Today’s Energy Risks Demand Better Grid Intelligence

Costs associated with grid disruption are rising. Major US power outages cost electricity customers $121 billion in 2024, while rising electricity demand, changing generation mixes and more frequent extreme weather are creating increasingly complex network conditions. For utilities, this complexity makes operational decisions more consequential – and harder to make – because teams must interpret changing grid conditions and assess their implications for reliability, capacity and investment.

Meeting this challenge requires a new generation of grid monitoring and analytics tools that can turn growing volumes of network data into actionable intelligence. The financial value of this shift is already becoming clear. Reactive Technologies’ direct measurement of grid inertia and system strength has helped the UK’s NESO optimize decision-making using real-world system conditions rather than conservative assumptions, contributing to £122 million in annual system cost savings.

In our Smart Innovators report on grid monitoring and analytics, we examine how 16 vendors are responding to this challenge through innovative approaches to real-time network monitoring, predictive risk and resilience, and operational intelligence. The research explores where vendors are differentiating, how utility requirements are evolving, and which technologies are likely to shape the next generation of grid operations.

Utilities are asking grid monitoring solutions to answer increasingly complex questions

Historically, grid monitoring solutions were designed to answer a relatively straightforward question: what is happening on the network right now? Increasingly, utilities need answers to more challenging questions:

• Where are future risks likely to emerge?
• Which assets are most vulnerable to failure?
• How can existing infrastructure accommodate new loads and renewable generation?
• Where should scarce capital be deployed to deliver the greatest resilience benefits?

Vendors are starting to answer these questions in novel ways. For example, Ampacimon’s dynamic line ratings have delivered capacity gains of 10-40% by identifying additional capacity within existing infrastructure, while Neara’s predictive modelling has supported the prioritization of a $1.5 billion utility capital programme. Together, these examples show how grid data usage is moving beyond visibility to inform how utilities manage capacity, risk and investment.

For detailed insights into the key areas of innovation shaping the next generation of grid monitoring and analytics, read the full report Smart Innovators: Grid Monitoring And Analytics.