Audit of Significant Equipment Failure Risk - Energy Delivery

Because of the importance of a reliable transmission system, the OIG audited the risk of significant equipment failure in the Energy Delivery (ED) organization. ED identified four specific actions in its enterprise risk management documentation to mitigate the risk of significant equipment failure. We found the identified mitigation strategy and supporting actions were appropriately designed; however, a lack of funding to the asset preservation program contributed to ED's inability to effectively reduce the risk as planned. While the risk was not being reduced as planned, ED was managing the risk by performing preventive maintenance and replacing assets as funding permitted. In addition, we found improvements were needed in ED's risk documentation. Specifically, we found certain actions included in ED's risk documentation did not directly affect the risk rating or mitigate risk. Conversely, the risk documentation lacked the preventive maintenance program and planned actions for implementing a critical spares program designed to further manage risk. Summary Only