As extreme weather becomes more frequent and global supply chains remain unpredictable, electric utilities are under growing pressure to strengthen the resilience of their distribution networks. In this T&D World Live Quick Chat, Ken Woo, President of Marmon Utility, shares a global perspective on two of the most urgent challenges facing utility providers: climate disruption and supply chain volatility.
With decades of leadership in the power infrastructure space, Ken offers insight into how manufacturers and solution partners are evolving to meet the dynamic needs of utilities responsible for delivering safe, reliable electricity to communities. The conversation focuses on the role of strategic design, regional readiness, and responsive sourcing in supporting utilities as they prepare for a future of greater unpredictability and demand.
Weathering the New Normal
What was once considered a “100-year storm” now occurs every few years. From catastrophic flooding in Texas to prolonged wildfire seasons and polar vortexes, utilities are responding to climate events that are increasing in frequency and intensity. These are no longer outliers—they represent a sustained, external pressure on the entire power delivery system.
Ken discusses how utilities are adapting their planning approaches, and how manufacturers like Marmon Utility are supporting those shifts through resilient component design, region-specific material solutions, and collaboration on long-term risk mitigation. Infrastructure may never be completely stormproof, but it can be built to recover faster and perform under harsher conditions.
Resilience Through Recovery
While grid hardening is a top priority, restoration planning is equally vital. Utilities are placing greater emphasis on recovery strategies that depend on sourcing predictability, lead time transparency, and supplier accessibility.
This episode explores how early coordination with manufacturers and engineering partners can accelerate outage response—especially when components and systems are designed with local terrain, weather, and deployment logistics in mind. Recovery is no longer just about repair—it’s about preparation built into the design phase.
Supply Chain as a Strategic Variable
Persistent supply chain challenges continue to affect utility operations across the country. Delays in materials, extended lead times, and shifting availability of components are impacting everything from scheduled upgrades to emergency restoration efforts.
Ken shares insights into how utilities and manufacturers are working together to reduce these risks—by building stronger domestic supply networks, integrating redundancy into sourcing strategies, and forming deeper, long-term relationships. Marmon Utility’s U.S.-based footprint, with facilities in Connecticut and New Hampshire, serves as a model for how manufacturers can offer utilities greater visibility, agility, and alignment from design through delivery.
Design Collaboration at the Core
Power distribution is highly regional. Environmental conditions, regulatory requirements, and legacy infrastructure vary widely. As such, utilities increasingly rely on manufacturers who can co-develop solutions—not just deliver standardized products.
Ken will highlight the value of design-stage collaboration between utilities and their supply partners. This approach results in tailored solutions that match the performance requirements of each service territory—whether it’s coastal corrosion resistance, ice-loading tolerances, or wildfire resilience. That level of specificity and foresight helps utilities stay ahead of disruption and meet rising expectations for reliability.
Supporting the Backbone of Community Power
Electric utilities are the frontline stewards of power distribution in communities. Their ability to respond to climate and logistical challenges is influenced heavily by the strength and responsiveness of the upstream ecosystem that supports them. Manufacturers like Marmon Utility play a critical role in that ecosystem—offering not just materials, but ongoing partnership, engineering insight, and problem-solving expertise.
This episode offers a comprehensive look at how collaboration across the supply chain is helping utilities build more resilient systems—designed for today’s volatility and tomorrow’s growth.
Ken Woo
President
Marmon Utility
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