Reliability indicators for small hydro plants

During the past few decades, many small hydro plants have been built or renovated at existing weirs and dams in the Czech Republic. The installed capacity generally does not exceed 10 MW. Often inexpensive generating units are chosen, so that owners can have an acceptable payback period. However, the reliability of the machines may then be poor, which leads to frequent shutdowns and excessive repairs and maintenance. In this study, reliability indicators such as dependability and service life of the equipment at two small hydro plants are discussed. The reliability analysis and quantification of the reliability indicators were done based on data from performance logs of the units.