Most utility GIS programs burn budget on maintenance, underdeliver on expectations, and force operations teams to work with tools that can’t keep up with today’s demands: storm response, DER integration, aging infrastructure, and regulatory pressures. The challenges keep mounting while your GIS struggles to do more than produce maps.

Forward-thinking utilities are breaking this cycle. They’re modernizing their geospatial technology and reimagining how GIS supports operations. The result?

• Better data quality that operations can actually trust
• Faster emergency response when storms hit
• More intelligent decision-making across engineering and planning
• GIS teams finally focused on solving business problems instead of fighting outdated systems

This guide outlines five strategic moves these utilities are using right now to transform their GIS from a maintenance burden into a high-value operational asset. You’ll find practical approaches to platform modernization, cloud infrastructure, data management, and advanced analytics. These are the strategies that can deliver measurable results for your Utility.