Robert Otal, P.Eng., CAMA
Senior Advisor, Asset management
Power advisory and asset management
As the energy sector progresses toward decarbonization and electrification, power systems face growing pressure to deliver safe, reliable and efficient supply while maintaining affordable rates. Adapting to this evolving landscape requires strategic approaches. Proactive asset management is pivotal in supporting long-term performance, mitigating risks, enhancing sustainability and enabling power industry players to secure the necessary funding.
Power advisory and asset management
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Addressing aging assets while supporting the energy transition
Your energy assets are crucial for the long-term reliability and efficiency of your infrastructure. However, as they age, they become more vulnerable to deterioration, increasing the risk of failures that can lead to unplanned outages and costly repairs. As companies shift toward decarbonization and electrification, power systems must evolve to provide new value while maintaining high performance.
Your challenge in balancing key priorities:
- Aging infrastructure: key assets, such as transformers and substations, require timely assessments and upgrades to ensure reliability.
- Budget constraints: utilities must prioritize investments, balancing modernization needs with limited financial resources.
- Regulatory pressures: compliance with evolving standards drives infrastructure investments, requiring companies to minimize the financial impact on customers while maintaining higher performance standards.
- Grid modernization: incorporating renewable energy and managing the rise in electric vehicle adoption require companies to digitalize power systems and adopt new technologies.
- Risk management: this is essential for predicting failures, optimizing asset life cycles and leveraging analytics to maintain system stability.
At BBA, we align with your evolving needs, ensuring your equipment and operations remain safe and reliable today while exploring innovative ways to improve them for the future.
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We co-create value with our clients: optimizing asset performance and reducing costs
We’re the trusted partner companies rely on to mitigate risks, prevent breakdowns and uphold client satisfaction—all while keeping capital and maintenance investment plans in focus.
We’ve supported industry-leading clients worldwide, including:
- Power utilities
- Energy service providers
- Commercial and industrial organizations
Our multidisciplinary team of engineers, statisticians, data scientists and management consultants strengthens both strategic planning and operational decision-making. Our proven frameworks have been validated in regulatory proceedings and drive continuous improvement initiatives, ensuring your infrastructure delivers long-term value and performance. At every stage of your asset management journey, we provide scalable, adaptable solutions tailored to your needs and pace.
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Asset management and planning
BBA’s team of seasoned asset management experts, accredited by the Institute of Asset Management (IAM), blends deep industry experience with rigorous standards and best practices. This makes us well-placed to support clients in establishing, enhancing and continuously improving their asset management strategies. We deliver custom solutions that align with each client’s specific needs, optimizing asset performance and maximizing value throughout the life cycle.
- ISO 55000 audits and compliant asset strategies
- Asset management maturity assessment
- Asset management policy and strategic asset management plan
- Asset management plan development
- System reliability forecasting models
- Comprehensive asset life cycle optimization, offering strategies to extend asset lifespan and manage refurbishment options
- Asset management training from entry levels to executive levels to
- Investment planning and business case development
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Asset analytics
BBA's approach to asset management leverages advanced analytics to deliver real-time insights into asset health and performance, helping predict failures and support strategic investment decisions. Adopting this proactive method helps clients improve operational efficiency, minimize risks and ensure long-term sustainability. It also ensures compliance with evolving regulatory and environmental standards, helping our clients navigate industry changes effectively.
- Development of health index and asset condition assessment frameworks
- Implementation of lifecycle and risk-based analytics
- Real-time condition monitoring and performance insights
- Actionable investment recommendations for both short- and long-term planning
- Grounding and bonding analyses
- Substation condition assessments (non-destructive testing, drone inspections)
- Legacy asset valuation for acquisition purposes
- Digital solutions to modernize asset management and enable data-driven decision-making
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Forecasting and failure analysis
BBA’s expertise in load forecasting and failure analysis enables power systems to predict demand and optimize capacity planning, leveraging trends such as electrification and shifting regulations. We develop advanced predictive models that integrate seamlessly into system architecture. These models optimize asset performance, life cycle management and reliability, while supporting risk mitigation and ensuring compliance with industry standards.
- Top-down and bottom-up load forecasting
- Custom predictive solutions for system loading, risk and reliability
- Strategies leveraging industry trends (e.g., electrification, regulatory changes)
- Seamless integration of advanced forecasting models into system planning
- Failure rate forecasting to guide strategic, risk-informed decisions
- Long-term load forecasting for peak demand, electric vehicles and distributed energy resources (DER)
- Advanced failure probability analyses specialized for systems like underground cables
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Maintenance strategy
BBA develops proactive, risk-based maintenance strategies that minimize unexpected failures, extend asset life cycles and lower operational costs. By emphasizing timely interventions and adherence to industry standards, we help enhance system resilience and support the sustainability of power assets. Our cost-effective solutions account for budget constraints while addressing the need to modernize grids to integrate renewable energy and electric vehicles, securing long-term operational success.
- Development of tailored, risk-based maintenance strategies to minimize costs and downtime
- Focus on reliability-centered maintenance (RCM) and compliance with safety standards
- Proactive maintenance planning through asset health assessments and predictive insights
- Safety risk mitigation for substations, manholes and vaults
- Substation structure maintenance recommendations using advanced techniques (non-destructive testing)
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Regulatory and policy
BBA’s team of policy and regulation experts remains ahead of energy sector developments, providing strategic consulting to help utilities navigate complex regulatory landscapes. We offer tailored insights, design client engagement programs to inform investment planning. We also support utilities with comprehensive solutions, including third-party witness reports, prudency reviews and peer benchmarking. Our goal is to ensure that clients are well-prepared for rate applications and non-regulatory funding, helping them align their operations with evolving regulations and customer expectations.
- Rate application development and support
- Regulatory witness reports and testimony
- Investment planning and business case development
- Strategic review and planning for utilities
- Guidance through regulatory processes, audits and third-party reviews
- Audit and assurance services for capital projects
- Industry benchmarking
- Policy development and review
- Support in navigating industry standards and securing regulatory approvals for infrastructure upgrades
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Project scoping, prioritization and evaluation
Our team of experts guides strategic decisions for reliability, asset replacement and capacity planning. We prioritize projects based on risk, performance and investment needs, ensuring efficient resource use. By thoroughly evaluating various project alternatives, we help clients optimize long-term infrastructure performance, sustainability and regulatory compliance. We also provide insights into value frameworks for asset optimization and long-term management, enabling informed, cost-effective decisions throughout the project life cycle.
- Guidance in strategic decision-making for reliability, asset replacement and capacity planning, including renewable energy integration
- Prioritization of projects based on risk, performance and investment needs
- Support for asset replacement plans and value frameworks for optimization
- Comprehensive service model assessment for long-term facility management and sustainability
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Risk advisory
BBA helps organizations effectively mitigate risks by integrating power asset management, climate adaptation and digital transformation. Our approach bridges the gap between corporate strategies and operational execution to enhance resilience, support decarbonization and facilitate smart grid implementation. With decades of expertise, we help utilities navigate emerging risks and optimize energy infrastructure for long-term sustainability.
- Enterprise risk management for utilities
- Climate adaptation and disaster recovery
- Smart grid strategy development
- ESG and decarbonization initiatives
- Energy load analysis and resilience planning
- Digital transformation for data and asset management
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Alex Ferguson, P.Eng.
Director, Asset Infrastructure and Advisory Services
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Riley Prescott
Senior advisor - Load forecasting and market impacts
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