
EM
7,000
14,000
21,000
28,000
35,000
4,880 9%
1,278 2%
32,616 61%
PM
14,747 28%
RM
Commentary: These graphs represent the total hours WAPA spent performing RM, PM, CM and EM work outside of
planned preventative maintenance on all equipment for calendar year 2021. Transmission lines, transformer-type
equipment, power circuit breakers and substation equipment represent a portion of WAPA’s total equipment assets.
22 2021 ASSET ALMANAC
REACTIVE, CORRECTIVE AND EMERGENCY MAINTENANCE CATEGORIES
Transformer-Type Equipment PM, RM, CM and EM
Hours
0
2,000
CM
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
898 4%
2,001 10%
EM
8,381 40%
PM
RM
9,485 46%
Total hours
20,765
Total hours
19,659
Power Circuit Breaker PM, RM, CM and EM
Hours
0
2,000
4,000
CM
1,260 6%
EM
994 5%
6,000
8,000
10,000 12,000
11,914 61%
PM
RM
5,491 28%
Substation Equipment PM, RM, CM and EM
Hours
0
10,000
CM
3,672 5%
EM
4,091 7%
20,000
30,000
37,810 54%
PM
RM
40,000
22,861 34%
Total hours
68,434
Commentary: These graphs represent the total hours WAPA spent performing PM, RM, CM and EM maintenance on
all equipment for calendar year 2021. Transmission lines, transformer-type equipment, power circuit breakers and
substation equipment represent a portion of WAPA’s total equipment assets.
WESTERN AREA POWER ADMINISTRATION
23
DATA COMMUNICATION
AM carries on its commitment to continually develop and improve the utilization and visualization of asset data as
it makes strategic moves from traditional spreadsheets and databases to new visualization platforms. By leveraging
the use of valuable data that has been collected for several years through monthly and annual inspections of the
transmission system, AM has developed more accessible reports that have increasingly become integrated into WAPA
business decisions.
WAPA business units, from crews who install and maintain electrical assets to fnancial planners who guide WAPA’s
capital investment decisions, increasingly rely on AM data. Internal stakeholder groups include:
l Senior Leadership Team.
l Information Technology Senior Leadership Team.
l Regional rate-setting organizations.
l Acquisition Collaboration Team.
l Financial Leadership Council.
l Regional Asset Management specialists.
l Power Marketing Management Council.
l Regional capital planning groups.
l Power System Operations Council.
l Administrative Services Council.
l WAPA Maintenance
Management
tor Score Description,
Latitude
andCouncil.
Longitude
Component
bins:
A-Good
B-Minor
C-Moderate
D-Serious
Count of S
Sub Facto
Sub Factor
E-Risk
AR
Sub Factor Description
B
CO
C
G
I
KMEMB
LEG
©
© 2022
2022 T
TomT
omTom,
om, ©
© 2022
2022 Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation
Corporation
This Power BI chart provides a snapshot of transmission line component data WAPA wide. The visual summarizes the overall health of WAPA’s
transmission line structures and the rating of each component.
Users can select
a specifc
transmission lineHealth
system orIndex
structureScore
and see the
et Description
Structure
Asset
Description
Sub Factor
- COTTONWOOD, 230 KV, AIR-CW
ANCHOR_M
ARM_BRIDG
BODY_EXTN
BRACE_MPR
CONDUCTO
Health Index scores for each component, color coded by its maintenance
rating.

- WHITNEY (ARP-WIT-WNY), (WIT-WND),
ARP-WNY
24 2021 ASSET ALMANAC
- CASPER NORTH, 115 KV, A-CAS-N
- CASPER SOUTH, 115 KV, A-CAS-S
0-3, GA-WJ, 0-3
68.6
40 FOOT, GLA-WML, 7-4
69.9
40 FOOT, GLA-WML, 7-1
40 FOOT, GLA-WML, 7-5
40 FOOT, GLA-WML, 8-1
69.9
69.9
69.9

WAPA’s leadership in promoting asset management strategy in the electricity industry includes sharing AM reports
with outside stakeholders, including:
l Customers and regional and membership groups
representing them.
l Regional capital planning groups.
l North American Transmission Forum.
l Engineering and operating committees.
l Technical committees.
l Electric Power Research Institute.
DATA VALIDATION
AM’s validation process treats data as a strategic asset by applying standardized management practices, enforcing
rules surrounding data use and establishing consistent criteria for data acceptance. As this methodology gains
acceptance across WAPA, the data in AM reports will increase in quality and reliability.
To ensure data accuracy and reliability, AM validates data in two ways:
l Quantitatively – Reports on incorrect and missing data are prepared monthly to identify gaps in asset data that
may be skewing asset health or risk scores.
l Qualitatively – Knowledgeable feld crews corroborate asset management data as needed to ensure asset
scoring is representative of actual feld conditions.
CONTACT AM
Asset Management Program
Western Area Power Administration
www.wapa.gov/About/Pages/asset-management.aspx
Chris Lyles, VP of Project and Asset Services
720.962.7249
lyles@wapa.gov
WESTERN AREA POWER ADMINISTRATION
25
Western Area
Power Administration
WESTERN AREA POWER ADMINISTRATION
P.O. Box 281213
Lakewood, CO 80228-8213
www.wapa.gov
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF
ENERGY