Navigating Rollouts: Paths to Success

Utilities today face a monumental task: modernizing an aging grid while integrating new technologies like DERs, smart meters, and EV chargers. As we’ve covered in our recent posts, the need for a smarter, more resilient grid is clear:

• Why PLTE and AMI 2.0 Are Key to the Future (Read More)
• Preparing the Grid for Distributed Energy Resources (Read More)
• The Case for Resilience and Smarter Networks (Read More)

But how utilities modernize is just as crucial as why. Lessons from adjacent industries, such as the telecom industry, can serve as a cautionary tale. Telecom faced similar challenges in large-scale rollouts: fragmented project visibility, complex vendor relationships, and increased technological demands. Projects often stumbled under outdated methods, like managing tasks through spreadsheets, emails, and disconnected trackers - resulting in costly delays, wasted investment and slow deployments.

Challenges in Utility Rollouts: Complexity Needs Clarity

Utilities are dealing with a daunting amount of data, sites, vendors and projects. Without a single source of truth, keeping all stakeholders aligned can feel like juggling in the dark.

Managing Enormous Data Sets and Tasks

Utilities often handle projects with thousands of sites, each requiring hundreds of tasks—resulting in hundreds of thousands of activities to track. Keeping all this organized and aligned is challenging, especially when dealing with fragmented data and disconnected tools.

Limited Skilled Resources

The energy industry is grappling with a shortage of skilled labor. Utilities can’t afford to have their teams bogged down by manual oversight of every task. They need to focus on exceptions - the critical issues that could derail a project if not addressed immediately.

Tight Margins Across the Supply Chain

In an era of rising costs and shrinking budgets, even a slight inefficiency can impact overall profitability. There’s no room for excess spending or unexpected delays in today’s market.

Increasing Technological Complexity

As we discussed previously in our series, Utilities are having to manage a new, more complex grid. From distributed energy resources (DERs), including solar panels, wind turbines, and battery storage, to AMI 2.0 and a PLTE network to connect it all. Managing this shift requires in-depth planning and reliable execution, whilst ensuring efficiency from the start.

Challenges in Network Rollout

Rolling out a new network is no easy task. It involves acquiring sites, navigating zoning regulations, obtaining permitting, and aligning multiple stakeholders throughout the process. Keeping every moving part synchronized - while ensuring compliance and avoiding costly delays - requires strong coordination and real-time visibility.

Partnering with Trusted Experts for Efficiency

Efficiency isn’t just about technology - it’s about collaboration. Working with trusted partners can make all the difference. Turn-key providers like Sabre Industries, Inc. add value by handling everything from manufacturing and delivery to installation, commissioning, and maintenance. Meanwhile, partners like Hemphill LLC specialize in site acquisition, management, and shared infrastructure, streamlining rollouts and reducing delays. Software, such as Sitenna , can help coordinate program delivery and collaborate across the value chain.

The Role of Software in Overcoming These Challenges

Utilities can’t effectively manage these challenges with outdated tools like spreadsheets and endless email threads. Advanced software solutions help centralize data, automate workflows, and provide real-time insights, allowing utilities to focus on what really matters - delivering reliable, efficient service.

By consolidating project management, task tracking, communication - including collaboration with external vendors and contractors like Sabre Industries, Inc. and Hemphill LLC - and asset management into a single platform, utilities can eliminate duplication, reduce errors, and boost efficiency.

The Value of Integrated Software: How Sitenna Helps

Sitenna’s platform offers a comprehensive solution with features that tackle these pain points head-on:

1. Map-Based Interface See the status and location of every site in real-time, create and assign tasks, and track progress visually. This ensures a clear understanding of what’s happening across thousands of sites.
2. Collaborative Project Management Coordinate with contractors, engineers, and stakeholders using standardized workflows and templates. No more disconnected emails or version control issues—everything is streamlined in one place.
3. Seamless Integration Sitenna integrates seamlessly with existing systems and processes to avoid data duplication and inconsistencies.
4. Secure Platform Sensitive project data is kept secure, avoiding the risks that come with sharing critical information via email or other less secure channels.
5. User-Friendly and Adaptable The platform is flexible and user-friendly, allowing utilities to customize it without extensive coding or engineering hours. It’s a versatile solution that fits projects across telecom, EVs, and other infrastructure needs.

Conclusion: Building the Future, Together

Utilities today face challenges that require bold solutions. With complex projects involving thousands of sites, increasing technological demands, and growing customer expectations, there’s no room for fragmented communication or outdated processes. To succeed, utilities need clarity, efficiency, and integration - and that’s exactly what Sitenna offers.

At UBBA Plugfest, we’re eager to connect and show how we can help streamline your grid transformation. We’re also excited to partner with Sabre Industries and Hemphill Towers at the event, showcasing a complete approach to utility rollouts that covers everything from infrastructure and installation to management and maintenance.

Ready to explore what’s possible? Meet us at Plugfest and let’s start building the future, together.

#Plugfest #UtilityRollouts #GridModernization #Sitenna #FutureReady

A big thank you to the contributors for this post and to those joining us at UBBA Plugfest!

Daniel Campion | Richard Pain | Eoin Mullane | Garry Hart | Ross Kruchten | Monty Prewit | Scot Tinker | Scott Hemphill | Chrissy Robinson | Tom Bedics | Alan McIntyre | Bobbi Harris, MBA