Trends in the utilities industry

Highlights from ASUG’s 2022 SAP for Utilities conference

Recently, several KPMG professionals attended the SAP for Utilities conference in San Diego, California which had an increase in attendance compared to 2021 with over 1100 members of the utility industry present!

There were a variety of sessions across the two days – highlighted by an outstanding keynote delivered by Venus Williams who shared her perspective on leadership, mentorship, and the keys to success in both business and sport. The energy and buzz around the conference was tangible, and it was great to fully connect in person once again. Across the two days, numerous themes emerged across the sessions and keynotes:

• An Industry in Transition: There is an increased push for renewables and a focus on climate across the regions while also balancing challenges with the resiliency of the grid. While not every region experiences the same climate issues, whether it’s wildfires on the west coast, extreme cold temperatures in the northeast, or hurricanes in the south, all utilities share a focus on transitioning their business to adapt to the fast-paced changes required by new technologies in energy and the increased focus on environmental impact.
• Transformation: Another major theme echoed across sessions was transformation – both digitally and operationally. Many companies shared success stories of digital transformation across CIS and ERP systems as well as plans for upcoming projects to continue the transformation journey. Companies are looking to have an agile and secure operating model to address changes in the industry which are coming more rapidly than previously experienced.
• Technology Advancement – Utilities of the Future: There was a large focus on the use of technology across the business. Financial transformations have been and continue to be a large theme across the conference, and companies continue to increase their use in technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning to better inform decision making on internal operations and actions in the field.
• A Connected Industry – The Utilities Family: Most notably, a sentiment shared across multiple sessions and keynotes was that the utilities industry is a family. Speakers across regions noted how the unique nature of the utilities industry allows for collaboration that often is not seen in other industries. Presenters spoke to the importance of regularly scheduled sessions with other utilities to seek advice as they embarked on their transformation journey. One could see the full strength of these relationships on display across the conference as partner utilities engaged and caught up with familiar faces. 

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