American Electric Power (AEP), one of the nation’s largest utility power producers and operator of the nation’s largest electric transmission network, has a longstanding reputation as an industry leader in digital transformation and technological innovation. Successful operations have led AEP to sustained growth, expanding the organization into additional states and service territories while accumulating a blend of data, processes, and technologies.

In an era where technological advancements are reshaping industries and redefining the very essence of efficiency, utilities find themselves at a crucial crossroads. Ever-growing demand for reliable energy services has placed an enormous burden on rate-regulated utilities to streamline their operations and optimize every facet of their business. However, many utilities continue to rely on outdated accounting systems and processes that limit their ability to adapt to an evolving landscape. Investment in high-performance computing is becoming critical for operational success, and utilities need a viable plan for transitioning to the best available accounting technology in order to drive sustainable growth in a competitive market.

Implementing new software systems is a challenging task for rate-regulated utilities given the scope and complexity of their operations. The importance of seamless implementation and accurate data conversion cannot be overstated. Lucasys Depreciation was designed to address the unique challenges faced by rate-regulated utilities and provides an effortless implementation process.

Depreciation tracking can be a challenging task for rate-regulated utilities that have to comply with strict accounting standards, so Lucasys Depreciation was specifically designed to make the process more intuitive and user-friendly. One of the key benefits of Lucasys Depreciation is its incredible ease of use. New members of a team can immediately access advanced tools without the need for extensive training, allowing accounting and tax departments to quickly adapt to changes in resource planning. Whether you’re a seasoned accountant or tax professional, or someone just starting out in the field, Lucasys Depreciation can simplify the process of tracking depreciation and make your work more efficient.

Introducing Lucasys Deferred Tax: a first-of-its kind software designed for rate-regulated utilities that provides comprehensive tracking of excess deferred taxes. This innovative software solution enables utilities to track complex tax and regulatory accounting requirements with ease, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and accurate reporting of tax balances.

Lucasys provides peerless expertise in managing deferred tax assets for rate-regulated utilities and works closely with its customers to incorporate their feedback into product development.

Utilities are bracing for a digital revolution, though according to a recent report most executives in the sector agree that their businesses are not prepared for it.

In the Digital Transformation and the Workforce Survey commissioned by EY Power & Utilities, nearly 90% of executives report having too few digitally savvy workers is frustrating their ability to adopt digital technologies. Not only is the problem of an insufficient workforce staring them in the face, by most of the respondents surveyed are lacking a plan on how to proceed. With near-universal agreement (94%) on the need for direct investment in technology and the workforce, utilities are soon to be left scrambling for solutions. The transformation of the power industry will be based on technology, but it will be driven by people.

In March, the Biden administration unveiled a $2.3 trillion infrastructure plan which included many proposals that specifically target the energy industry, including expanded renewable energy tax credits, mandates for utility system modernization, and transitioning the power sector to emissions-free electricity by 2035. Congressional Republicans responded by releasing a $568 billion counter-proposal which included a more limited scope of what qualifies as infrastructure. Since that time Biden has offered to cut his plan to $1.7 trillion, and Republicans have countered again with second counter-proposal of $928B.

The average consumer notices their power consumption two times: when their lights go out and when they are paying their bill. The rest of the time, electric customers generally do not think about the role electricity plays in their day-to-day life or just how much electricity they use on any given day.

Part of the reason that power consumption is not thought about much is that it can be difficult to conceptualize, especially given some of the unique terminology. To help understand power consumption, the following infographics provide a comparative analysis of electricity use.

In February, a massive winter storm led to a power outage in Texas that left more than 4.3 million households, around one third of the state’s electricity customers, without power for several days amid freezing weather. Over 46 gigawatts of power capacity went offline under the extreme cold weather event, resulting in broad-based failure of the power grid. The energy outages also affected the state’s water services, either making tap water unsuitable for drinking or stopping the supply altogether.

If your business is using software with a poorly designed user interface, how much is it costing your bottom line? Perhaps a significant portion of your team’s hours are spent navigating confusing systems, time that would have otherwise been spent on productive projects. Perhaps your team is unable to navigate the systems themselves, necessitating the expense of external technical consultants. The multinational financial services group Citibank recently made an accidental payout of nearly $900M as a result of bad software design. How much do you stand to lose as a result of the usability of your software?

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued several private letter rulings (PLR) in recent months clarifying the relationship between solar power generation equipment and public utility companies. The main focus is defining whether or not generation equipment with energy pricing based on monthly fees can be treated as public utility property. The designation of generation equipment as public utility property has several important implications, all of which impact how utilities treat the property for tax purposes.

There are many misconceptions surrounding software bots. The term ‘bot’ is applied to a vast array of different technologies, which can make pinning down a precise definition difficult. Clearly the pervasiveness of software bots speaks to how useful they can be. But what exactly are software bots, and what exactly are their capabilities? More importantly, do they have a place in the technological toolbelt of the workforce of tomorrow?

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) recently gave the US a D grade for drinking water infrastructure and D+ for wastewater infrastructure. How can the richest nation in the world have infrastructure ranked so poorly on the world scale, and what investments are being made to improve our water networks?

Many industries are leveraging the power of cloud computing to revolutionize their processes, and the COVID-19 pandemic has further accelerated the need for software solutions that can be accessed remotely. Businesses are transitioning to more comprehensive digital processes with cloud solutions at their core.

The 117th United States Congress is now set following two runoff elections in Georgia which have given the Democratic party control over 50 seats in the Senate and the tie-breaking vote through Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. With control of both chambers of Congress and the Presidency, Democrats are now poised to pursue more ambitious policy changes, including a proposed increase to the corporate tax rate.

Lucasys, a leading provider of cloud accounting, tax, and financial reporting solutions, today announced their certification registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education (CPE) on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. Lucasys is certified to provide continuing education via group live and internet-based delivery methods.

Comment letters are in, and the waiting game has begun.

On November 15, 2018, FERC initiated RM19-5, a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that addresses how electric transmission providers, natural gas utilities, and pipelines must reflect the accounting and reporting of excess deferred income taxes resulting from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. Comment letters were due by January 22, 2019.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, signed into law on December 22, 2017, has placed a responsibility on companies to understand the various complexities within the law and to assess the accounting and financial reporting impacts on their organizations. For rate-regulated utilities, certain changes in tax law have put a spotlight on the interplay of rate-making and accounting activities. In particular, the reduction of the top corporate income tax rate from 35% to 21% has initiated a cascade of activities for rate-regulated utilities.

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Another quarter end close is in the books (quite literally). Finance, accounting, and tax professionals go through a set of shared experiences in those several critical days surrounding key accounting close windows and reporting deadlines.