Whitepapers
Arc Flash: When to Assess Your Electrical System
Arc flash risk assessment on an electrical distribution system is crucial to identify arc flash hazards in the workplace and determine mitigation measures to protect the safety of employees as well as the general public. The National Electric Safety Code ...
Why BEAD Signals a Critical Moment for Strategic Planning
There’s no doubt that every broadband provider in the country will be affected by BEAD, regardless of whether or not they choose to participate. As funds start to roll out across the states, there will be more opportunity, more competition, ...
The Future of Data Centers: Ensuring Power Readiness
While demand for electricity is growing, the largest growth these days tends to be seen in states that have the most new data centers. This has some significant implications for electric utilities. According to a recent report from the U.S ...
The Opportunities for Growth in Utility-Scale Storage
As various technologies advance, they pose not only some challenges for electric utilities, but also some opportunities. One such technology is battery energy storage, which typically involves lithium-ion (li-ion) batteries combined usually with solar, but also with other sources of ...
Enhancing Grid Resilience: The Strategic Importance of System Hardening for Electric Utilities
According to a 2022 U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) report, modernizing, hardening, and expanding the grid will enhance the resilience of the nation’s entire electric system, and ensure that electricity is available to customers when it is needed most. For ...
The Four Steps to Successfully Navigating Complex Permitting Processes
As society continues to expand our digital universe, the development of broadband infrastructure has never been more vital, especially in underserved communities. The permitting processes required by federal, state, and local agencies play a crucial role in ensuring that broadband ...
Electrifying the Future: Projections, Challenges, and Opportunities in the U.S. EV Charging Network
A lot has been written about EVs, and, of interest to electric utilities, the nation’s EV charging network, which seems to be having trouble keeping pace with the increased number of EVs on the road. What is the latest? In ...
The Importance of Long-Term Planning
For some electric utilities, long-term strategic energy planning (a three-to five-year plan) is an integral part of their businesses. For others, it is on the “back burner.” And for still others, it is something that has never been done. What ...
Fifteen Possible Use Cases for AI in Broadband; It Could Save on Energy Too!
Use cases for AI in Telecom and Energy. Are you ready for the future of AI? ...
12 Practical Steps to Take While You Wait for BEAD
Broadband service providers (BSPs), utility companies, and local municipalities are in a waiting pattern as they seek to expand their networks with the upcoming release of the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program funding. While you wait for the ...
The Opportunities for Growth in Utility-Scale Storage
As various technologies advance, they pose not only some challenges for electric utilities, but also some opportunities. One such technology is battery energy storage, which typically involves lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries often combined with solar, but also with other sources of ...
Utility Poles Can Be A Big Asset In The Fiber Broadband Era
What utility companies need to know about make-ready requirements As the U.S. gets set to make an unprecedented investment in both energy and broadband, rural electric companies are considering what their involvement should be. As they do, it will be ...
Understanding the Metaverse – Are you ready for the next major shift in the internet?
Whether you know the term from science fiction, in reference to new technologies, related to Facebook’s name change, or from somewhere else, it’s likely you’ve at least heard of the metaverse. But what is it? The metaverse is a new ...
Putting Make-ready Requirements Into Context For The Broadband Era
As the U.S. gets set to make an unprecedented investment in both energy and broadband, rural electric companies are considering what their involvement should be. As they do, it will be important for them to recognize the important role that ...
How Vulnerable Is Your Network?
Electric utilities and broadband networks provide essential services to the communities and regions they serve. Yet, as these core industries, vital to our nation’s infrastructure, progressively continue to overlap into each other’s arenas, new vulnerabilities and security hazards are introduced ...
Distributed Energy Resources Play An Increasing Role In The “Green Future”
According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and numerous other governmental and private organizations and agencies, the “grid will continue to go green,” and DER (distributed energy resources) will play an ever-increasing role in this journey. An August 2022 ...
The value of Grid/system hardening measures for electric utilities.
It doesn’t really matter what part of the country your utility is located, it is virtually guaranteed that you will be subject to potential grid damage from at least one of a number of natural occurrences. These can include hurricanes, ...
Five Things to Consider Before BEAD funding – The calm before the storm
The Somewhat Calm Before the BEAD Funding Wave - Five Ways to Get Ready and Prepare There’s a broadband industry maelstrom going on right now as the federal government, the FCC, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), and state ...