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With the massive damage rendered by Hurricanes Sandy and Irene, flood and ice damage and blackouts, it's impossible to ignore the growing need for widespread adoption of smart grid technology.

Located southwest of Nashville, Tenn., Dickson Electric System serves more than 30,000 residential and commercial customers across Montgomery, Cheatham, Hickman, Dickson and Houston counties.

Hurricane Sandy left many electric utility executives, their customers, local and state government leaders and regulators contemplating placing overhead power lines underground.

The smart grid transition has major project management and technical hurdles, but addressing the confluence of work force issues it creates can be even more challenging.

Energy utilities conduct diligent emergency planning; however, there is increasing scrutiny from legislators, press and consumers to provide coordinated, rapid emergency response and greater public notification during power outages.

Consumers typically give little thought to their electric utilities when things are business as usual; power runs through outlets and lights turn on with a flip of a switch.

PPL Electric Utilities implemented a meter data management (MDM) system in 2006 with customer-facing and operational applications that has provided significant benefits.

Traditionally, utilities have generated electricity to meet immediate demand.

As much as 40 percent of electricity to power air compressors in some industrial plants is wasted through inefficient compressor controls, according to an Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy report.