– Lisa Stannis is the director of customer development at Sharper Shape
– Cooperative utilities face challenges in transitioning to newer technologies and cutting emissions
– Electric coops prioritize community, face challenges with maintaining vast infrastructure, and can benefit from digital solutions to improve efficiency and asset management.
Lisa Stannis, the director of customer development at Sharper Shape, discusses the unique challenges facing cooperative utilities, which make up almost half of America’s distribution lines. These utilities historically lacked access to capital and debt, hindering them from adopting new technologies and reducing emissions. However, recent government funding has provided them with opportunities to make energy more affordable for their members.
Despite facing challenges in maintaining vast infrastructure over rural areas, cooperative utilities prioritize serving their members and protecting local communities. They have been ahead of industry trends, offering services like not shutting off power during extreme temperatures. However, maintaining infrastructure, which can be nearly a century-old, and covering vast areas with limited revenue pose financial challenges.
Electric cooperatives play a crucial role in providing employment in rural areas and serving communities in poverty. Despite initial concerns about job security with digital advancements, adopting AI-driven solutions can enhance operational efficiency and asset management. By embracing digitalization, cooperatives can proactively manage assets, optimize resources, and attract younger workers.
Looking towards the future, digitalization can benefit cooperative utilities by improving asset monitoring, optimizing maintenance, and maximizing budgets. With the right digitalization partner, these utilities can overcome challenges, lead the industry, and better serve their communities. Stannis emphasizes the importance of tailored solutions and strategic partnerships to help cooperatives navigate the changing landscape of the electricity industry.