Highlighting the future of grid modernization through virtualization technology.
Jupiter, FL – Advancements with Ted Danson announces an upcoming segment focused on the rapidly evolving challenges facing the electric utilities industry and the practical technologies helping to address them.
The electric grid is undergoing one of the most significant transformations in its history. Rising electrification, expanding data center demand, distributed energy resources, and workforce shortages are placing unprecedented pressure on utilities nationwide. Infrastructure originally designed for predictable, centralized generation must now support a more digital, distributed, and dynamic energy landscape.
In this segment, NovaTech Automation’s executive and engineering leaders explain why modernization cannot rely solely on wholesale equipment replacement. Utilities have billions of dollars invested in legacy systems with years of service life remaining. Replacing all infrastructure at once is neither economically viable nor operationally feasible.
“We need to power a 21st century economy with a hundred-year-old grid, and we are losing many of our grid experts to retirement. It’s time to deploy proven technologies from adjacent sectors that lower the learning curve for new engineers,” said Conrad Oakey, CEO of NovaTech Automation.
The segment will explore how virtualization technology offers a practical path forward. Viewers will see how virtualization is now being engineered to operate reliably within the harsh electrical environments of substations. The show will also share how NovaTech Automation’s virtualization solutions help utilities consolidate multiple hardware-based applications into fewer physical devices, reduce substation space requirements by 60–70 percent, and lower energy consumption by 20–30 percent.
“Utilities need solutions that allow them to modernize at the pace of demand, not at the pace of replacement cycles,” said Ed Sullivan, senior producer for the Advancements series. “Virtualization enables progress without forcing utilities to abandon the infrastructure they’ve already built.”
The segment also highlights the importance of workforce development. As experienced professionals retire and operational complexity increases, simplified, software-defined environments become critical to maintaining grid reliability. NovaTech Automation’s approach helps to reduce hardware complexity, while providing adaptive, intelligent tools designed to scale with future grid demands.
About Advancements:
Advancements is an information-based educational television series hosted by Ted Danson that explores recent developments across industries and global economies. With a focus on the innovations driving progress, the award-winning program goes behind the scenes to highlight how technology and forward-thinking solutions are shaping the future.
About NovaTech Automation:
Modernizing electric utility substations since 1981, NovaTech Automation is a U.S.-based automation technology company that delivers resilient, high-performance solutions to electric utilities, spanning purpose-built hardware and software products, as well as custom panel builds. The company designs and manufactures best-in-class equipment including substation automation platforms, network switches, power measurement devices, and precision timing products.
For more information, visit www.novatechautomation.com/
