The weak links in our already weakened utility infrastructure are numerous to behold. In 2018 alone, three separate incidents illustrate the extent of the problem. According to a J. D. Power report, a residential gas leak and subsequent explosions in Lawrence, Andover, and North Andover, MA resulted in one death and 25 injuries. In California, power lines may have played a role in the deadly Camp wildfire. In New Jersey, water utilities in the state have amassed 226 contamination violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act.

Our crumbling infrastructure is in desperate need of upgrades, but the price tag may be beyond the government’s budget.

Did you know that May 16^th is the International Day of Light? I’m going to go out on a limb here and guess that’s something you probably didn’t know, because only lighting geeks like me really pay attention to that type of stuff. Ha!

In a society of ever-increasing rules, we tend to lean on the bureaucracies that create the regulations to support us. However, it’s important to understand that rules aren’t what truly keep us safe. At the end of the day, safety only occurs when we take an actionable stance on being safe. Reading endless OSHA recommendations doesn’t make us one whit safer until we actually take responsibility for our own actions. Having a hard hat and safety glasses is good practice, however, being aware of your environment is the true first line of protection. By never putting yourself in harm’s way, you will not need to utilize the protection afforded by the safety systems. Counting on safety rules and regulations is a passive approach, much like playing defense in a game without ever scoring. It’s solid offense that carries the ball and wins games, and it’s a proactive stance on safety that will ensure your safety. All too often, I see people relying on some process or electronic gizmo to protect them, when the reality is that no process can be counted on to be foolproof.

One of the biggest challenges facing utilities is how to move forward with next-gen, user-friendly tech that creates an atmosphere of transparency, engagement and maybe even an element of humor. How does a traditionally opaque and conservative industry develop deeper, more transparent customer relations?

California has led the way in implementing new time-of-use (TOU) rate schedules, which adjust per-kWh rates for electricity based on periods of peak demand. By 2020, California’s largest utilities will roll out the first system-wide default TOU rates to their millions of residential customers.