> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.layerlens.ai/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.layerlens.ai/more-in-this-section-2/scenarios-1.md).

# Energy and utilities scenarios

Five canonical scenarios where electric, gas, water, and pipeline utilities use Stratix evaluation to gate AI features.

## 1. Grid operations and dispatch support

**Setup:** AI assists grid operators — surfaces alarm correlations, suggests switching steps, drafts customer-impact messages, summarizes weather/contingency analysis.

**Why it's hard:**

* Grid state is high-velocity; safety-critical
* N-1 / N-1-1 contingency math defeats general LLMs
* BES (Bulk Electric System) reliability standards (NERC CIP, NERC OPS) are unforgiving
* Cascading failure dynamics → catastrophe risk

**Stakes:**

* 2003 Northeast blackout class scale possible
* NERC penalties up to $1M per violation per day
* FERC Order 880 (cyber) and 881 (transmission) overlay
* Public-safety dependencies (medical, water pumping) raise stakes further

**Stratix evaluation criteria:**

| Aspect                      | What you measure                             | Pattern           |
| --------------------------- | -------------------------------------------- | ----------------- |
| Switching-step faithfulness | Output matches approved switching procedures | Hard rule + judge |
| Contingency-rule compliance | N-1 obligations preserved                    | Hard rule         |
| Advisory-only               | AI never auto-applies dispatch               | Hard rule         |
| Customer-impact message     | Plain-language and faithful                  | Judge             |
| Procedure-version match     | Cited procedure version current              | Rule              |

## 2. Predictive maintenance for grid assets

**Setup:** AI ingests SCADA, weather, asset history; predicts transformer / breaker / line-section failure risk; recommends inspections, replacements, vegetation work.

**Why it's hard:**

* Wildfire-ignition risk in CA / Western states drives extreme stakes
* Asset replacement decisions allocate capital across decades
* PURPA / state-PUC depreciation rules constrain accounting
* Underground vs. overhead trade-offs are politically charged

**Stakes:**

* PG\&E bankruptcy (\~$30B) was wildfire-ignition driven
* State PUC and CPUC AI / wildfire-risk rules are active
* Negligent failure to maintain has triggered criminal exposure in CA

**Stratix evaluation criteria:**

* **Risk-calibration scorer** — Predicted vs. actual failure rate
* **Wildfire-zone rule** — Hard rule: high-fire-threat district items get priority routing
* **Asset-criticality rule** — Critical assets always escalate to human review
* **Vegetation-rule compliance** — Hard rule per state vegetation management standard

## 3. Customer service and billing

**Setup:** Customer chatbot for billing questions, outage reporting, energy efficiency, plan options.

**Why it's hard:**

* LIHEAP / state low-income protections — wrong shutoff guidance can cause real harm
* Senior / medical-baseline protections require accurate handling
* Multi-language requirements; LEP customer regulations
* Outage-status accuracy critical for vulnerable populations

**Stakes:**

* Wrongful disconnection of medical-baseline customers has caused deaths
* State PUCs and AGs aggressive on shutoff practices
* Class actions on bill estimates / TOU misapplication common

**Stratix evaluation criteria:**

* **Medical-baseline rule** — Hard rule: medical-baseline customers routed to human for shutoff topics
* **Low-income-program rule** — LIHEAP / CARE / state-program eligibility surfaced when applicable
* **Outage-data freshness** — Cited data within threshold
* **Multilingual parity** — Per-language judge runs
* **Tariff citation** — Bill explanations cite the applicable tariff

## 4. Demand response and DERMS

**Setup:** AI manages distributed energy resources — surfaces dispatch options, drafts participant communications, analyzes settlement.

**Why it's hard:**

* ISO/RTO market rules (PJM, MISO, ERCOT, CAISO, ISO-NE, NYISO, SPP) all differ
* FERC Order 2222 expanded DER market participation
* Settlement-quality metering data must support audit
* Cybersecurity exposure for grid-edge devices

**Stakes:**

* ISO/RTO settlement disputes costly to litigate
* FERC enforcement on market-manipulation rules
* Cyber exposure under NERC CIP standards

**Stratix evaluation criteria:**

* **ISO-rule compliance rule** — Hard rule: outputs match the applicable ISO/RTO market rules
* **Settlement-data freshness** — Cited meter data current
* **Participant-communication faithfulness** — Plain-language judge against actual dispatch
* **Cyber-control gate** — Hard rule: AI cannot bypass NERC CIP controls

## 5. Field-safety and workforce assistance

**Setup:** Field crews ask about energized work, switching procedures, gas-leak protocols, confined-space requirements.

**Why it's hard:**

* OSHA 1910.269 (electric power generation/transmission/distribution) is unforgiving
* DOT pipeline safety regulations (49 CFR 192/195) for gas
* Mistakes cause fatalities

**Stakes:**

* Worker fatalities in line work / gas work are routine industry events
* OSHA citations + criminal exposure for willful violations
* DOT PHMSA enforcement on pipelines
* Family/community trauma is incalculable

**Stratix evaluation criteria:**

* **Energized-work rule** — Hard rule: outputs cite applicable LOTO and PPE requirements
* **Pipeline-procedure rule** — Hard rule: gas / pipeline procedures cite 49 CFR section
* **Out-of-scope refusal** — Hard rule
* **Manual-version match** — Hard rule
* **Safety-disclaimer rule** — Standard disclaimer present

## See also

* [Energy eval patterns](/more-in-this-section-2/eval-patterns-1.md)
* [Energy compliance](/more-in-this-section-2/compliance-1.md)


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