Introduction: This research and development programme covers the area of Smarter Asset Management (SAM) and involves extensive research into condition monitoring, data analysis and data collection techniques. The purpose of SAM is to provide National Grid with safer, more efficient systems that will allow improved planning of maintenance and greater real time knowledge of asset conditions.

The aim of the projects is to address the complexities and viability of a substation wide Condition Monitoring (CM) solution on key primary and secondary plant. This will utilise a diversity of technologies and software tools currently available, and develop some under this project that enable ‘Smart’ Asset Management (SAM) via a unified platform. The output will be a review of the capabilities and limitations of the technology to provide guidance for justification, policy and strategy (AS3) and SAM.

It will also provide a ‘sand pit’ test bed to enable National Grid to evaluate other new R&D, technologies or processes in a pilot form before implementation within the company, there is currently no equivalent A type registration process for CM.

Objectives: In order to ensure that National Grid manages its assets as effectively and efficiently as possible it is important that the business enters a regime of proactive asset management where appropriate. Large scale integrated condition monitoring of transmission assets will allow failures to be predicted and/or mitigated, maintenance to be planned more efficiently and will improve the safety of staff by providing up to date knowledge of the condition of assets to which they are within a close proximity.