Automation Business Cases

Each technology investment strikes a balance between getting the most value and staying within a manageable budget. Business cases evaluate that balance, including forecasting initial and O&M costs, to help utilities understand whether or not to proceed with an investment.

Our team calculates business cases for advanced metering infrastructure (AMI, SCADA/conservation voltage reduction (CVR), and mobile work management (MWM). Given the large investment needed for AMI, for example, performing a business case can help clearly quantify savings to justify the purchase and evaluate how long the investment will last. The process of performing a business case involves becoming educated about the functionality offered by the investment in question, thus determining whether that functionality will provide sufficient improvements to utility operations and customer service to justify the cost.

Our business case process helps quantify the economic benefit of these investments to determine whether a potential investment will stand on economic merits alone.