Rethinking Priorities: Why Bold Utility Leadership Matters Now More Than Ever

The utility sector is standing at one of the most pivotal moments in its history. Reliability challenges are intensifying. Customer expectations are evolving. Clean energy goals are accelerating. Regulatory pressures are mounting. And leaders—already stretched thin—are being asked to make decisions that will shape not just the future of their organizations, but the future of entire communities.

Part 1 of the Utility 2030 Leadership Collaborative (U2030) and Energy Central Annual Research Study revealed just how quickly the landscape is shifting. Leaders described an environment defined by workforce constraints, aging infrastructure, political uncertainty, new technologies, and a customer base that is more vocal, more connected, and more demanding than ever. Yet those challenges also brought opportunities: new tools, new partnerships, and a generation of employees eager to make an impact.

Part 2 takes the conversation even further—into the realities shaping the next decade of utility leadership.

In this installment, the research turns to resilience, emergency preparedness, the energy transition, innovation, market disruption, and the external forces redefining how utilities operate and lead. It explores how utilities are responding to rising outage events, wildfire threats, climate-driven risks, cyber attacks, and unprecedented load growth—while maintaining public trust and affordability.

Through a blend of quantitative insights and candid interviews with leaders across North America, Part 2 uncovers what’s working, where utilities are struggling, and how leaders are adapting in real time. It highlights why emergency preparedness is evolving beyond storm response, how customer communications are becoming as critical as operational restoration, and why inter-agency coordination has become a cornerstone of modern resilience.

The report also examines the dual challenge utilities face: advancing clean energy goals while confronting levels of load growth not seen in decades. The data reveals tensions between ambition and practicality—between what customers demand, what regulators expect, and what infrastructure can reliably support today. Leaders share frank perspectives on affordability pressures, emerging technologies, shifting policies, and the growing need to innovate without compromising reliability.

But perhaps the most important theme throughout Part 2 is this: leadership itself is changing.

Success now requires agility, cross-functional collaboration, inclusive decision-making, cultural adaptability, and a relentless focus on customers. Leaders are rethinking how they plan, communicate, develop talent, and engage customers who increasingly expect a voice in the future of energy.

This research would not be possible without the generous support of our Annual Research Sponsors—HSI and POWER Engineers. Their commitment to elevating industry insights, advancing thought leadership, and strengthening the utility community helps make this work possible every year.

If you want to understand where the utility sector is heading—and what it will take to lead through the next decade—the insights in Part 2 are essential. This report doesn’t just describe the moment we’re in. It illuminates the path forward.

Download the full report to discover what utility leaders are learning, prioritizing, and preparing for as they navigate a future defined by resilience, innovation, and bold leadership.