Patent ID: 8126752

Claim:
A method to provide maintenance to an electrical power generation, transmission and distribution system including a generation facility and/or an electrical power transmission and distribution network system and equipment connected to said system for distributing electrical power, operated by a Utility, the method comprising the steps of: receiving information from an electrical power generation, transmission and distribution system reporting a condition of equipment connected to the system; sending an inspector/repairman to inspect the equipment connected to the electrical power generation, transmission and distribution system; accessing, by the inspector/repairman, a database of information relating to the electrical power generation, transmission and distribution system; generating at least one graphic image of the equipment utilizing an online inspection kit that includes a camera and an operator computer terminal with a communications link to the database of information relating to the electrical power generation, transmission and distribution system; generating an electronic report relating to the equipment via the operator computer terminal, the report including the at least one graphic image of said equipment; transmitting the report from the operator computer terminal via the Internet to the database; accessing the report at a help desk; receiving via at least one of the operator computer terminal and the help desk information about said equipment and/or said electrical power generation, transmission and distribution system; comparing at the help desk said stored information with the report; generating a maintenance recommendation at the help desk based on the report and the stored information and transmitting the maintenance recommendation from the help desk to the inspector/repairman; selecting a possible action for a repair or temporary measure; inputting technical details for modeling and/or simulating individual equipment and/or a part of a power network according to the possible repair or temporary measure; examining the modeling result and appraising the merits of the possible repair or temporary measure; and modeling an effect of any of, disconnecting lines, disconnection of a complete or partial load, reconfiguring the power network by disconnecting one switch and connecting another, operation of an equipment at reduced load, operation of an equipment at increased load.