Over the last three years Energex/ Ergon and now Energy Queensland have been transforming their asset inspection approach by using data and risk to inform what and where assets are to be inspected or replaced. Energy Queensland is placing emphasis on data and treating data as an asset. The use of data and predictive analytics can drastically improve network performance and importantly  focus company opex and capex budgets on the highest risk and oldest, poor condition assets.

Energy Queensland has developed several methods across different asset classes like poles, crossarms and conductor to predict replacement timing or have focused inspections based on asset criteria. This approach allows inspections and scoping of work to accurately target areas with our oldest and poorest condition assets. The use of data guiding asset inspections have resulted in improved inspection defect rates allowing for a reduction in inspection costs with focused asset replacement programs.