Since the Department of Energy first introduced the Grid Modernization Initiative, there has been a lot of talk about how utilities and other industry partners are approaching a modernized grid. After attending Distributech 2024, I wrote in my editor’s column for the Q2 2024 issue about the different ways industry experts I met with at the event interpreted grid modernization. I explained in that column how their responses depended on what role each company played in the electric energy sector. Although some utilities have made significant strides towards grid modernization, others continue to lag. However, industry partners around the globe recognize that to ensure successful results, collaboration between utilities and manufacturers or software developers is essential.

When it comes to grid modernization, utilities that partner with technology companies have a better chance of succeeding. It is those partnerships that drive innovation. With this in mind, I asked subject matter experts I met at Distributech this year how they are working with utilities. These conversations inspired many of the articles in this issue.

Piloting vegetation management: Sense & Georgia Power

Among the contributors to this issue that I met with at Distributech is Sense, a Massachusetts-based company that describes itself as a leader in grid intelligence. In his article on microsecond data on AMI 2.0 meters, Mike Phillips, who is the CEO and co-founder of Sense, presents a case study of a pilot project they conducted with Georgia Power. Phillips walks our readers through Sense's collaboration with Georgia Power on their program to enhance vegetation management. As Phillips explains, Georgia Power is installing Sense retrofit monitors into the homes of participating Atlanta-area customers. Installing these AMI 2.0 devices will provide a clearer picture of the local power grid to better understand when and where problems – like tree slaps – happen.

Georgia Power plans to use this detailed data to spot vegetation issues early and deal with them before they cause significant damage. They’ll also use what they learn from this test project to improve how they handle similar problems in the future. We will keep our eye on Sense to see how other utilities might adopt their pilot project for vegetation management.

Streamlining interconnection: envelio & Clean Power Research

Another organization I met at Distributech 2025 was envelio, a company that provides a software as a service solution to assist grid operators with energy transitions. In his article, “Modernizing the Grid: How Digitalization and Automation Are Transforming Utilities,” envelio CEO Luigi Montana lays out some of the challenges utilities face as electricity demand continues to grow.

Recognizing that all players in the electric energy space share the need to be interconnected to the grid, Montana points out that companies must automate, while also providing their end customers with increased information.

Montana focuses on a partnership envelio recently formed with Clean Power Research, a company that provides software, consulting and research services focused on clean energy solutions. The collaboration between both companies integrates envelio's Intelligent Grid Platform with Clean Power Research's PowerClerk,® which is CPR’s workflow management solution. This partnership between envelio and CPR will enable utilities to more extensively automate interconnection workflows, reduce project approval times and enhance grid transparency. As Clean Power Research CEO Jeff Ressler points out in the article, the collaboration helps utilities better manage the rapid growth of distributed energy resources like solar, storage and wind.

Tackling legacy challenges: Amidyne Solutions & Powertech Labs

One of the most interesting conversations I had at Distributech was with Amidyne Solution’s CEO Charles Johnson and Chief Operating Officer Christopher Johnson. Upon hearing them talk about the successful project that Amidyne took on to enhance Powertech’s PCB remediation process, it was clear that this was a story we needed to share with our readers.

The Grid Transformation Forum in this issue features a case study detailing the collaboration between Amidyne and Powertech Labs to help utilities comply with federal Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) regulations

Introduced in the early 1900s, PCBs were added to the oil in transformers as a coolant. Made out of synthetic chemicals, PCBs were used due to their non-flammability, chemical stability and insulating properties. However, over the years, PCBs have been found to be toxic to humans, animals and vegetation.

For those who need a refresher on PCBs, and how they went from being considered a viable coolant for transmission oil, to being recognized as harmful, the Amidyne case study begins with a short explanation.

Utilities are already juggling priorities like aging infrastructure, rising energy demands, regulatory compliance and the need for digital transformation, so issues like PCB remediation compound the challenges utilities are facing.

As the case study explains, Amidyne partnered with Powertech Labs on a pilot project to simplify sampling, testing and managing PCB regulation for energized pole-top and pad-mount transformers. While Powertech had already developed a system for testing and sampling transformers, Amidyne presented a solution to enhance that system.

After licensing Powertech’s live-line testing technology, Amidyne developed a proprietary mobile app, which creates a seamless process by providing back-office support teams and real-time site data acquisition. This process allows field workers to quickly inspect, locate, sample and replace transformers containing a high PCB content, saving significant time and costs.

Teaming up for a modernized grid

As the energy landscape rapidly evolves, one thing is clear: no single utility or technology provider can modernize the grid alone. The case studies and collaborative efforts highlighted in this issue reinforce the idea that successful grid transformation depends on strategic partnerships that bring together innovation, expertise and practical solutions. Whether it’s leveraging real-time data to improve vegetation management, streamlining interconnection processes through automation or tackling long-standing compliance challenges with smarter tools, these collaborations are paving the way for a more resilient, efficient and intelligent grid. The road to modernization may look different for each utility, but it’s the shared commitment to partnership that will ultimately drive progress.

As always, if you would like to contribute an article on an interesting project, please email me: Elisabeth@ElectricEnergyOnline.com

Elisabeth