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Playbook · Utilities & Power

How to run autonomous inventory and procurement operations in Utilities & Power (2026)

Last updated September 2026

The short answer

Let the system decide the routine; your team owns the exceptions. 4 steps, in order, for a utilities & power operation.

What you are working against in Utilities

  • Critical spares over-held 'just in case'
  • Long-tail inventory compounding carrying cost
  • Little visibility into what's truly redundant

Before you start: where Utilities usually sits

MetricTypical for UtilitiesWhat good looks like
Inventory Turnover Ratio 1.5–3 turns Critical spares lower turns; above 3 is strong
Fill Rate 95–99%+ Critical spares target near-100% availability
Days Sales of Inventory 90–180+ days Critical spares inflate DSI; find the redundant tail
Inventory Carrying Cost 25–40% / yr Long-held critical spares raise carrying cost

Published ranges, not targets. Take your own baseline before step one.

The steps

  1. 1Automate routine replenishment, sourcing, and disposition decisions
  2. 2Escalate only exceptions and value calls to a person
  3. 3Codify tribal knowledge into always-on decisioning
  4. 4Scale operations without adding headcount

Why it pays off

83%
83% of distribution executives have implemented AI in at least one function, up from 35% in 2023.
Epicor
20–30%
AI-driven optimization can cut inventory 20–30% while holding service levels, and reduce forecasting error up to 50%.
Epicor / MDM
3.2×
Procurement 'Digital Masters' see 3.2× GenAI ROI versus 1.5× for followers, and allocate up to 24% of budget to procurement technology.
Deloitte 2025 Global CPO Survey

Frequently asked questions

How do you tell whether this is working in utilities & power?

Recompute the same way each period. Inventory Turnover Ratio: Inventory Turns = Cost of Goods Sold ÷ Average Inventory. Quote Turnaround Time: Quote Turnaround = Time(quote sent) − Time(RFQ received). Fill Rate: Fill Rate = Units Shipped from Stock ÷ Units Ordered.

What does Utilities start from?

Inventory Turnover Ratio of 1.5–3 turns is the published band for utilities & power — critical spares lower turns; above 3 is strong. The 4 steps above are the same in any sector; the band you start from is not.

See what your inventory is really costing you.

Tell us where the cash is trapped — excess stock, idle surplus, slow RFQs — and we'll show you the outcome Maintained can unlock.

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