More than half of U.S. energy and utility companies identify customer service as the primary driver of IT transformation.
The latest U.S. Utilities Transformation Study 2026, conducted by Natuvion together with Cognizant, provides an in-depth view of how energy and utility companies plan and execute IT transformations. The findings show that customer satisfaction, along with the use of cloud technologies and AI, is becoming increasingly important. At the same time, the study highlights persistent challenges, including a lack of reliable data, the growing complexity of IT transformation projects, and ongoing skills shortages.
“Utilities are no longer transforming primarily to reduce costs or respond to external pressure,” says Patric Dahse, CEO of Natuvion. “Instead, they are focused on delivering high-quality customer service and are therefore investing in improved data quality, modern cloud technologies, and AI readiness. This marks a fundamental shift compared to the past.”
40 percent cite poor data quality as a key challenge
Data quality remains one of the biggest challenges for companies—and the energy and utilities sector is no exception. Around 40 percent identify it as a key obstacle, representing an increase of 8 percent compared to our 2023 benchmark study conducted jointly with Cognizant. This issue is becoming even more critical in light of the growing importance of AI: 93 percent of companies consider AI a core component of their IT transformation or future IT strategy. Cloud adoption has also proven to be a key success factor. The study shows that a higher share of cloud usage correlates significantly with the achievement of transformation goals.
The benchmark study is based on responses from 151 utility companies that have already completed or largely implemented their transformation initiatives. The findings provide a highly realistic picture of the current state of transformation across the industry, as the study focuses on real-world experience and practical insights. The U.S. Utilities Transformation Study 2026 is the only benchmark study that enables utility companies to track how priorities, technologies, and outcomes have evolved in a rapidly changing market.
