REPLACEMENT DEFERRALS
Do we need to replace this now?
Learn moreThe situation
A major replacement is in the plan. It is expensive and conflicted, you have to decide if it is the right money to spend today.
What we knew
The conductors were scheduled for replacement based on asset age, risk modelling and limited condition evidence. Visual inspections identified isolated defects, but there was insufficient information to determine whether the full section required replacement.
What Rubric found
The conductors remained in acceptable condition across the assessed section. A small number of localised defects were identified, but the wider asset did not show evidence supporting near-term replacement.
What was decided
Localised defects were repaired and the wider replacement programme was deferred. Capital was reprioritised to higher-risk assets elsewhere on the network.
Why it matters
Deferral is not a saving. It is a better decision about when. The value is a replacement programme built on what the conductor is, not how old it is, and the evidence to defend that timing to a board and a regulator.
What this means for your network
If a share of your planned replacements is driven by age rather than condition, some of that capital is in the wrong year.
“Even if we’re spending the same money, if we’re spending the same money on higher-risk stuff, that’s a better outcome for the network. ”