Many electric co-ops are celebrating their 75th anniversary and lines, like the one pictured here, were built 50 to 75 years ago. Replacing that aging infrastructure is the top concern of many utilities.
To better understand how electric utilities are meeting challenges such as slow demand growth, the rise of distributed generation (DG) and regulatory burdens, Siemens recently commissioned Utility Dive, a Washington, D.C.-based media startup, to survey 527 industry professionals nationwide.
Aging infrastructure emerged as the top concern (48 percent), followed by 32 percent citing threats to the current regulatory model (seen as poorly designed for the evolving utility environment), recruiting a new generation of employees (31 percent) and issues related to DG (30 percent). However, 57 percent see DG as an opportunity, and a strong 67 percent believe utilities should take a direct role in supplying DG to those they serve, either through owning or leasing systems or partnering with established companies.
Source: CFC Solutions NewsBulletin
