Utility Analytics Week 2023 has come and gone. If you did not attend, you were missed. If you attended, I know you had a wonderful time, made new friends, and gained valuable insights. This truly collaborative event was a tremendous success, drawing attendees from nearby (Orlando Utilities Commission) and far away (Taiwan Power Company) — all working together to share use cases, solve common problems, and create new strategies.

Shout-out

A big THANK YOU goes out to Orlando Utilities Commission for being such an awesome host in beautiful Orlando, Florida. This team is heavily involved in our UAI community, and their commitment and enthusiasm greatly contributed to the success of Utility Analytics Week 2023. The team enriched the event by sharing their knowledge and experience during two sessions, “The Transformative Value of Being a Data-Driven Utility” and “Orlando Utilities Commission Builds Workflows to Harmonize Chaotic Business Processes During Water Grid Modernization.”

Array of sessions

The array of subject matters made it difficult to decide between sessions, at times making you want to be in two places at once. Process efficiency, solution adoption, and better customer experience were common threads among all sessions.

Utilities exhibited real-world use cases and delved into how they were implementing the latest trends, such as generative AI, to drive change in the industry and make life better for both customers and employees. “This group that shows up at UAI is making a difference for rate cases and our customers,” observed Josh Power, capability lead of advanced analytics at Oncor Electric Delivery and the 2023 UAI Ambassador Award winner.

The best part of Utility Analytics Week was the sense of community evident in the vibrant atmosphere where attendees were networking, exchanging ideas, and building new relationships. You could also sense it in the inspiring conversation, knowledge sharing, and standing-room-only sessions where Q&A lasted until the last minute and attendees were exchanging contact information. It is evident these professionals think analytics is the best job in the world!

It’s all about the people

It was fun to interact with everyone during presentations and general sessions. It looked like you were all having fun, as well. I saw groups of coworkers from various locations sitting around at tables talking late into the night, making the most of every minute they had together. UAI members from different utilities reconnected with friends they have made over the years.

Titles do not seem to be an inhibitor at Utility Analytics Week. Everyone is just eager to share ideas and lessons learned. Did you turn acquaintances into friends and colleagues? How many new connections did you make? Reach out to say hello to them soon, ask them a question when you are looking for ideas, or send them a link to an interesting article.

I often work with our solution providers and sponsors, who I usually only see as a signature line on their email. It is such fun to meet them in person and learn more about their businesses, clients, and projects. I always learn something new from them. I hope everyone took the time to meet these awesome people during the event. They are an essential part of the industry, creating new products, providing a helping hand, sharing their expertise, and sometimes exploring solutions and learning alongside us. I encourage you to continue the conversation after the event and spend time getting to know them.

“This group that shows up at UAI is making a difference for rate cases and our customers.”
—Josh Power, Capability Lead, Advanced Analytics at Oncor

The takeaways

We asked attendees what they wanted to take away from Utility Analytics Week. The word cloud contains the answers we received, including networking, contacts, inspiration, connection, insights, ideas, and learning. I saw all of these and more. I hope you are looking forward to Utility Analytics Week 2024 October 15-17, 2024, at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois; I know I am.