Electric utilities operate in a regulated environment, generally due to natural monopoly market structure, deliver an essential public good, and exist within a high transparency environment.
Challenges
- Planning in current innovation heavy environment
- Competitive pressures on periphery
– Distributed generation - Pressure to balance cost and service
– Service is a balance of reliability, safety, environment and similar risks
– Quantification
– Increasing social demands (e.g., greater environmental constraints) - Legacy circumstances
– Generational workforce turnover
– Innovation not easily embraced by incumbent and dominant market player
– Interconnection obligations and electrification
