Rewiring the Grid: Scaling New Assets and Connectivity

Check out the previous posts in this series:

• AMI 2.0 & Private Networks
• Future-Proofing the Utility Network

Still to come, ahead of Plugfest 2024 :

• Deployment Pains: Navigating the Challenges of Complex Rollouts
• Security and Operations: Eliminating Single Points of Failure

The grid is evolving fast. Utilities are facing one of the most significant transformations in decades, moving from a traditional grid to a modern, dynamic network. The scale is massive, and so is the investment required. We’re talking about billions - potentially $1.5 trillion by 2030 just to modernize the U.S. grid alone.

The Traditional Grid is Dead

Historically, utilities managed centralized assets like power plants, transmission lines, and SCADA networks (Supervisory Control and Data?Acquisition) for operational control. Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) 1.0 automated metering for billing and basic system monitoring. Power flowed one way, from large generators to end users, and the infrastructure was simpler, predictable, and mostly reactive.

"The world of what was AMI is dead, long live AMI... its far more than just billing, its way more functionality that is literally, I believe, critical to keeping the lights on for our entire customer base" John Sala , Duquesne Light Company

Powering the Future: A Decentralized Grid Emerges

Now, utilities must handle a decentralized network with a far wider range of assets. The rise of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) such as solar, wind, small modular reactors (SMRs), electric vehicles (EVs), and battery storage (BESS) has made the grid more complex. According to BloombergNEF, global investment in clean energy hit $1.1 trillion in 2022 alone, and U.S. utilities will need a significant portion of that for grid modernization.

• AMI 2.0 brings millions of data points per second - far more than just for billing. It’s about managing real-time energy flows, identifying faults, and optimizing the grid dynamically.

• DERs are expected to grow to 387GW by 2025 in the U.S. alone. This shift demands significant upgrades to distribution networks, new connections, and edge data centers to support the immense computing power required to process these streams of data.
• Edge Data Centers, combined with AMI 2.0, create the "Brain of the Grid," allowing real-time decisions to balance and control energy supply.
• Private LTE (PLTE) networks - connecting everything from AMI 2.0, DERs and Field Crews - are required to bring the network together, ensuring secure, fast and resilient communication across the entire grid.

To give a scale of investment required, The National Grid in the UK - which is of similar size and customer base to Duke Energy Corporation or Southern Company in the US - plans to invest ￡60 billion ($78 billion) over the next five years to modernize its infrastructure to support this transition.

Big Tech is Swimming Close By

This week’s deals between X-Energy and Amazon and Kairos and Google show how digital and energy infrastructures are merging. Tech giants are securing sustainable power - like SMRs - to meet their growing energy demands. For utilities, this is a wake-up call. If they don’t modernize quickly - embracing DERs, Private LTE, and smart grids - they risk being disaggregated. The future of energy is digital, and utilities must adapt fast or face being sidelined by tech companies driving the energy transition who are moving too fast to wait.

'The investment by Amazon is the latest in a series of announcements by tech groups supporting nuclear projects as they rush to source low-carbon power that does not threaten their climate pledges.' Jamie Smyth , Financial Times

Data Is the New Power: PLTE's Role in Connectivity

Private LTE (PLTE) networks are crucial for the future of utility infrastructure. The modern grid, with its vast array of decentralized energy sources and smart devices, needs a secure, high-speed, and reliable communication backbone - and that’s where PLTE comes in. Unlike public 4G or 5G, PLTE is custom-built for enterprises - in this case utilities - providing dedicated bandwidth for critical data flow, real-time communication, and enhanced security.

Why PLTE is Essential

As AMI 2.0 brings millions of data points from assets such as DERs, smart meters, and EV charging stations, utilities need the ability to process this data instantly. PLTE networks, along with Edge Data Centers, ensure that data from grid assets flows efficiently, enabling real-time monitoring, rapid response to grid issues, and continuous optimization.

Unlike traditional SCADA systems, which are often limited by bandwidth and reliability concerns, PLTE provides a robust, scalable solution. This is especially critical as the number of connected devices grows - BloombergNEF estimates the market for smart devices and IoT-related solutions will reach $3 trillion by 2030. PLTE can handle these massive data flows securely and with low latency, making it essential for supporting grid modernization.

"Data is no longer going to come from tens of thousands, or hundreds of thousands of devices - it's going to come from millions of devices...the digitization of our life is now coming to the grid" Jason McClanahan , Anterix

As we discussed in the last post in this series , there are a number of opportunities and challenges to consider when deploying Private LTE.

Opportunities with PLTE

PLTE creates a reliable communication channel for critical grid operations, allowing utilities to:

• Connect distributed assets like solar panels, wind farms, and battery storage, and the millions of AMI assets in the field
• Enable smart field forces, who need real-time data and updates in the field.
• Secure sensitive data flows, ensuring utilities control critical infrastructure.
• Optimize operations by supporting millions of real-time data points from AMI 2.0 systems and advanced monitoring.

Challenges in Deploying PLTE

Despite its benefits, deploying PLTE comes with challenges:

• New Technology: PLTE requires utilities to master cellular technology - something traditionally outside their domain.
• New Assets: Utilities need to deploy and manage new assets like LTE towers, antennas, and edge data centers. This means more sites, more maintenance, and more complexity.
• New Operations: Running a PLTE network demands new skills and operational changes. Utilities must train teams and possibly even create new roles to handle the added responsibilities.
• Deployment and Configuration: Rolling out a network at scale isn’t easy. Site acquisition, permitting, and integration with existing systems require precision and experience. Even a small delay can ripple across a large project.

Transformation Won’t Be Easy

This transformation won’t be easy. Deploying and managing these new assets is complex. Utilities face hurdles around site acquisition, permitting, and integrating new technology with legacy systems. In our next post, we’ll dive into the specific challenges of deploying these networks and managing this vast new asset base.

The challenges facing utilities today require collaboration across industries to find innovative solutions. Events like Utility Broadband Alliance (UBBA) Plugfest bring together key players from utilities, telecoms, and technology sectors to explore and share best practices in building resilient, modern grids. By learning from industries like telecoms - where Private LTE networks have already transformed operations - utilities can adopt more agile, scalable communication infrastructures. Companies like Anterix are offering dedicated spectrum to ensure utilities have the bandwidth and security needed to support next-generation grid technologies. Through collaboration, shared learning, and events like Plugfest, the industry is working together to tackle the future of energy infrastructure head-on.

Sitenna: Your Partner in Grid Modernization

At Sitenna, we transform infrastructure asset management. Our recent PLTE deployment with Hemphill LLC for a major Oil & Gas client slashed both time and costs, demonstrating the ability of large organizations to deliver complex projects - in new asset areas - quickly and efficiently.

Sitenna’s integrated software platform, featuring GIS-enabled project management and Infrastructure Asset Management, offers real-time visibility throughout the entire deployment process. From site acquisition to infrastructure asset management, utilities gain full control and insight at every stage.

For utilities, this means a smoother transition into a modern grid, with fewer delays, better resource management, and a seamless integration of new technologies. Whether it’s deploying DERs, managing smart meters, or building out Private LTE networks, partnering with Sitenna gives utilities the tools they need to make it all happen - on time, on budget, and with minimal disruption.

Let’s Chat at Plugfest

Curious about the future of grid modernization? Meet us at Plugfest to explore how we can support you to streamline your efforts.

#SmartGrid #PLTE #AMI #EnergyTransition #Plugfest #UtilityInnovation #GridModernization #EnergyTransition #PrivateLTE #DERIntegration #SmartGrid #InfrastructureTech #AMI2.0 #FutureOfEnergy #UBBAPlugfest #CleanEnergy #SitennaSolutions #EnergyResilience #SmartEnergy #RenewableInfrastructure

Sources:

1. Utility Broadband Alliance (UBBA) Webinar. (2024) 'Road to Plugfest: Exploring the Evolution of AMI 2.0 ', UBBA, 24 September
2. Smyth, J. (2024) 'Amazon buys stake in nuclear energy developer in push to power data centres ', Financial Times, 16 October
3. Millard, R. (2024) 'National Grid plans ￡7bn capital raise to strengthen electricity network ', Financial Times, 23 May
4. BloombergNEF
5. The Economist. (2013) 'How to lose half a trillion euros ', The Economist, 15 October
6. The Economist. (2024) 'Clean energy's next trillion-dollar business ', The Economist, 1 September.

Check out the previous posts in this series:

• The Path to Plugfest: AMI 2.0 & Private Networks
• Future-Proofing the Utility Network