Having developed the Common Framework for Capital Maintenance Planning and
assisted many companies in implementing best practice approaches for the
PR09 price review, Tynemarch have now released an integrated software
environment, PIONEER, in which to run an advanced suite of models. The cost
and service forecasting models cover both above and below ground assets
(non-infrastructure and infrastructure) using a variety of techniques - e.g.
mathematical, statistical, FMECA, dependency and fault trees - in a single
application.
Dee Valley Water has purchased a licence for PIONEER to give their asset
managers the in-house capability, for example, to optimise their mains
renewal programme to meet the service objectives within the AMP5 infrastructure
renewals budget.
The software will be installed ready configured with the company-specific
models that were calibrated by Tynemarch in support of the Dee Valley Water's
PR09 Business Plan. The analysis achieved a score of 95% which contributed
to their achieving the highest joint AMA score awared by Ofwat for a water-only
company. These forecasting models build on those used successfully for PR04
and cover bursts, interruptions to supply, leakage and quality service measures.
Tynemarch has worked closely with Dee Valley Water in the formulation of
asset management plans for above and below ground assets since before the
2004 Price Review.
Looking forward to PR14, PIONEER will ensure an embedded 'business as usual'
asset management capability within DVW, fully compliant with the Common
Framework but flexible to accommodate developments in Regulation.
Some of the key advances offered by PIONEER include:
A wide variety of model types are supported and accessible for users to
review or modify.
User configurable multi-criteria optimisation to meet service objectives,
cost constraints, resource limitations, etc.
Schematic and graphical outputs showing areas of risk and the effects of
expenditure on assets.
Recognition of repair, refurbishment and replacement as alternative interventions.
Prioritisation of investment, allowing the best possible level of service
to be achieved with the available resources.
Linkage to external asset failure consequence modelling software such as
MISER and other corporate data systems.
Full compliance with the Common Framework and flexible for future developments.
Combined under-ground and over-ground asset analysis, e.g. water mains,
trunk mains, pumping stations and treatment works, so that an integrated
analysis can be undertaken to balance risk.
Notes:
PIONEER is an intranet-based software tool which identifies the investment
and changes to operational strategy required to achieve a specified
level of service at least cost. More information can be found on the
PIONEER web page.
The first customer for PIONEER was United Utilities. The Ofwat Reporter
judged UU as "best in class" for implementing the Common Framework for PR09.
Dee Valley Water was formed in 1997 with the merger of the former Chester
Water Company and Wrexham Water Company.
Dee Valley Water is a water supply only company and covers 831 square
kilometres in North East Wales and the North West of England.
They operate eight impounding reservoirs, two river abstractions and two
groundwater sources to supply approximately 62 million litres per day to
over 258,000 customers.
Water is treated at six treatment works and the water is supplied through a
network of 1,940km of water mains, 25 pumping stations and 37 clean water
storage reservoirs.
1 Deadman, C., (2009) Power and Water Summit, 30-31st March, Abu Dhabi, UAE
