Nordic utilities have expanded their use of grid data, but turning insights into routine action remains a challenge, according to survey findings Itron released on October 19, 2026. Among respondents in Sweden, Norway and Finland, 60% identified a lack of automation as an obstacle to data-driven decisions, even as most reported using advanced metering data in operational workflows.
Key Takeaways
- Automation was the most frequently cited barrier to data-driven decisions, ahead of technical integration and data quality.
- 87% said major data investments had supported at least two additional uses beyond their original purpose.
- Cloud analytics led respondents’ three-year priorities, narrowly ahead of executive decision support and enterprise integration.
Table of Contents
- Nordic utilities need stronger links between insight and action
- Existing investments support more operational uses
- Grid pressures shape the next investment priorities
- What the survey covers
- Conclusion
Nordic utilities need stronger links between insight and action
The survey points to a gap between having useful information and consistently acting on it. While 42% of Nordic respondents described their use of advanced metering infrastructure data as fully embedded and scalable, another 44% said it supported decisions within specific workflows. Only 21% reported achieving meaningful scale with intelligence across their enterprise.
Beyond automation, respondents cited technical integration at 49% and data quality at 43% as barriers to using data for decisions. Organisational silos, at 41%, and governance, at 40%, indicate that the challenge extends beyond software alone.
Benjamin Chasles, Itron’s vice president of sales for EMEA, said the next step was to make insights flow into routine workflows so utilities could act on them consistently.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Load growth | Cited as a grid stressor by 47% of Nordic respondents. |
| Customer expectations | Cited by 38%. |
| Distributed energy resource growth | Cited by 38%. |
| New construction | Cited by 36%. |
| Affordability | Cited by 34%. |
Existing investments support more operational uses
The findings suggest utilities are extending existing systems rather than relying solely on new infrastructure. Some 62% deliberately selected data and intelligence investments for their ability to support multiple current and future uses, while another 32% considered that potential.
In practice, 87% said major investments had enabled at least two additional uses beyond their original purpose, including 47% reporting four or more. These are respondents’ assessments of broader usefulness, rather than quantified financial returns.
Outage management and restoration was the most frequently cited area of value from operationalised analytics, at 35%. Customer service and proactive communication followed at 32%, with predictive maintenance and field crew safety each at 31%.
Grid pressures shape the next investment priorities
Rising electricity demand was the most commonly cited grid stressor, alongside pressures from customers and distributed energy resources. The survey identified the following leading concerns among Nordic respondents.
For the next three years, cloud analytics was the leading focus for putting intelligence into operational use, at 24%, followed by executive decision support at 22% and enterprise integration at 21%. The close results indicate several competing priorities rather than one dominant next step.
Over a separate five-year horizon, consumer engagement led technology investment priorities at 27%, followed by wildfire management at 26%, distributed energy resource management systems at 24% and back-office analytics at 23%.
What the survey covers
The 2026 Resourcefulness Report methodology describes 700 online surveys conducted in June 2026 in partnership with Blackstone Group. Respondents were electric-utility managers at mid-level or above who had input into operational decisions, including 100 across Sweden, Norway and Finland.
The Nordic sample comprised 34 respondents in Sweden and 33 each in Norway and Finland. The findings capture reported capabilities, obstacles and investment intentions; they do not establish completed spending commitments or independently measured operating improvements.
Conclusion
The survey’s next stated investment phase centres on cloud analytics, decision support and integration over three years. The practical issue is whether those priorities help utilities move from isolated uses of data to more consistent action across daily operations.
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