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Resources for utility success

Explore resources based on modernization planning and community engagement needs

Leveraging resources for stronger public utility infrastructure

Many small utilities and co-ops prioritize reliable, economical and safe power generation for their customers. However, lack of funding and workforce to develop new technology applications for an individual system present a setback. Below is a repository of resources ranging from funding and grant opportunities to community engagement guides.

Explore the buttons below to determine next steps in modernizing your utility’s grid and infrastructure. Click within the pop-up on a specific step to find funding resources that support this step. 

Identify Modernization Goals & Community Priorities

Assessing Feasibility

Making a Modernization Plan

Building Your Team

Developing an Implentation Plan

Deploying a Low-Risk Technology

Demonstrating a New Technology

Technology Agnostic

Technology Choices Begin to Narrow

Technology Choices Begin to Narrow

Getting started with community engagement for modernization planning

Community engagement is a crucial aspect of the planning process for grid infrastructure modernization. Utilities must involve the communities they serve in the decision-making process to build trust, foster transparency and ensure that the modernization efforts align with the needs and values of the community. Click below to explore resources for understanding community engagement and how to get started. 

Community Engagement Toolkit
Community Energy Planning

Videos and webinars

Contact Us

Katie Carnahan, INL Communications

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Identifying Modernization Goals & Community Priorities

You have identified a gap in your infrastructure and are now starting to explore the oppositions available to you.

Key considerations may include:

  1. Establishing Objectives
    • Formalize internal discussions to define modernization goals based on anticipated utility needs.
    • Identify current needs that a modernization project would address.
    • Engage stakeholders in the information gathering process.
Resources to Support this Modernization Step
Assessing Feasibility

You’ve moved past initial internal discussions and are now focusing on defining specific needs and planning context.

Key considerations may include:

  1. Regional and Local Plans:
    • Identify relevant plans for land use, economic development, emergency response and associated data sources and agencies. Determine timeline intersections and potential collaborations for cost savings.
  2. Needs Assessment:
    • Short and long-term planning to identify current and future residential, industrial and commercial needs, considering best and worst-case scenarios.
  3. Historical and Social Factors:
    • Identify factors that could limit resource availability or affect community acceptance of technologies. Determine necessary resources, programs and time to address these barriers.
Resources to Support this Modernization Step
Making a Modernization Plan and Building a Team

You’ve narrowed the set of potential technologies that may address your need. You are now conducting scenario planning and also building your team.

Key considerations may include:

  1. Scenario Planning:
    • Compare multiple technologies or implementation approaches based on cost-effectiveness, performance requirements, necessary ancillary upgrade requirements or other key factors.
    • Combine considerations from internal priorities, community energy needs assessment, feasibility study and team building to select preferred scenario.
  2. Workforce Requirements:
    • Determine and assess the staff capabilities and needs.
  3. Team Formation:
    • Planning and team building may start at different times but will influence each other. Begin engaging with key stakeholders and building the coalition that will be needed for the project to succeed.
Resources to Support this Modernization Step
Developing an Implementation Plan

You’ve narrowed in on specific technologies and have explored how each would function for your system. Now, you need to pick a technology and develop a specific implementation plan.

Key considerations may include:

  1. Regulations:
    • Assess federal, state, and industry standards and regulatory requirements.
  2. New Locations and Facilities:
    • Study the history of land use and the surrounding community.
  3. Employee Readiness:
    • Ensure employees are educated and comfortable with maintenance and operations plans.
    • Determine if hiring is necessary to fill any new roles.
  4. Cost:
    • Identify financing options.
    • Develop short and long-term operation management plans.
    • Plan for software updates and associated costs.
    • Plan for predictive maintenance and associated costs.
Resources to Support this Modernization Step
Deploying a Low-risk Technology

You’ve determined a low-risk technology that you want to pursue. Now, you need to understand the benefits and costs associated with this technology and how to deploy it.

Characteristics of low-risk technologies include:

Security: Well-understood with extensive testing and lower security risks but still need updates.

Regulatory Compliance: Must meet industry-specific regulations and standards.

Environmental Impact: Less resource-intensive and lower environmental impact, with established mitigation practices.

Scalability: Easily scalable with well-documented processes.

Maintenance: Maintenance requirements well defined, necessary expertise known, supply chain for parts well established. 

Performance: Reliable and consistent, suitable for operational environments, though may lack cutting-edge improvements.

System Integration: Well-established, widely adopted, with lower complexity and well-documented implementation processes.

Resources for Deploying a Low-Risk Technology
Demonstrating a New Technology

You’ve identified a new or emerging technology that you want to pursue. Now, you need to understand the benefits, costs and risks associated with this technology and how to demonstrate it.

Key elements of the demonstration may include:

Security: New technology may introduce security risks requiring careful assessment and mitigation.

Regulatory Compliance: Generally compliant but certain parameters must be proven.

Environmental Impact: Assess and minimize the environmental implications.

Scalability: Scaling up may present several unknowns, require substantial resources, and could face capacity limitations.

Maintenance: Novelty may necessitate extra maintenance, workforce specialization, and troubleshooting.

Performance: New technology performance must be benchmarked and may require tuning.

System Integration: Integration into existing systems may present novelty and require significant expertise and resources.

Resources for Demonstrating a New Technology