Research: Utilities x Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Latest research and articles

March 6, 2025

Enabling a unified intelligence layer in Utilities

A unified intelligence layer integrates data from diverse utility systems—like SCADA, smart meters, and GIS—into a single platform, enabling real-time insights, predictive analytics, and automation. This holistic approach reduces downtime, enhances resource allocation, and improves service reliability. By proactively identifying and addressing issues, utilities can streamline operations, ensure regulatory compliance, and make data-driven decisions that drive efficiency and cost savings.

February 10, 2025

Utility risk: Integrating SCADA/ADMS with ML

Many Utility companies rely on SCADA and ADMS systems alongside detailed inspection reports. Yet, a critical flaw remains—these systems don’t automatically alert operators when real-time sensor data deviates from expected norms, leaving utilities vulnerable to failures, service disruptions, and costly reactive maintenance. The solution lies in AI-driven integration, where AI and ML bridge the gap between inspection data and live monitoring systems. By enabling immediate alerts for deviations, this approach enhances proactive risk management, reduces maintenance costs, improves compliance, and strengthens stakeholder confidence. Smarter systems that continuously learn from historical and aggregated utility data ensure that minor issues are detected before they escalate into major failures.

January 2, 2025

Optimizing pole maintenance with AI: Reducing truck rolls

Rolling a truck for utility maintenance costs an average of $5,000 per deployment, but drone automation could reduce these costs by up to 90%. Traditional truck-based inspections are expensive, time-consuming, and labour-intensive. Drones with advanced sensors and imaging capabilities provide a faster, safer, and more cost-effective alternative, enabling real-time data collection and improved predictive maintenance. As drone technology and regulatory frameworks advance, their role in utility operations will continue to expand, driving efficiency and reliability in the industry.

December 12, 2024

Digital twins are revolutionizing Utilities

Digital twins are real-time virtual replicas of physical systems that help utilities optimize operations, reduce costs, and improve reliability. They enable predictive maintenance, informed decision-making, and grid optimization, including renewable energy integration and scenario testing. Key applications include faster storm response and efficient network planning. While challenges like data quality and integration exist, AI-powered digital twins are essential for modernizing utilities.

November 21, 2024

Utility Analytics Week learnings from Chicago

The utility industry is experiencing a pivotal shift in its approach to analytics and artificial intelligence, according to insights from Utility Analytics Week 2024 in Chicago. While utilities have traditionally relied heavily on platforms like Azure and PowerBI, there's growing recognition of the need to move beyond dashboard-focused solutions and basic chatbots toward more sophisticated AI applications. Industry leaders are seeking vendor-agnostic approaches that can deliver actionable insights rather than just data visualization. Senpilot's "AI in a box" solution addresses these evolving needs by helping utilities break free from single-vendor limitations while enabling scalable AI implementations across multiple use cases.

October 31, 2024

Top five misconceptions about AI in Utilities

AI in utilities often faces misconceptions. Rather than replacing human workers, AI enhances their roles by handling routine tasks. It also requires human oversight to ensure accuracy and adaptability. Scalable AI solutions make it accessible to utilities of all sizes, not just large companies, and while AI isn’t infallible, quality data and validation are critical to its reliability. Although implementing AI may seem costly, many tools integrate with existing systems, providing long-term efficiency benefits. Addressing these misconceptions can help utilities leverage AI for resilience and better decision-making.

October 23, 2024

Transforming Visualization: Senpilot's Magic Reports

Senpilot’s Magic Reports revolutionizes data visualization by using AI to generate interactive charts and reports instantly from natural language requests, making complex data accessible to all levels in a utility. The platform integrates real-time data and allows users to customize visualizations, enhancing accuracy, engagement, and decision-making efficiency. By leveraging AI-driven features like Natural Language Processing and interactive elements, Senpilot is leading the charge in making data insights more accessible and impactful.

October 10, 2024

Role of AI in enhancing grid and asset hardening

Grid and asset hardening, the process of making the grid more resilient to these challenges, is critical to ensuring a reliable power supply. Artificial Intelligence (AI) offers innovative solutions to enhance hardening efforts, providing utilities with powerful tools to predict, prevent, and respond to disruptions.

October 3, 2024

The AI Cake framework for Utilities

Roughly 90% of Utilities struggle to implement AI at level 3 as they hurry to complete levels 1 and 2 without thinking of the consequences. The AI Cake framework helps to bridge this gap.

Utility x AI Research

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The AI Cake framework for Utilities

Our guess as to the future of the energy value chain

Our guess as to the future of the energy value chain

Our guess as to the future of the energy value chain

Our guess as to the future of the energy value chain

Latest research and articles

Enabling a unified intelligence layer in Utilities

Utility risk: Integrating SCADA/ADMS with ML

Optimizing pole maintenance with AI: Reducing truck rolls

Digital twins are revolutionizing Utilities

Utility Analytics Week learnings from Chicago

Top five misconceptions about AI in Utilities

Transforming Visualization: Senpilot's Magic Reports

Role of AI in enhancing grid and asset hardening

The AI Cake framework for Utilities

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