Globally, we rely on established infrastructure to facilitate our day-to-day life. The consequences of incidents in utilities infrastructure are widespread and failure can affect many people in both domestic and industrial settings.
Our Network of Experts have experience working with clients in numerous aspects of infrastructure.
- Energy – Including power generation, distribution, electrical grid, substations and local distribution; natural gas pipelines; petroleum pipelines and district heating systems.
- Water Management – Including water distribution, wastewater treatment and sewage, irrigation, flood control, coastal management and dams.
- Communication Systems – Fibre optic cables, telephone lines, mobile phone networks, television transmission and undersea cables.
All infrastructure operates using complex engineering principals. A solid understanding of these principals is necessary to ensure the continued operation of infrastructure and therefore the ongoing benefits to society.
Technical Expert Service
Many legal disputes arise regarding infrastructure, whether as part of a construction dispute or regarding contractual responsibility of providers to maintain continuous service. Understanding the particulars of any such dispute is critical to resolving matters.
Examples of matters for which we have been asked to provide technical services for include:
- Standards of work involving the commissioning and completion of electrical connections in different applications and where the safety of connections is concerned.
- Multiple instances where underground connections were damaged during construction works or because of ageing underground facilities. We have been asked to opine on whether contractors had adhered to the best practices.
- Contributing factors to a failure in a transformer following the replacement and upgrade of a tapchanger.
- Ascertaining the root cause of a power failure that affected a water treatment plant, resulting in flooding.
- The disconnection of a private business from the electrical supply following a Dangerous Situation Notice.
Forensic Investigation
At any stage in the generation and distribution of electricity, failure and disaster can arise due to multiple factors, including fires and explosions, electrical faults, mechanical failures, flooding and high winds, as well as installation defects (poor workmanship), manufacturing defects, and design defects.
We have investigated a number of losses involving electrical distribution systems (including power generation, power distribution grids, substations, and local distribution networks), as well as water treatment plants, communication systems (including mobile networks and television broadcasting networks), undersea cables, and others.
Risk Management
CEERISK experts have carried out comprehensive pre-risk surveys of many utility networks around the world. When asked to provide risk assessments, we consider potential threats, as well as the anticipated frequency of occurrence and severity of consequences should these hazards manifest.
As part of our risk assessments, we look at the risk of machinery breakdown, corrosion, and power loss, in addition to the risk of fire and damage caused by flooding or other natural disasters/acts of God. We also look at corrective actions that are taken to reduce and mitigate risk, providing detailed recommendations for how risk management can improve the overall risk profile of a plant.
We are also able to review existing standards and practices within a region in order to advise on compliance with appropriate regulations. Where an area is found to not be in compliance, we advise on improvements that can be made..
Risk Modelling
A qualitative risk assessment willidentify potential hazards and consequences, as well as review current management practices. Utility companies often require information in the interest of future planning.
CEERISK partners with experts that provide risk modelling services, such as:
- Identifying vulnerability to systems
- Predicting potential failures
- Calculating probability of failures and associated consequences
Risk modelling tools allow organisations to make informed decisions regarding the maintenance, management and replacement of assets.
By identifying potential failure events and the probability that these events will occur organisations are able to prepare appropriate mitigative measures to reduce the impact of such an incident, as well as producing contingency plans that help return utilities to operation as soon as possible in the occurrence of such an event
