January 29, 2026
Minnetonka, Minn. and Kansas City, Mo.
Power utilities will benefit with streamlined rigorous documentation and study requirements for various protection and control regulations, automation of repetitive calculation tasks and re-allocation of engineering resources, and faster identification of protection flaws prior to a fault occurring and subsequent prevention of cascading outages.
“The path to autonomous grids requires us to digitize the most critical layer of our infrastructure: protection,” said Marcus McCarthy, President, Grid Software Americas at Siemens Smart Infrastructure.
The Crisis: Complexity vs. Capacity
The US power grid is facing a ‘protection cliff.’ As utilities race to integrate inverter-based resources, traditional protection schemes are failing to handle the resulting bidirectional power flows. Simultaneously, strict regulations like NERC PRC-027-1 require rigorous coordination studies that most utilities—particularly municipalities and electric co-operatives—lack the manpower to execute manually, creating a critical vulnerability.
“Our clients, especially in the public power sector, are facing a ‘perfect storm’ of a retiring workforce and increasing regulatory scrutiny,” said Chris Underwood, Vice President and General Manager, 1898 & Co. “They don’t just need software; they need an effective solution that provides a roadmap to compliance. This agreement allows us to hand our clients a solution that is automated, repeatable, and scalable—tailored specifically to the constraints of the modern utility.”
This strategic alliance fills the void being left by a retiring engineering workforce. It bridges the gap between advanced software and operational execution:
The Engine (Siemens): Gridscale X Advanced Protection Assessment automatically validates relay settings and simulates fault scenarios in seconds, identifying hidden vulnerabilities like blind spots or false tripping.
The Driver (1898 & Co.): 1898 & Co. leverages this engine to provide the implementation muscle—interpreting data, remediating settings, and guiding utilities through complex compliance audits.
“We cannot manage a dynamic grid with static tools,” added Siemens’ McCarthy. “By combining our Gridscale X Advanced Protection Assessment engine with 1898 & Co.’s engineering pedigree, we are giving US utilities the speed and precision needed to ensure the lights stay on.”
Siemens is accelerating the energy transition by enabling grid operators to manage the increasing complexity of energy infrastructure. As part of the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio, Gridscale X paves the way for autonomous grid management. It provides modular software that enables grid operators to reliably operate grids closer to their physical limits, turn DERs into valuable assets for grid flexibility, make well-informed investment decisions, and improve customer satisfaction. Learn more about Gridscale X Advanced Protection Assessment, formerly called PSS®CAPE.
Gridscale X and PSS are trademarks of Siemens and/or its affiliates in some countries.
About Siemens
Siemens Corporation is a U.S. subsidiary of Siemens AG, a leading technology company focused on industry, infrastructure, transport, and healthcare. The company’s purpose is to create technology to transform the everyday, for everyone. By combining the real and the digital worlds, Siemens empowers customers to accelerate their digital and sustainability transformations, making factories more efficient, cities more livable, and transportation more sustainable. A leader in industrial AI, Siemens leverages its deep domain know-how to apply AI – including generative AI – to real-world applications, making AI accessible and impactful for customers across diverse industries. Siemens also owns a majority stake in the publicly listed company Siemens Healthineers, a leading global medical technology provider pioneering breakthroughs in healthcare. For everyone. Everywhere. Sustainably.
In fiscal year 2025, which ended on September 30, 2025, the Siemens Group USA generated revenue of $24.427 billion with 25 manufacturing sites across the U.S. and more than 50,000 employees serving customers in all 50 states and Puerto Rico.
Siemens Smart Infrastructure (SI) is shaping the market for intelligent, adaptive infrastructure for today and the future. It addresses the pressing challenges of urbanization and climate change by connecting energy systems, buildings, and industries. SI provides customers with a comprehensive end-to-end portfolio from a single source – with products, systems, solutions, and services from the point of power generation all the way to consumption. With an increasingly digitalized ecosystem, it helps customers thrive and communities progress while contributing toward protecting the planet. To protect this journey, we foster holistic cybersecurity to ensure secure and reliable operations. Siemens Smart Infrastructure has its global headquarters in Zug, Switzerland, and its U.S. corporate headquarters in Peachtree Corners, Georgia, USA. As of September 30, 2025, the business had around 79,400 employees worldwide.
About 1898 & Co.
1898 & Co. is a global business and technology consultancy that brings together a unique blend of engineers and industry leaders to deliver strategic business insights and solutions for critical infrastructure industries. Part of Burns & McDonnell, 1898 & Co. partners with clients to plan, invest, secure and optimize critical assets for a successful, sustainable future.
Allison Britt
Phone: +1-630-399-2587
Email: allison.britt@siemens.com
1898 & Co.
Kayla Reed
Phone: +1-425-583-9215
Email: klreed@burnsmcd.com
Link to Press Release
Minnetonka, Minn. and Kansas City, Mo.
- - Combines Siemens’ Gridscale X Advanced Protection Assessment software with 1898 & Co.’s engineering services to de-risk grid operations.
- - Directly addresses NERC PRC-027-1 mandates and the shortage of skilled protection engineers.
- - Delivers turnkey protection studies to municipalities, electric co-operatives, and investor-owned utilities facing unprecedented grid complexity.
Power utilities will benefit with streamlined rigorous documentation and study requirements for various protection and control regulations, automation of repetitive calculation tasks and re-allocation of engineering resources, and faster identification of protection flaws prior to a fault occurring and subsequent prevention of cascading outages.
“The path to autonomous grids requires us to digitize the most critical layer of our infrastructure: protection,” said Marcus McCarthy, President, Grid Software Americas at Siemens Smart Infrastructure.
The Crisis: Complexity vs. Capacity
The US power grid is facing a ‘protection cliff.’ As utilities race to integrate inverter-based resources, traditional protection schemes are failing to handle the resulting bidirectional power flows. Simultaneously, strict regulations like NERC PRC-027-1 require rigorous coordination studies that most utilities—particularly municipalities and electric co-operatives—lack the manpower to execute manually, creating a critical vulnerability.
“Our clients, especially in the public power sector, are facing a ‘perfect storm’ of a retiring workforce and increasing regulatory scrutiny,” said Chris Underwood, Vice President and General Manager, 1898 & Co. “They don’t just need software; they need an effective solution that provides a roadmap to compliance. This agreement allows us to hand our clients a solution that is automated, repeatable, and scalable—tailored specifically to the constraints of the modern utility.”
This strategic alliance fills the void being left by a retiring engineering workforce. It bridges the gap between advanced software and operational execution:
The Engine (Siemens): Gridscale X Advanced Protection Assessment automatically validates relay settings and simulates fault scenarios in seconds, identifying hidden vulnerabilities like blind spots or false tripping.
The Driver (1898 & Co.): 1898 & Co. leverages this engine to provide the implementation muscle—interpreting data, remediating settings, and guiding utilities through complex compliance audits.
“We cannot manage a dynamic grid with static tools,” added Siemens’ McCarthy. “By combining our Gridscale X Advanced Protection Assessment engine with 1898 & Co.’s engineering pedigree, we are giving US utilities the speed and precision needed to ensure the lights stay on.”
Siemens is accelerating the energy transition by enabling grid operators to manage the increasing complexity of energy infrastructure. As part of the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio, Gridscale X paves the way for autonomous grid management. It provides modular software that enables grid operators to reliably operate grids closer to their physical limits, turn DERs into valuable assets for grid flexibility, make well-informed investment decisions, and improve customer satisfaction. Learn more about Gridscale X Advanced Protection Assessment, formerly called PSS®CAPE.
Gridscale X and PSS are trademarks of Siemens and/or its affiliates in some countries.
About Siemens
Siemens Corporation is a U.S. subsidiary of Siemens AG, a leading technology company focused on industry, infrastructure, transport, and healthcare. The company’s purpose is to create technology to transform the everyday, for everyone. By combining the real and the digital worlds, Siemens empowers customers to accelerate their digital and sustainability transformations, making factories more efficient, cities more livable, and transportation more sustainable. A leader in industrial AI, Siemens leverages its deep domain know-how to apply AI – including generative AI – to real-world applications, making AI accessible and impactful for customers across diverse industries. Siemens also owns a majority stake in the publicly listed company Siemens Healthineers, a leading global medical technology provider pioneering breakthroughs in healthcare. For everyone. Everywhere. Sustainably.
In fiscal year 2025, which ended on September 30, 2025, the Siemens Group USA generated revenue of $24.427 billion with 25 manufacturing sites across the U.S. and more than 50,000 employees serving customers in all 50 states and Puerto Rico.
Siemens Smart Infrastructure (SI) is shaping the market for intelligent, adaptive infrastructure for today and the future. It addresses the pressing challenges of urbanization and climate change by connecting energy systems, buildings, and industries. SI provides customers with a comprehensive end-to-end portfolio from a single source – with products, systems, solutions, and services from the point of power generation all the way to consumption. With an increasingly digitalized ecosystem, it helps customers thrive and communities progress while contributing toward protecting the planet. To protect this journey, we foster holistic cybersecurity to ensure secure and reliable operations. Siemens Smart Infrastructure has its global headquarters in Zug, Switzerland, and its U.S. corporate headquarters in Peachtree Corners, Georgia, USA. As of September 30, 2025, the business had around 79,400 employees worldwide.
About 1898 & Co.
1898 & Co. is a global business and technology consultancy that brings together a unique blend of engineers and industry leaders to deliver strategic business insights and solutions for critical infrastructure industries. Part of Burns & McDonnell, 1898 & Co. partners with clients to plan, invest, secure and optimize critical assets for a successful, sustainable future.
Contacts for Press
SiemensAllison Britt
Phone: +1-630-399-2587
Email: allison.britt@siemens.com
1898 & Co.
Kayla Reed
Phone: +1-425-583-9215
Email: klreed@burnsmcd.com
Link to Press Release