Field work drives utility operations. Utility operators are looking to increase efficiency and build their field crews to tackle ambitious grid expansion and upgrade projects. However, the fragmented software solutions and analogue processes many utility operators use today can’t support the necessary scale and complexity. Field crews need tools that guide them through their workday, make it easy to take informed action based on accurate insights about the grid and establish a foundation of data for tomorrow’s AI-driven automation.
With the right technology in the hands of their field crews, utility operators can strengthen their operations today so that they can overcome the challenges that the industry will face over the coming decade.
Increasing electrification, data centers, AI-driven energy needs and the move towards renewable energy put mounting pressure on aging energy infrastructure across the world. In the Canadian market, energy demand is projected to rise by as much as 112% by 2050. Where power demand in Europe fell between 2008 and 2024, analysts now project that demand will increase up to 2% per year, requiring $3.5 trillion worth of investment in upgraded energy infrastructure. Similarly, energy demand in the US is on a new upswing and is projected to grow over 3.5% each year through 2040.
The grid is also more vulnerable than ever to climate volatility. Not only do customers use more energy when it’s extremely hot or cold, but storms and severe weather conditions put infrastructure at risk. Disaster response and recovery is becoming more frequent, more costly and more dangerous.
As utility operators attempt to ramp up operations to meet exploding energy demands, the industry’s most experienced workers are reaching retirement. As a result, utility employers are finding it harder than ever to fill empty roles. For every new worker entering the utilities workforce, 1.4 workers are leaving. In 2025, 79% of utilities employers reported that hiring was difficult. Forty-five percent cited lack of experience and technical skills as the top reason hiring has been so challenging.
Utility providers need to focus on preparing their operations for this major shift in the workforce. Hiring is just one piece of the puzzle. Operators have to take upskilling tomorrow’s workforce into their own hands and invest in technology that enables them to operate at scale with leaner teams. The future of utility field work starts at the foundation of grid operations, with the utilities field service solutions crews use every day.
Field service tools play a key role in strengthening utility field operations and enabling operators to adapt to workforce challenges that could persist well into the next decade.
As utilities modernize their operations, critical network and operational knowledge often remains difficult to capture, access and scale. Today’s field processes rely on siloed data and fragmented workflows, making it challenging to onboard and effectively support crews in the field. This lack of consistency impacts job quality and efficiency, increasing risk to critical grid infrastructure and raising the likelihood of errors on site.
Many utility operators are digitizing paper forms and workflows and moving towards using mobile GIS solutions rather than physical maps. However, field workflows are not yet fully automated as they rely on manual inputs. Field workers often still find themselves juggling multiple applications on their device as they switch between tasks.
In a typical day, the utility field worker of the future experiences a shift before the first job even starts. They open a single, intelligent app and instantly see a complete, up to date view of the network, enriched with AI-powered grid intelligence. There is no need to access multiple systems or reconcile disconnected data. Everything from geospatial context to asset history and job workflows is already connected within a single mobile environment. With automated processes adapting to the task, the worker heads to site with clarity, confidence and a clear path forward.
On site, work unfolds seamlessly. Whether online or offline, the application provides uninterrupted access to the digital network model and step by step workflows tailored to the job. As tasks are completed, asset conditions are assessed and updates captured in real time, feeding accurate data directly into the digital twin. The field worker is no longer just executing instructions but actively contributing to a living, unified view of the grid. Each update strengthens the model, enabling better decisions not just in the moment, but across the entire operation. As the digital twin evolves, AI becomes more powerful in analyzing conditions, monitoring risks and surfacing actionable insights.
Throughout the day, knowledge is no longer lost or siloed. The expertise that once lived only in the minds of experienced workers is captured automatically as part of every workflow. New recruits are guided in real time with built-in AI support, ensuring consistency, accuracy and quality in every task. At the same time, operators gain continuous visibility with integrated quality assurance and control. The result is a smarter workforce, faster onboarding and safer, more reliable operations, all delivered directly through a mobile experience designed for the realities of the field.
Henk Cornelissen, Director Consulting Expert, CGI
Utility operators need to prioritize creating total alignment between digital records and reality so that teams have complete visibility into their operations, no matter how expansive and complex the grid. Documentation can no longer be static, it has to respond and evolve as changes happen in the real world. The next step is giving field workers seamless access to a comprehensive view of the grid and deep details about every asset they work on.
With IQGeo, utility operators can offer that view to their field crews in a single app. This includes tools like:
An Authoritative Digital Twin
An accurate digital twin lays the foundation for AI-enabled workflows, real-time intelligence and, eventually, agentic operations to manage the grid. Utility providers can use IQGeo to aggregate the data they need to build a digital twin and make it accessible to their field crews via a single mobile app. Field workers can simply open the IQGeo app on their device and view an up-to-date network model overlaid with a map that provides the geospatial context they need to locate assets and get to them safely. As field crews make changes, they can push updates to the digital twin so that the back office can see what’s happening in real time.
Visual AI-Supported QA/QC
With visual AI built into their utility field operations solutions, operators can automate QA/QC in the field, ensure every job is done right the first time, and create an accurate digital audit trail of their grid. A visual AI solution like NetLux AI can analyze the photos technicians take to verify that the image contains required information (like an asset ID or a clear view of where a cable is located) and assess whether work is done correctly. It can then provide feedback to the worker, prompting them to make fixes and take another photo for validation before moving on to the next task. This technology provides a new layer of oversight, taking the burden off back-office QA/QC teams and ensuring that every job is checked.
Real-Time Intelligence
When field workers have direct access to a unified view of the grid, geospatial information, and details about every asset, they’re empowered to make more informed decisions in the moment. During an outage, they can consult their app to get accurate, real-time grid data, dynamic work assignments and updates as remediation progresses. This streamlines communication and helps crews execute work more effectively and more confidently when it matters most.
Configurable Workflows
The solution should enable operators to design different standardized workflows for every task their crews have to perform, from creating as-builts to completing asset inspections and handling outage response. This means crews don’t have to switch between apps for different jobs and that every technician follows the exact same procedure every time. All incoming data is captured in the same place and updated in the network model as work gets done.
Native Mobility
Field crews need to access and update data as they work whether they have connectivity or not. Native mobility means that crews can stay on site rather than waiting to get back to an area with service before they can use the platform. In rural areas or situations where a disaster has impacted the utility’s fiber network, offline capabilities are essential. Having access to critical geospatial data and grid intelligence makes it more likely that work will be completed efficiently, correctly and safely even under challenging circumstances.
Listen to my full conversation with Brandon Curkan on the Bitesize Electric podcast to learn more about how utility network operators can reshape the future of utility field work with unified geospatial work execution tools. The episode walks listeners through day in the life of the field worker of tomorrow and how a solution like IQGeo transforms everyday workflows into the insights utility operators need to build towards an AI-driven future.