By Christohper Piccolo, HEXstream utilities industry specialist  

In today’s rapidly evolving energy landscape, the term “single pane of glass” has become something of a holy grail for electric utilities. The concept is simple in theory: maintaining under one cohesive software ecosystem (ideally form a single vendor) all critical operational systems such as SCADA, Distribution Management Systems (DMS), Outage Management Systems (OMS), Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI). 

In this ideal scenario, data flows freely, decisions are made faster, and the entire grid operates more reliably and efficiently. 

But for most utilities, this goal remains just that...a goal. 

The reality on the ground is far more complex. Many utilities are operating with legacy systems built decades ago, often patched together over time through acquisitions, evolving needs, and changing regulatory requirements. SCADA might be from one vendor, OMS from another, and DMS from yet another, each with its own architecture, interface and data protocols.  

Replacing or consolidating these systems into a single vendor solution is not only logistically daunting, but also prohibitively expensive. The risk of downtime, disruption and retraining alone can stall the best-laid grid-modernization plans. 

Even utilities that are actively working toward integration often face another challenge: data silos. Systems may technically coexist, but without deep interoperability and shared analytics layers, they fail to deliver the unified visibility and actionable insights that a true “single pane of glass” promises. 

This is where system integrators like HEXstream play a critical role. Rather than forcing an overhaul of the entire software stack, we enable utilities to bring their disparate systems together through advanced data integration and analytics. We act as a bridge, transforming siloed data into a cohesive, centralized view of operations without the need to rip and replace existing systems. 

HEXstream has worked with a majority of the largest North American utilities and has a proven track record of helping them achieve operational efficiency through actionable data insights. We are vendor-agnostic and bring extensive experience integrating a wide range of platforms across a multitude of solutions. 

Utilities don’t have to wait for a multi-million-dollar enterprise overhaul to realize the benefits of unified visibility. With HEXstream, the concept of a “single pane of glass” is achievable. The benefits immediate.  

In an industry where complexity is the norm, smart integration is critical, and smart partners in achieving that state are necessary. We are here to help.