From our Guest Editor
Welcome to this issue of TetraVerse, “Powering our Future,” where we spotlight the engineering and digital innovations that support resilient energy systems to meet our world’s increasing demand for power.
Below you’ll find stories on routing and permitting advances to strengthen grids, breakthroughs in transmission line design, geospatially-driven vegetation management to keep lines clear, predictive analytics of water and power demand to support sustainable data centers in Texas, and digital transformation in the nuclear power sector to boost operational efficiency.
As an energy practitioner, I’ve seen firsthand how these technical and regulatory threads come together to determine whether projects succeed and why getting them right matters now more than ever. Our clients—utilities, developers, regulators, and data center operators—rely on Tetra Tech’s power and energy teams to translate complexity into long-term sustainable solutions. From permitting pathways and smarter power line design to data-driven demand modeling and renewable energy integration, we deliver the technical expertise and collaborative partnerships that power communities and projects today and for the future.
Erin Toelke, Tetra Tech Global Power and Energy Lead
Routing for resilience: strengthening Colorado’s grid
Colorado’s Power Pathway faced complex siting, environmental, and permitting challenges that threatened the project schedule and budget. Tetra Tech partnered with Xcel Energy to shrink sprawling study areas into buildable corridors, run targeted field surveys, and lead an extensive permitting and public‑outreach campaign across 12 counties. The result: ~590 miles of routed transmission, streamlined permit approvals, and reduced schedule risk through proactive stakeholder engagement. Read how Tetra Tech’s team used a data‑driven, multidisciplinary approach to deliver for the client and communities in Colorado.
Modeling water and power demands for data centers in Texas
Data centers account for about 4.4 percent of U.S. electricity use—a figure projected to exceed 10 percent by 2030. The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) and hyperscale data centers is placing growing pressure on energy and water supplies in Texas. Tetra Tech experts use advanced modeling to evaluate how data center cooling technologies, climate conditions, and operations shape water and energy use, helping developers and planners balance efficiency, cost, and long-term reliability. Explore how Tetra Tech’s unique modeling approach informs smarter infrastructure planning in growing data center markets.
Using LiDAR to keep the power lines clear
Comprehensive vegetation management in and around transmission line areas is critical to prevent outages and wildfires, avoid emergency repairs, protect assets, and keep power flowing to customers. Tetra Tech provides energy companies with advanced end-to-end geomatics services, from targeted aerial and ground surveys to easy-to-use maps and crew-ready reports. Learn how Tetra Tech’s experts enable data-driven decision-making and efficient management for suppliers and utilities.
AI and machine learning tools speed up decision-making and reveal better trade-offs, but they don’t replace engineering judgment. Used thoughtfully and with proper due diligence, they help teams deliver higher-quality results faster.
Is AI the answer to better power delivery?
A conversation with Julien Dupas, structural and transmission lines engineer
Transmission projects face financial and technical challenges that can delay critical connections and inflate budgets. In this interview, Julien shares how practical innovations—from tubular steel poles and helical‑pile foundations to AI/LiDAR‑driven tower spotting and compact conductor options—speed delivery, reduce costs, and improve resilience. Learn how Tetra Tech pairs these technical advances with hands‑on client collaboration to de‑risk projects and get essential feeds built faster and more sustainably.
Our integrated project twins enable project teams, clients, and stakeholders to have a holistic view of the design, as-found field condition, and information behind the model all in one place.
Andrei Popa, Digital Engineering Lead
Is the nuclear power sector ready for digital transformation?
A conversation with Andrei Popa, digital engineering lead
The nuclear sector faces steep challenges—legacy, siloed processes, fragmented software, and data quality gaps—that can stall projects and limit returns on digital investments. Andrei explains how integrated digital twins, AI, and cloud platforms can overcome those hurdles to accelerate decision‑making, reduce risk, and improve operational efficiency for owners and operators. Read the full interview for practical steps, common integration pitfalls, and real‑world examples of how Tetra Tech helps clients turn digital transformation into safer, more efficient nuclear operations.
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