Substation design projects, whether new or brownfield, are all too often similar to a relay race. The workflow typically consists of a chain of handoffs, where each designer waits for access to the design data, works on their specific projects, and then passes the model along to the next team member, hoping nothing important has shifted in the meantime. Substation design software like OpenUtilities Substation+ enables concurrent engineering, allowing multiple teams to collaborate in real time on a shared digital asset. In a world of increased energy demand and compressed timelines, that “take turns” model becomes the silent bottleneck. It doesn’t just slow delivery, it breeds clashes, duplicates effort, and leads to decisions made from yesterday’s version of the truth. When internal designers and engineers, EPCs, and contractors are working in parallel on substation projects, sequential workflows become scheduling risks. At SDSIC 2026, Bentley outlined a new approach that directly addresses this challenge: Concurrent Substation Design, enabled by OpenUtilities Substation+. Here is a deeper look at why traditional approaches break down, and how Substation+ enables utilities to move faster, safer, and more confidently into the future. Why collaboration bottlenecks slow substation design projects When substation design delays occur, they’re often

Utilities today are asking ever more of their engineers: design the next substation faster, with less engineering talent available and with zero tolerance for error. Agentic AI in substation design is emerging as a new way to automate engineering workflows, improve accuracy, and help utilities deliver projects faster. These improvements are now a must. Electrification and the energy transition are lifting demand, but the need for new data centers is significantly compounding it. At the same time, the grid is aging, project complexity is rising, and backlogs are growing. There is an irony to this situation. AI, the very technology fueling much of today’s demand growth, may also be the key to meeting it. But only if we approach AI integration with the rigor and accountability our industry demands. The reality of AI in substation design and infrastructure engineering There is no shortage of excitement about AI’s potential to accelerate infrastructure delivery. Across the utility sector, engineering leaders are asking the same questions: How do we move faster? How do we capture and harness the institutional knowledge of our aging workforce? How do we maintain safety and quality while scaling output? Yet alongside that excitement is well-founded uncertainty. A highly