An article published by Princeton University and analyses carried out by several energy publications show that, internationally, operation and maintenance costs generally represent between 1% and 4% of the construction costs of energy projects. In Romania, however, the level of investment at this stage is significantly lower, said Elena Popescu, CEO of Electra Renewable Support.
“Princeton University in the US published an article in which, along with several energy publications, the share of operating and maintenance costs compared to construction costs was analyzed. The conclusion of most analyses is that for solar energy, the costs are approximately 1–2%, for wind energy 2–4%, for gas also 1–2%, while for thermal power plants the share is much higher. The reality in Romania today is that, if we analyze O&M costs or investors’ willingness to allocate money for these services, we are about five times below the average calculated by Princeton,” said Popescu, at Energynomics Day, on the premises of the Green Energy Expo & Romenvirotec.
She said that O&M are essential for the long-term performance of energy projects, including those from renewable sources, and compared energy investments to a house that, if not maintained, deteriorates over time. In the field of asset management, there are also technical benchmarks on the impact of preventive maintenance on costs. The ISO 55000 standard includes the 1-5-200 principle, according to which proper preventive maintenance can avoid costs five times higher for corrective interventions and even 200 times higher in the case of major damage.
Furthermore, clearer recognition of the role of operation and maintenance activities could contribute to improving service quality and protecting investments in the energy sector. Currently, some investors consider the most difficult stage to be the construction of the project, but long-term financial performance depends largely on how the technical operation of the facilities is carried out.
The conference Energynomics Day was organized by Energynomics, on the premises of the Green Energy Expo & Romenvirotec, with the support of our partners: Elektra Renewable Support, Baringa, Big Store, Think Blu Solution.