When people talk about the energy transition, much of the focus is on electricity: generation, transmission, distribution, and electrification. But natural gas continues to play a critical role across the energy system, from power generation to residential heating to industrial processes.

At the same time, the role of natural gas is being actively debated. Utilities are facing increasing regulatory scrutiny, evolving policy direction, and long-term uncertainty about demand.

So the question becomes: how do utilities continue to operate and invest in natural gas infrastructure while navigating that uncertainty?

Contact our experts:

Marc Miller | Partner and Energy Practice Area Leader

MDMiller@scottmadden.com

Ed Baker | Partner

EBaker@scottmadden.com

info@scottmadden.com

Utilities are under increasing pressure from multiple directions. Load is growing again, driven by data centers, reindustrialization, and electrification. The system itself is becoming more complex, with distributed resources and new technologies. And at the same time, utilities are managing workforce constraints and an explosion of data from AMI systems and other sensors deployed in their infrastructure.

Against that backdrop, there's a growing conversation about how artificial intelligence, or AI, can help utilities operate more efficiently and make better decisions. But while many utilities have experimented with AI, far fewer have successfully scaled it. For many, AI still feels more like experimentation than execution.

So the question becomes: how do you move from pilot projects to real, sustained value?

Contact our experts:

Marc Miller, Partner and Energy Practice Area Leader | Host

MDMiller@scottmadden.com

Jon Kerner, Partner | Guest

JKerner@scottmadden.com

info@scottmadden.com

For regulated utilities, the rate case is the moment when strategy, capital investment, and regulatory expectations all come together. It’s the process through which utilities justify their investments, establish their authorized revenue, and ultimately secure the resources needed to build and maintain critical infrastructure.

In many ways, the rate case is where a utility’s strategy meets regulatory scrutiny. It’s the moment when the company must clearly explain not just what it plans to spend, but why those investments matter for customers and the future of the grid.

Or to borrow a phrase from a well-known movie, it’s where utilities have to “show me the money.” Well, not me, but you get the idea.

And that challenge is becoming more complex. Utilities are entering a period of unprecedented infrastructure investment, while regulators and stakeholders are increasingly focused on affordability and clear customer value.

Contact our experts:

Marc Miller, Partner and Energy Practice Area Leader | Host

MDMiller@scottmadden.com

Josh Kmiec, Partner | Guest

joshuakmiec@scottmadden.com

info@scottmaden.com