)
){kind=logo}
){kind=logo}
Webinar: Navigating the DSO Transition: How Human-Guided Intelligence and Utility Knowledge Bases Enable Smarter Grid Operations
| Date & Time January 22, 2026 @ 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm EST |
Duration 60 Minutes |
The transition from a traditional distribution utility to a Distribution System Operator (DSO) presents fundamental operational challenges: how do utilities make faster, more complex decisions while managing distributed energy resources, real-time grid conditions, and increasing regulatory requirements? And how do operators, engineers, planners, and leaders across the organization access the right information at the right time to make those decisions?
In this session, Young Ngo (President, Themis Intelligence and CTO, Survalent) and Jeff Mocha (Chief Operations and Electrification Officer, OEC and Oakville Hydro) examine these challenges facing utilities in the DSO era. The core problem is twofold: operational and enterprise data remains fragmented across OT and IT systems, operational procedures, and regulatory requirements, while the introduction of AI capabilities raises questions about trust, control, and accountability in critical infrastructure decisions.
Key issues explored include:
- Fragmented OT/IT data and inconsistent operational procedures
- Growing complexity from DER integration and real-time grid conditions
- Heightened expectations for regulatory compliance and operational transparency
- Concerns around trust, control, and accountability when introducing AI into critical workflows
The discussion introduces Human-Guided Intelligence (HGI) and the Utility Knowledge Base (UKB) as a framework for addressing these challenges, focusing on how AI can augment decision-making across the organization while maintaining appropriate human oversight. Using insights from the ongoing pilot at Oakville Hydro (OEC's electricity distribution utility) as a reference point, the conversation explores what the DSO transition requires in practice: unifying siloed data, integrating AI without compromising operational safety, and building organizational confidence in new technologies. Attendees will gain perspective on the strategic and technical considerations utilities face when evaluating AI adoption for DSO operations.
Speakers
|
Young Ngo
Young Ngo As CTO of Survalent, Young leads technology strategy and roadmap development. As President of Themis Intelligence, he drives the business from strategy through execution, advancing Human-Guided Intelligence (HGI) solutions that modernize utility operations with predictive, data-driven decision support. With extensive experience in the electrical industry, he has held leadership positions at Kinects Solutions, Kinectrics Inc., and Honeywell International. He holds an EMBA from Columbia University and M.S. and B.S. degrees in Electrical Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology. |
Jeff Mocha
Jeff Mocha Jeff oversees the delivery of safe, reliable electricity to more than 80,000 customers in Oakville and leads the utility’s push toward becoming one of Canada’s safest and most advanced distribution networks. He serves as Chair of the Smart Grid Innovation Network Canada (SGIN), Vice-Chair of Electricity Canada’s Distribution Council, and sits on the Board of the National Electricity Roundtable, helping shape national dialogue on Canada’s energy future. Previously, Jeff led engineering services and corporate technology, guiding the organization through rapid technological change in the energy sector. He holds a BASc in Electrical Engineering from the University of Waterloo, is a licensed Professional Engineer in Ontario, and earned an EMBA from the Ivey Business School |
|
|
Sponsored By
Themis Intelligence
Themis Intelligence is a wholly owned subsidiary of Survalent Technology, pioneering the future of utility operations through Human-Guided Intelligence (HGI)—an AI framework designed specifically for critical infrastructure and power grid management. Themis transforms raw operational and enterprise data into actionable intelligence for electric utilities navigating the complexities of grid modernization, distributed energy resource (DER) integration, and increasingly dynamic grid conditions. Our Utility Knowledge Base (UKB) unifies fragmented data from OT & IT systems including ADMS, AMI, GIS, and operational documentation into a single AI-ready foundation, enabling utilities to accelerate load forecasting accuracy, enhance situational awareness, and drive intelligent automation while maintaining meaningful human control over every critical decision.
Themis empowers distribution utilities to evolve into data-centric Distribution System Operators (DSOs) through advanced HGI-powered solutions for knowledge management, forecasting, intelligent agents, and asset analytics. Themis delivers predictive analytics, real-time grid intelligence, and natural language interfaces that help utility operators make faster, safer decisions. Every HGI recommendation is explainable, auditable, and firmly under human authority—ensuring regulatory readiness, operational safety, and cultural alignment as utilities leverage artificial intelligence to meet the challenges of decarbonization, electrification, and extreme weather resilience.
Already registered? Click here to log in.