A methodology for reliability assessment of substations using fault tree and Monte Carlo simulation.

This work presents a new methodology for reliability assessment of power substations. The proposed methodology is based on a combination of two different techniques for reliability studies, which are fault tree and Monte Carlo Simulation. Usually, these techniques are individually used for reliability evaluation purposes, but the solution here presented shows the advantages of combining both of them. Results reveal that by using a new procedure, based on these well-understood techniques, vulnerable points can be identified in power substations, thus being a useful tool for deciding on new investments allocation. Firstly, the presented methodology is evaluated by using a system analytically solved, confirming its accuracy. Secondly, the proposed methodology is compared to a conventional method for reliability studies, showing its practical applicability, since both of them show the same expected results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]