The transition from a traditional distribution utility to a Distribution System Operator (DSO) presents fundamental operational challenges: how do utilities make faster, more complex decisions while managing distributed energy resources, real-time grid conditions, and increasing regulatory requirements? And how do operators, engineers, planners, and leaders across the organization access the right information at the right time to make those decisions?

In this session, Young Ngo (President, Themis Intelligence and CTO, Survalent) and Jeff Mocha (Chief Operations and Electrification Officer, OEC and Oakville Hydro) examine these challenges facing utilities in the DSO era. The core problem is twofold: operational and enterprise data remains fragmented across OT and IT systems, operational procedures, and regulatory requirements, while the introduction of AI capabilities raises questions about trust, control, and accountability in critical infrastructure decisions.