Transmission & Distribution

Industry challenges

The transmission & distribution (T&D) infrastructure faces multiple complex challenges including:

  • Transmission and distribution networks have traditionally been characterized by difficulties in mobilizing the investments necessary to modernize aging infrastructure
  • Today, depreciated T&D assets date back decades and need to be upgraded or rehabilitated
  • As transmission investments grow, various opportunities for new business activities arise: The future grid has to be resilient against extreme weather and heavy yet also more flexible loads. The grid has to integrate decentralized energy resources and islandeable mini- and microgrids.
  • Technology investments are necessary to make the grid smarter, add energy storage, and foster demand reduction
  • Transmission and distribution companies need to collaboratively address these new challenges to leverage the new opportunities that grid renewal offers
Consulting for the modernization of energy infrastructure

With a global track record in solving transmission and distribution challenges for our clients, we can advise you on how to modernize T&D infrastructure while simultaneously developing your competitive edge.

Our Expertise

SDI employs a clear, forward-looking approach to problem-solving to arrive at innovative solutions for the T&D sector. We help our clients succeed in these challenging market conditions.

Our experienced SDI team has been advising leading utilities as well as T&D infrastructure developers in Europe and North America:

  • We have mastered the challenges that transmission development companies face during project lifecycle, including coordinating the investment, process, right-of-way acquisition, capacity subscription, and others
  • Our SDI team can leverage our detailed cost standards and benchmarking capabilities to identify and implement relevant cost savings and value-maximizing T&D maintenance strategies
  • We have investigated, analyzed and co-designed T&D infrastructure across a range of geographic and regulatory contexts and always helped our clients to come out on top
  • We have successfully supported several major M&As in the utility sector, including post-deal value realization in T&D infrastructure

Project References

Our Expertise - Transmission & Distribution

SDI Capabilities Strategy design and implementation

Strategy Design & Implementation, Digital Strategies

Transmission landscape analysis and opportunity identification for a leading generation developer

Development of natural gas midstream strategy through comprehensive infrastructure assessment

Strategic profiling of major transmission line projects for generation development

SDI Capabilities cost reduction and process strategy

Cost Reduction, Process & IT Systems Optimization

Operational baselining and cost standards development for a transmission operator

Power and gas distribution industry cost comparison and savings realization

Sourcing cost reduction for a sizable energy transmission firm

Gas storage customer needs detailed customer assessment and segmentation

SDI Capabilities M&A and Post-merger Integration

M&A Screening, M&A Execution and Post-Merger Integration

Effective post deal value realization for large energy distribution company merger

Country & target screening assessment for new distribution participations

Commercial due diligence support for a large LDC

SDI Capabilities Consumer Analytics, Marketing and Sales Excellence

Customer Analytics, Marketing & Sales Excellence

Smart meter customer segmentation and analytics

Electricity distribution customer needs assessment / analytics


Selected Publications

Our Expertise - Transmission & Distribution

March 2017


Transmission & Distribution Trends

SDI conducts annual trend studies that shape the 'Energy & Utilities – Transmission & Distribution' industry. Please request your copy via link below.

August 2016


WECC Interchange Dynamics

CAISO experiences a growing over-generation problem – EIM is a real-time energy market initiated to resolve part of this issue

October 2015


Natural Gas Infrastructure Trends

Regional accessibility and export capacity driven infrastructure investments may slow in current global market conditions