In our latest episode of Lexicon, we sat down with Al Eliasen, President of Spatial Business Systems (SBS), to discuss how automation and AI are transforming utilities from slow-moving legacy operations into connected, data-driven powerhouses.
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From semiconductors to substations
Al’s journey into utility software wasn’t a straight path. “I studied engineering in college and spent the first half of my career in semiconductor capital equipment, delivering systems to companies like Intel,” he explained.
“Then I moved into the utility software space at OSI, eventually running P&L. That led me to SBS, where I’ve been president and CEO for the past couple of years—and having a great time.”
Despite moving from a high-tech field to what some might consider a slower-moving industry, Eliasen was undeterred. “People thought I was going from the bleeding edge to something tired,” he said.
“But utilities are amazingly complex systems. It’s meaningful work—and critical to the energy transition. I love it,” he added.
$30 billion in 7 Years
The demand for new infrastructure is staggering. By way of example. Eliasen cited one major utility in Texas, “They run $30 billion in assets today just to keep the grid running reliably. In the next five to seven years, they plan to build and energize another $30 billion worth of assets,” he explained.
For companies like that, traditional design approaches won’t cut it. “They’re implementing our product to help them design more effectively,” he said.
“Because without a revolution in how design happens, they simply won’t keep up,” he added.
Old versus new
Eliasen broke down the traditional process utilities use to design infrastructure and why it’s no longer sustainable.
“It starts with a CAD drawing, then manual calculations. For example, when I built my house, an engineer had to calculate the pulling tension of the line, the bending moment on the pole, and the sag between poles. None of that was automatic.”
After the design is drawn, engineers manually transfer information into asset management (EAM) and GIS systems.
“You hit print, and then redraw everything manually in GIS. You re-enter the same data again in asset systems. It’s slow, error-prone, and labor-intensive,” he explained. As he went on to explain, SBS’s platform flips that entire workflow.
“We automate those calculations, we synchronize with enterprise systems, and eliminate redundant work. It’s faster, more accurate, and gives timely updates across the organization. That’s our vision.”
Automation without the fear
One concern is that automation may threaten jobs. But Eliasen is clear: “I can’t think of a single utility that got rid of someone after adopting our tools. What they do instead is reduce backlogs, meet regulatory deadlines, and avoid fines.”
In fact, automation often frees up valuable resources.
“Utilities get fined if they don’t connect new services fast enough. After using our system, one customer told us, ‘We’re not getting fined anymore.’ That wasn’t even part of our initial ROI pitch—but it’s a huge win,” he added.
Skeptics become believers
Overcoming resistance to change is one of SBS’s biggest challenges. “Our biggest competitor isn’t another company, it’s inertia. People choosing to do nothing.” Many veteran engineers believe their work can’t be automated.
“They’ll say, ‘What I do, you can’t automate.’ But when we demo the system—show how you just draw a line and get a full bill of materials, validations, and everything—the scales fall from their eyes,” he added.
AI: Powerful, but grounded
Eliasen acknowledges the disruptive potential of AI, but he’s realistic about its current role. “Design still needs to be deterministic. Our software is built on engineering-grade calculations. But we use AI in other areas—like configuring rules, accelerating permitting, and ingesting compliance data.”
In one case, AI reduced a month-long substation proposal process to an hour. “It produces a full 3D model, cost estimates, and detailed bills of materials. That’s huge when you’re waiting on permits, you don’t want to waste a month,” he told us.
He’s also cautious about data privacy. “Utilities don’t want their data in the cloud. So we built an on-prem agentic AI platform that vectorizes data securely within the customer’s environment,” he explained.
Solving the workforce shortage
With 400,000 skilled utility workers expected to retire or leave, talent is a major bottleneck. SBS helps bridge that gap. “One of our customers in Canada used to have an 18-month apprentice program for new engineers. After implementing our system, which dropped to three months,” he said/
This wasn’t just a cost saving; it enabled more work.“They were thrilled not because of the money saved, but because they could get more done. Backlogs dropped, fines disappeared, and customer satisfaction improved,” he said.
Connected utilities, not just smart assets
As infrastructure grows more interconnected (think EVs, broadband, and sensors), Eliasen says utilities need systems that can keep up.
“The number of sensors is exploding, but the real need is for synchronized enterprise systems. The digital utility of the future means the right data in the right place at the right time.”
Design, he argues, should be the orchestrator of that data. “We bring in planning, connect to asset systems, GIS, mobile platforms, it’s all about flow and alignment,” he said.
A platform for continuous improvement
One hidden benefit of SBS’s system is its support for ongoing evolution. “It’s a continuous improvement platform. If there’s a quality escape, you can write a new rule so it never happens again,” he explained.
But Eliasen is careful not to let scope creep derail initial implementations. “Customers see what it can do and immediately want more. We say, ‘Let’s deliver the first phase, then iterate.’ That mindset keeps us focused.”
Design as a digital twin
At the heart of SBS’s approach is the idea of model-based design. “Our tools build a 3D digital twin of the infrastructure behind the scenes. Once the model is perfected, you just hit print to get your drawings and materials list,” he added.
He sees this as the path forward for more collaborative, integrated infrastructure delivery. “If we could align planning, design, and construction around a single model, the whole process becomes faster, clearer, and less error-prone,” he added.
A call for standards
Eliasen believes industry-wide templates could unlock new efficiency, especially during emergencies.
“In broadband, there’s a company called Utopia that’s set de facto standards. That makes everything easier. If we had that in utilities, it would simplify design, hiring, even disaster response,” he said.
Yet, despite the challenges, Eliasen is optimistic. “Utilities are in a crucible. They’re tired. But they know they need to change. The question is how,” he said.
SBS, he says, is there to show the path and carry some of the load. “We put the project on our backs. We’ve got the partners, the tools, and the track record. The time to act is now,” he said.
