Fulcrum Insider – Issue 56

The utility landscape is shifting rapidly as we enter 2026. The industry faces a convergence of AI-driven load growth and rising reliability risks. While data centers move at the speed of software, the physical grid often moves at the speed of concrete. This timing gap is forcing a rewrite of how utilities manage projects and financial risks when developments fall through.

The January edition of Fulcrum Insider provides a strategic playbook for navigating these pressures. Issue 56 explores how a connected approach to field data turns operational pressures into opportunities for a more resilient grid.

Gain a strategic edge in utility ops with Issue 56

Modernizing the grid requires moving beyond methods that no longer keep pace with today’s demands. Issue 56 offers deep insights into critical areas of electric utility work:

• Strategies for AI-driven demand. Structured field data provides the foundation for smarter decisions and faster development cycles to meet surging power needs.
• Advancements in field GIS. Modern mobile tools use lines, polygons, and snapping to give crews spatial context without requiring GIS expertise.
• Risk-based vegetation management. Mapping the fix and targeting real hazards can prevent outages while optimizing resource allocation.
• Operational reliability. Breaking down data silos turns raw field data into a strategic asset for better SAIDI/SAIFI metrics.
• Modern asset management. Integrated field data helps utilities cut reactive work and prepare aging grids for distributed energy resources (DER).

Industry insights and technical resources

The current surge in demand is exposing weaknesses across the power system. This newsletter identifies steps to transform reliability risks into a high-performance system through transmission reforms and better field-to-planning synchronization.

From ESIG task force recommendations to technical white papers on mobile spatial context, Issue 56 provides the resources needed to keep the lights on and costs down.

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