There is also an increasing emphasis on the requirement for capital investments in equipment and parts replacement to ensure outage times for equipment repair and maintenance are optimized.
Return on investment will need to be protected and enhanced in part by program improvements such as refurbishment or replacement of inefficient units with new high efficiency ones; improvements in the design of intake, flow passage, and tailrace hydraulics; and better tools for measuring productivity improvements achieved with planned initiatives.
Further ongoing reductions of capital outlay to ensure the continued production of low cost energy will require the development of improved maintenance and repair techniques. Such techniques are seen as using new processes and materials to extend equipment life. These procedures can speed up the repair process to reduce outage times, while condition assessment, equipment diagnosis, and monitoring can optimize “just in time” maintenance.
