Annual running costs are likely to vary as equipment ages. Most running costs have an Age Factor which allows you to define a variation in the costs, arising in a given year, from the different ages of a Resource installed in the network. The only exception is Connection Cost, which is only billed for new equipment. While Decommissioning Cost only occurs once at the end of a Resource’s life, the Age Factor is still relevant because it may be removed early.
Note: Age Factors are not normalised, so even in the Calibration Period, the costs arising from a newly-installed Resource may differ from the specified unit cost inputs.
Note: The decommissioning age factor applies relative to when the resource comes to the end of its physical life. This differs from the other age factors, which apply relative to the start of the resource's acquisition.