How Consumers are Empowering Utilities
Sara Mudge, NB Power - Episode 1
Written by: Amanda Rogers | · DEC · | February 14, 2025
A New Era for Energy
The electricity sector is undergoing an unprecedented transformation. As new technologies emerge and consumer expectations shift, utilities must adapt to a rapidly evolving energy landscape. Few understand this better than Sara Mudge, Senior Technical Lead for Efficiency Services at NB Power, who has spent nearly a decade at the forefront of energy innovation.
“I get to spend my time figuring out what the future of energy looks like and how we can help our customers navigate the transition,” Mudge explains. “Technology is advancing at an unprecedented pace, and utilities need to rethink the way they operate.”
From smart grids and energy-efficient homes to demand-side management and decentralised generation, Mudge’s work is focused on making the energy transition accessible, affordable, and people-centric.
The Changing Electricity Value Chain
For over a century, the electricity system has followed a centralised model—large power plants generating electricity and transmitting it over long distances to consumers. However, this model is becoming increasingly unsustainable.
“We used to take decades to plan a power plant,” Mudge notes. “Now, technologies become obsolete in just a few years. The old way of doing things doesn’t work anymore.”
Several key shifts are reshaping the energy value chain:
Modernisation over expansion – Utilities must now balance ageing infrastructure upgrades with new technologies rather than just building more capacity.
Technological disruption – Consumer energy technologies, such as heat pumps, solar panels, and electric vehicles (EVs), are advancing faster than utilities can plan, requiring more agile strategies.
Decentralisation – More energy is now being generated, stored, and managed locally, reducing reliance on long-haul transmission.
The Expanding Role of Decentralised Energy
One of the most significant changes in the sector is the rise of decentralised energy (DE), which refers to small-scale, local energy generation and storage solutions.
“The ability for people to produce, store, and manage their own power is fundamentally changing the relationship between utilities and customers,” Mudge says. “The traditional ‘utility controls everything’ model no longer applies.”
Decentralised energy offers numerous advantages:
More consumer control – Homes and businesses can generate and store their own electricity, reducing reliance on the grid.
Grid stability – Smarter energy management helps reduce peak demand and prevent system overloads.
Economic benefits – DE enables a more cost-effective modernisation strategy, reducing expensive infrastructure investments.
However, integrating decentralised energy into legacy grid systems presents challenges. Many older homes were not designed for two-way energy flows, and regulations have yet to fully adapt to the shift in ownership and responsibility of power generation.
Rethinking Utility Business Models
As decentralised energy gains traction, utilities must evolve their business models to remain relevant. Traditionally, utilities have relied on large-scale generation projects and long-term cost recovery models. However, the future will see more distributed energy producers, including community solar projects, battery storage, and individual households.
“NB Power has always operated under a socialised electricity model, where power is equally available to all New Brunswick residents at the lowest cost,” Mudge explains. “But as energy production diversifies, we have to rethink how we balance affordability, infrastructure investment, and competition.”
Several key changes are taking shape:
From centralised to distributed generation – Power production will increasingly come from multiple, small-scale sources rather than a few large plants.
New pricing models – Dynamic pricing, time-of-use rates, and incentives for demand-side management will become the norm.
Increased collaboration – Utilities will work more closely with private energy producers, tech firms, and consumers to co-develop flexible energy solutions.
Energy Security, Affordability, and Resiliency
As the climate crisis intensifies, energy security is becoming a growing concern. Extreme weather events—from devastating floods to record-breaking ice storms—are putting pressure on the grid in ways never seen before.
“In the last three years, we’ve had three ‘once-in-a-century’ floods,” Mudge reveals. “When substations are underwater, power is out until the water recedes—sometimes for days or even weeks.”
To address these challenges, NB Power is prioritising investment in resilient infrastructure, including:
Smart grids – Digitising the grid for real-time monitoring and response.
Energy storage – Deploying diverse storage solutions, including batteries, thermal storage, and hydrogen.
Demand-side management – Helping consumers monitor and adjust energy use in real time to prevent system overloads.
However, modernisation comes at a cost, and no one wants to pay for it.
“People support clean energy and grid resilience, but when it comes to rate increases, there’s resistance,” Mudge acknowledges. “Finding the balance between affordability and investment is one of the biggest hurdles we face.”
Key Milestones in New Brunswick’s Energy Transition
NB Power has played a pioneering role in Canadian energy innovation. Some of its key milestones include:
First Canadian utility to use AI-driven weather analytics, improving storm response and outage prediction.
Leading the adoption of cold-climate heat pumps, which have now been installed in over 60% of New Brunswick homes.
Home to Canada’s only nuclear power plant outside Ontario, which enabled the province’s transition away from oil heating.
Consumer-Centric Energy Transition
Mudge emphasises that energy transition isn’t just about technology—it’s about people.
“The biggest challenge isn’t deploying new technology—it’s making sure people understand it and can use it effectively,” she says. “We can invent all the solutions we want, but if we don’t make them easy, accessible, and relevant, people won’t adopt them.”
That’s why NB Power is focusing on behavioural science alongside technical solutions.
“People need real-time visibility into their energy use,” Mudge explains. “Many homeowners don’t realise how much energy they’re using until they get a high bill at the end of the month. With smart meters and energy monitoring tools, we can empower consumers to make informed decisions.”
The Future of Energy: A Smarter, More Adaptive Grid
Looking ahead, the future of energy will be defined by flexibility, adaptability, and innovation.
Mudge envisions a grid where consumers are not just passive energy users but active participants in a decentralised energy ecosystem.
“This transition will require new business models, new regulatory frameworks, and a mindset shift across the entire industry,” she says. “We’re moving from a world where energy is just ‘there’ when you need it, to a system where we actively manage, store, and distribute power more intelligently.”
As the energy transition accelerates, utilities like NB Power will play a critical role in ensuring that modernisation happens in a way that is equitable, affordable, and sustainable.
“We’re embarking on both exciting and challenging times,” Mudge concludes. “But if we work together—with utilities, policymakers, businesses, and everyday consumers—we can build an energy system that truly works for everyone.”
