Energy and Utilities

7 MINUTE READ

APR 2026

Energy networks are being rebuilt right now. Digital has to be part of that from day one.

Electricity, gas, and water utilities are deploying record capital expenditure to renew aging infrastructure. That investment window is open today. But here is the thing: digital capabilities added after the fact cost more and deliver less. IBM's own research, drawn from 403 C-suite leaders and senior executives across 22 countries, makes this clear. The utilities that are pulling ahead are the ones embedding data, AI, and integrated operations into their networks while the physical work is happening, not after it is done. We help C-suite executives make that call with confidence and execute it without wasting the window.

18%

higher operational responsiveness for utilities that have achieved unified ecosystems of operational platforms. Source: IBM IBV, 2026.

17%

faster outage recovery reported by utilities that integrated OT and AI to shift from reactive to predictive operations over the past two years.

24%

greater access to operational data for decision-making in organizations that demonstrate advanced maturity in both OT/IT integration and digital OT.

96%

of more advanced utilities have cross-functional OT/IT integration teams, enabling coordinated decisions across operational and enterprise domains.

Most utility networks are still running on systems built for a different era.More than three-quarters of C-suite executives in the IBM IBV study cite legacy infrastructure and the absence of unified data platforms as their biggest technical barriers. Many OT environments rely on assets over 15 years old with proprietary systems that block interoperability. Nearly four in five report that cybersecurity concerns are a major reason legacy OT stays in place longer than it should. And 79% say workforce capability and change management are harder to solve than technology availability. These are not technology problems. They are strategic and organizational ones. And that is where we work.

What we do in energy and utilities consulting

We work across three areas that the data consistently shows matter most: connecting operational and enterprise systems, building predictive intelligence into grid and network operations, and developing the workforce and governance structures that make digital stick. Here is what that looks like in practice.

OT/IT integration and connected operations

We assess where your operational and enterprise systems actually are today, map the gaps, and help you build the integration architecture that gives your network real-time visibility. Utilities that made measurable integration progress over two years cut operational costs 13% and reduced capital expenditure 10%. We help you get there with a plan that fits your network, not a generic blueprint.

Predictive optimization and digital OT

Seven in 10 pioneering utilities use predictive analytics to manage energy supply and demand. We help C-suite executives move from scattered pilots to scaled predictive operations, covering grid load forecasting, outage prediction, distributed energy resource management, and asset failure forecasting. Nearly two-thirds of surveyed utilities already create asset failure forecasts. The question is whether yours are connected to decisions.

Renewables and DER integration

67% of optimizing utilities manage microgrids as both a local energy service and a grid reliability resource. Managing renewable intermittency is one of the hardest operational problems in the sector right now. We help you build the capability to handle it systematically, not case by case.

Workforce readiness and organizational maturity

Fewer than half of utilities report workforces that are mostly ready for digital operations. Only one in 10 consider their teams fully capable. We help C-suite executives assess the gap honestly, build structured training and governance programs, and create the cross-functional OT/IT teams that advanced utilities already have in place.

At Marchcroft

Innovating Today,
Shaping Tomorrow

At Marchcroft, we don't just meet expectations - we exceed them.

27%

Digital leaders in the sector

Only 27% of utilities in the IBM IBV study demonstrated advanced maturity in both OT/IT integration and digital OT transformation. These are the organizations pulling away from the field. The other 73% are either progressing or still in early stages.

14%

Better forecasting accuracy

Utilities that invested in digital OT and AI over the past two years report 14% better forecasting accuracy, improving supply and demand planning and DER integration. Forecasting accuracy directly affects investment decisions and regulatory outcomes.

16%

Higher energy efficiency

Advanced utilities with integrated, data-driven operations report a 16% increase in energy efficiency. That is not a pilot result. It is what happens when digital capabilities are embedded across the network rather than running in isolated pockets.

Operational baseline review

We start by mapping where your network actually stands on OT/IT integration and digital OT maturity. Not where the last strategy document said it would be. We look at your systems, data flows, workforce readiness, and cybersecurity posture. This gives C-suite executives a clear, honest picture before any investment decisions are made.

Gap and investment sequencing

We identify the highest-value integration and modernization moves for your specific network, whether that is unifying SCADA and enterprise data, standing up a predictive maintenance capability, building a microgrid management function, or developing cross-functional OT/IT teams. We help you sequence investment so physical asset renewal and digital capability build at the same time.

Strategic options with real trade-offs

We present a set of realistic paths, each tied to specific operational outcomes, timelines, and costs. The IBM IBV data gives us benchmarks across 22 countries. We use that to show C-suite executives where their organization sits relative to leading utilities and what it actually takes to close the gap.

Execution alongside your team

If you want us in the room during execution, we stay. We support technology selection, data governance design, workforce capability programs, and agentic AI deployment planning. We work at the pace your network and organization can actually move, not at a consultant's preferred timeline.

Success Story: National grid operator, European market

A national grid operator needed a clear digital modernization strategy before a major infrastructure investment cycle began. They had a tight window before capex commitments were locked.

Mapped the full OT/IT integration gap across five operational domains and three regional business units
Identified predictive maintenance and DER visibility as the two capabilities with the fastest return on investment
Developed an asset failure forecasting framework tied directly to network performance planning
Built a board-ready investment case showing the cost of retrofitting digital capabilities after physical asset renewal versus embedding them during it
Flagged three legacy system dependencies that were blocking data consistency across the network

The operator approved a phased digital integration program aligned to their five-year capital plan. The CTO had clear language to explain infrastructure investment in commercial terms.

"They understood how networks actually work. They did not come in with a generic framework. They came in with data, asked the right questions, and helped us build a case that the board could act on." - Chief Technology Officer, National Grid Operator, Europe

Questions C-suite executives usually ask us first

These come up in almost every first conversation. So here are straight answers.

Q: Are we already too late on tokenization?

It depends on where you are in the program, but in most cases there is still time to act. The cost of integrating digital OT during asset renewal is significantly lower than retrofitting it afterward. IBM IBV research shows utilities that delay risk locking in another decade of siloed, inflexible systems. We can assess what is still modifiable in your current program and where the highest-value integration points are.

Q: Our OT and IT teams have always operated separately. How realistic is integration?

It is realistic, but it requires deliberate investment in people and governance, not just technology. 96% of advanced utilities in the IBM IBV study have cross-functional OT/IT teams in place. Most also have formalized governance models rather than relying on project-by-project collaboration. We help you build that structure in a way that fits your organization, starting with the areas where the operational payoff is clearest.

Q: We have piloted predictive analytics in a few locations. Why has it not scaled?

This is the most common pattern we see. Pilots succeed because the conditions are controlled. Scaling fails because the data foundation is inconsistent, governance is informal, and the workforce does not have the capability to run the tools in normal operations. 86% of advanced utilities use middleware or edge platforms to wrap legacy systems and ensure data consistency across assets. That foundation is usually what is missing.

Q: How do you handle the cybersecurity side of OT/IT integration?

It is part of every engagement, not a separate workstream. Nearly four in five utility executives say cybersecurity concerns are a major reason legacy OT systems remain in place longer than technically necessary. We assess your current OT cybersecurity posture, help you design integration architectures with security built in, and connect that to your existing IT security frameworks. Advanced utilities in the IBM IBV study have integrated security operations centers covering both domains.

Q: What does working with you actually look like for a C-suite executive?

Fast and direct. We start with a situation review that is specific to your network and organization. No generic benchmarking exercises. From there, you decide on the scope of involvement. Some clients want a one-time strategic assessment. Others want us embedded through execution. We adapt the engagement to what is actually useful for your decision-making cycle.

OT/IT Integration Strategy

Connect your operational and enterprise systems for real-time network visibility

We map your current integration maturity, identify the architectural moves that deliver the fastest operational return, and help you build a connected network operations backbone that supports coordinated decision-making across asset lifecycles.

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Predictive Grid Operations

Move from reactive fixes to anticipating network conditions before they become problems

We help C-suite executives build the data foundations, AI models, and digital twin capabilities that support grid load forecasting, outage prediction, DER optimization, and predictive asset maintenance at network scale.

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Renewables and DER Integration

Manage intermittency and distributed resources as a core operational capability

Managing renewable intermittency is one of the defining operational challenges in energy right now. We help you build the microgrid management, DER visibility, and load flexibility capabilities that leading utilities are already running at scale.

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Digital OT Modernization

Embed intelligence into your network during asset renewal, not after

We help you sequence legacy upgrades and digital OT deployment together, so each physical investment also delivers enhanced operational intelligence. Advanced sensors, FLISR systems, digital twins, and agentic AI workflows are part of a coordinated plan, not isolated projects.

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Workforce and Organizational Readiness

Build the human capability that makes digital operations stick

Technology does not run itself. We assess workforce readiness across operator and field staff, design training programs for ADMS, DERMS, and digital twin operation, and help C-suite executives build the cross-functional OT/IT governance structures that advanced utilities already have.

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Data Governance and Asset Intelligence

Build the data foundation that scales analytics and AI across your network

Improving data sources, data management, and data access is what separates utilities that can spot and respond to disruptions from those that cannot. We help you standardize data definitions, deploy industrial data hubs, and build the asset failure forecasting capability that nearly two-thirds of surveyed utilities are already using.

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Technology AlliancesAt Marchcroft, we believe in the power of collaboration to drive innovation and deliver exceptional results. Our carefully curated network of strategic partnerships allows us to offer our clients the very best in technology, expertise, and industry-specific solutions.

Explore Our Capabilities

See where else we can help your organization move with more clarity.

Infrastructure & Reliability Data & Intelligence System Modernization & Refactoring Cybersecurity & Compliance Automation & Workflows Marketing As Code Business Ops

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Let's discuss how we can help your organization move with more clarity and less risk in the energy sector.

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