Hosted by Burns & McDonnell

We convened utility executives, engineers, asset managers, and data specialists for a two-day workshop focused on advancing asset health and substation modernization practices. The workshop explored how utilities are adapting to capital constraints, risk-based planning needs, and rising customer expectations while integrating predictive analytics, digital substation technologies, and cross-functional governance frameworks.

The workshop highlighted the following focal points:

• Shifting from Reliability to Resiliency: Utilities emphasized the importance of moving beyond traditional reliability metrics to assess system resilience in response to climatedriven events and evolving customer needs.

• Data-to-Decisions: Utilities face ongoing challenges with standardizing asset health indices (AHI), integrating inspection data, and aligning condition assessments with investment prioritization.

• Technology-Driven Insights: Case studies showcased cloud-based data architectures, GIS and sensor integration, and early-stage digital twin efforts to inform lifecycle planning.

• Organizational Alignment: Participants debated how asset management, planning, engineering, and operations can better define roles, break silos, and align around investment decision-making.

• Risk and Value Frameworks: Utilities are beginning to implement value-based planning tools that integrate financial, reliability, and regulatory drivers—despite limited data maturity in some areas.

• People & Process: Discussions highlighted the critical role of change management, training, and stakeholder buy-in in ensuring new tools and analytics deliver real operational value.

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