Abstract: Cost reduction in electric power generation is a major management concern, and it is therefore necessary to reduce maintenance expenses while upholding plant reliability. A maintenance optimization system "FREEDOM", which uses RBM technique, DCF (discounted cash flow) and NPV (net present value) calculation functions, has been newly developed. This system probabilistically evaluates the lifetime of boiler and turbine and quantitatively calculates the risk defined as the cumulative probability of failure multiplied by the consequence of failure. Economically optimized timing of inspection and alternative countermeasure such as repair and replacement are then recommended. This system has already been applied to seven plants in Japan, and its effectiveness has been confirmed.

Key words: plant asset management, risk based maintenance, probabilistic life assessment