Municipal Utilities in the Energy Transition: Customer Expectations

The energy transition is significantly impacting the operations of municipal utilities and with it, the expectations placed on energy supply companies are evolving. Thereby digitalisation becomes increasingly important. Despite the many new technical possibilities available, the perspective and needs of the customer are often not given adequate consideration.
This work gives an insight into the customer perspective concerning the expanding municipal utility portfolio by means of two focus group discussions with actual and potential municipal utility customers supplemented by two interviews with municipal utilities. The results show, that customers still primarily see municipal utilities as energy suppliers and operators of the grid infrastructure. Digital products and services offered by municipal utilities are expected to reduce bureaucracy and be easy to use. As part of the municipal utility business, local presence and proximity to customers are essential. Given the trust
that customers place in municipal utilities, advice and support are gaining in importance. Transparent communication is important to maintain this trust. The use of digital media can help municipal utilities share their activities with their customers and keep them informed, thereby increasing local presence and thus their competitive advantage.