Situation
A Mountain West utility sought to define a long-term growth strategy for its electric business as rising electricity demand and significant new investment needs created opportunities beyond its traditional utility operations. Leadership wanted to determine where the company could create the greatest value, with three areas emerging as particularly important: transmission development, data center and large-load growth, and new resource development.
Approach
A CRA Energy team partnered with the utility’s leadership team to develop an integrated growth strategy across these three areas. We assessed the company’s existing assets, capabilities, market position, and development pipeline; evaluated regional market, regulatory, and competitive dynamics; and identified opportunities where the utility could establish a differentiated position. CRA then developed and evaluated strategic pathways for expanding transmission investment, attracting and serving data center loads, and developing new generation resources, including the organizational, commercial, and capital requirements associated with each.
Result
The work helped management align around transmission, data centers, and resource development as the primary pillars of its growth strategy. CRA developed a roadmap for pursuing opportunities across each area, including near-term priorities, required capabilities and investments, and key strategic decisions, providing leadership with a framework for translating the utility’s growth ambitions into actionable initiatives.
