Britain’s grid was once relatively simple: a small number of large power stations connected by an extensive cable network. Today, offshore wind, rooftop solar and domestic batteries all feed the same network. Smart grids balance supply and demand minute by minute and smart meters transmit readings every half hour.
The system largely works, but it relies on a substantial software estate that requires continuous maintenance.
Utilities Technology Barriers And Why Critical Infrastructure Needs Global IT Partners
- Legacy systems – Many utilities still operate SCADA systems that were built long before internet connectivity was anticipated. These systems now interface with cloud dashboards and a growing volume of IoT devices, such as smart meters in homes and EV chargers in public car parks. Each connected device represents a potential entry point into the network
- Fragmented data – Billing, asset registers and GIS mapping often sit in separate systems. As a result, identifying which streets are affected by a cable fault at 2am can take considerable time
- Skills shortages – Professionals with equal expertise in IT and operational technology (OT) are difficult to recruit
- The case for a global partner – Attacks on grids are rarely random. They tend to originate from patient, state-backed groups. Britain’s NIS Regulations, and NIS2 in the EU, require incidents to be detected and reported quickly. A local firm whose helpdesk closes at five cannot monitor a network overnight, whereas a larger provider can
Essential IT Service Partners For The Utilities Sector
Accenture
Accenture is typically engaged when a utility is planning a large, long-term programme. Grid modernisation forms a significant part of this work, alongside customer platforms and SAP or Salesforce rollouts for suppliers and network operators.
The firm offers strategy, integration and managed services under a single contract. Avanade, its joint venture with Microsoft, provides Azure and data expertise. The model is best suited to large operators with long-term budgets.
Deloitte
Deloitte works with power, gas and water companies on consulting, risk and cyber security. Its annual Power and Utilities Industry Outlook is a common reference point on grid investment and electrification.
Cyber security is a particular focus, especially OT security, where SCADA and control systems are connected to corporate IT. The firm is well placed for boards seeking advice, assurance and delivery from one provider rather than three.
DXC Technology
DXC Technology counts 3 of the world’s top 4 utilities among its clients, and over 185 energy companies in total. A representative example is Bayernwerk Netz in Germany, where several AI prototypes were moved into production through DXC’s MLOps work as part of NEXT.SwitchON. The operator now saves thousands of euros a year.
DXC also holds an SAP partnership for utilities, which is relevant for organisations upgrading legacy systems without disrupting supply.
IBM
IBM is most often associated with Maximo, which utilities use for Asset Performance Management, predictive maintenance and work order tracking.
Security is the other major strand. X-Force provides threat intelligence, supported by managed security services. Red Hat OpenShift allows sensitive data to remain on the utility’s own servers while analytics run in the cloud.
Capgemini
Capgemini has an engineering arm, Capgemini Engineering (formerly Altran), which most IT firms lack. It supports projects where software meets physical hardware, such as digital twins of substations or equipment at the grid edge.
The company publishes the World Energy Markets Observatory annually, a useful source on utility finances and decarbonisation. Day-to-day work centres on smart metering data, billing, cloud migration and security.
CGI
CGI was founded in Montreal in 1976 and now serves utility clients on both sides of the Atlantic, mainly through consulting, integration and long-term outsourcing agreements. For power networks, the CGI Ossia solution covers asset and work management.
Its approach relies on local teams and long-standing client relationships, which regulated operators tend to value. Meter data management features prominently in its projects.
Atos
Atos is a French group whose services for European energy firms include infrastructure and cloud, workplace services and cybersecurity. Its experience of delivering IT for the Olympic Games over several decades reflects a track record with systems that cannot fail.
In the utilities sector, its work centres on security operations centres and OT protection. Its sovereign cloud offering is significant for organisations whose data must remain within Europe.
Smart Metering And Cloud: How To Calculate ROI And ESG Impact
This is the stage at which many business cases fail.
Establish a cost baseline – Current costs should be quantified first: a single manual meter read, a field visit to a fault, a complaint about an estimated bill. Without these figures, any ROI calculation is unsupported.
Identify hard savings – These are generally straightforward: the end of manual meter reading, fewer estimated bills and the decommissioning of legacy data centres. Improved forecasting also delivers value but should be reported as a separate line, as finance teams tend to distrust blended figures.
Use a realistic timeline – Metres remain in service for around 15 years, so a three-year payback model understates their value. Sensitivity testing should be carried out before presentation to the board, for example by modelling a scenario in which only one household in five adopts a time-of-use tariff.
Apply the same rigour to ESG – Hosting emissions should be compared before and after the cloud migration (Scope 2), using the provider’s own figures. Avoided emissions from demand response are easily double-counted. Following the GHG Protocol and reporting financial and carbon results in separate columns addresses most of these risks. These steps are straightforward but frequently omitted.
The right choice depends on the organisation’s circumstances. A utility with ageing SCADA systems and an audit due next quarter requires a different partner from one beginning a smart meter rollout. Selection should be based on the existing technology estate, the organisation’s risk appetite and the availability of out-of-hours support. The business case, with ROI and ESG reported on separate lines, should be completed before any contract is signed.
What Does A Utilities IT Services Provider Do?
Providers mainly handle the less visible but essential work: connecting OT to IT, running smart metering platforms and migrating workloads to the cloud. Ongoing security is also a core part of the service.
Why Not Use A Local IT Firm For Cybersecurity?
Scale is the main factor. Global partners operate 24/7 security centres and observe threats across many sectors, which is important when SCADA systems are the target.
When Does A Smart Metering Programme Pay For Itself?
Payback is not rapid. Business cases typically span 10 to 15 years, broadly in line with the lifespan of a metre.
Does Moving To The Cloud Reduce A Utility’s Emissions?
Often it does, provided that Scope 2 and Scope 3 emissions are measured properly rather than estimated.
