Utilities Industry Must Strengthen ERP Cloud Migration Risk Controls, Warns Info-Tech Research Group

As the utilities industry transitions core systems to the cloud, many organizations are unprepared for the scale and complexity of ERP migration. Info-Tech Research Group, a global research and advisory firm, has recently published its Mitigate ERP Cloud Migration Risks for Utilities blueprint, which outlines a proactive approach to managing risk across compliance, operations, and technology. The firm's resource provides utilities leaders with a structured framework to identify, assess, and address migration risks while ensuring continuity and regulatory compliance.

TORONTO, Nov. 10, 2025 /CNW/ - As the utilities sector continues to shift mission-critical enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems to cloud environments, the risks of operational disruption, data exposure, and regulatory noncompliance are rising sharply. Global research and advisory firm Info-Tech Research Group has released its industry-specific blueprint, Mitigate ERP Cloud Migration Risks for Utilities, to help IT leaders anticipate risks before they materialize. The blueprint offers a structured methodology to build resilience into ERP migration plans from the start, ensuring utilities can modernize safely without compromising reliability or compliance.

Info-Tech Research Group has recently published its Mitigate ERP Cloud Migration Risks for Utilities blueprint, which provides utilities leaders with a structured framework to identify, assess, and address migration risks while ensuring continuity and regulatory compliance. (CNW Group/Info-Tech Research Group)

ERP migration in utilities is no longer optional, especially as major vendors phase out on-premises support. Yet, utilities face unique pressures, including legacy system integration, operational technology dependencies, and stringent regulations that limit downtime and data movement. Info-Tech's research findings show that many organizations still rely on incomplete or outdated risk frameworks that fail to address cloud-specific challenges such as identity management, interoperability, and service-level accountability. Without structured risk governance, migration projects can encounter compliance violations, service interruptions, or cost overruns that undermine modernization goals.

"ERP migration is one of the most complex modernization efforts organizations can undertake. For utilities, the success of an ERP migration depends on how well risks are managed from day one," says Evan Garland, a research analyst at Info-Tech Research Group. "Utilities need to adopt a proactive approach that treats migration as a risk management exercise. Building risk awareness into governance and aligning accountability across IT, business, and operations ensures organizations can modernize with confidence instead of reacting to failures after they occur."

Key Challenges IT Leaders Face in Utility ERP Migrations

Despite growing investment in modernization, utilities continue to face recurring challenges that hinder successful ERP migration. Info-Tech's findings identify several key areas of concern, including:

• Compliance complexity: New cloud environments introduce security and data residency obligations that differ from traditional regulatory standards.
• Legacy and OT integration: Aging infrastructure and operational technology systems complicate data flow and real-time performance requirements.
• Limited tolerance for disruption: Mission-critical systems supporting energy delivery leave no room for extended downtime or degraded performance.
• Skill and governance gaps: Traditional risk frameworks and personnel expertise often fail to cover cloud-specific migration risks.

Info-Tech's Framework to Mitigate ERP Cloud Migration Risks

To address these challenges, Info-Tech recommends a structured, phased approach that builds risk mitigation into every stage of the migration lifecycle. The firm's Mitigate ERP Cloud Migration Risks for Utilities blueprint introduces a two-phase approach designed to help organizations anticipate disruption, strengthen controls, and engineer resilience throughout their ERP transformation. Rather than reacting to failures, Info-Tech's framework helps utilities design for resilience from the start:

• Phase 1: Assess Readiness and Surface Risk 
  In this phase, IT and business leaders establish a common risk language and map the areas most vulnerable to disruption. Teams review existing risk categories across people, process, and technology, then identify and document high-risk events throughout the ERP migration journey. This includes regulatory compliance gaps, data security exposures, operational dependencies, and integration challenges with legacy or OT systems. The outcome is a structured risk taxonomy and a populated risk register that highlights where and how risks are most likely to appear.
  
  
• Phase 2: Build the Roadmap and Engineer Resilience 
  Once risks are surfaced, organizations move to designing proactive responses. This phase focuses on setting risk timelines, assigning ownership and key risk indicators (KRIs), and defining escalation paths for rapid response. IT leaders then determine the appropriate strategy for each risk: mitigate, accept, transfer, or avoid, and align treatment plans with business priorities. The result is a migration roadmap that embeds governance, accountability, and resilience into every stage of the cloud transition. 

Info-Tech's methodology centers on three continuous principles: Identify, Assess, and Manage. By integrating these principles into the ERP migration lifecycle, utilities can turn risk management into a strategic advantage, ensuring modernization efforts improve reliability, regulatory alignment, and long-term operational performance.

For exclusive and timely commentary from Evan Garland, an expert in the oil and gas industries, and access to the complete Mitigate ERP Cloud Migration Risks for Utilities blueprint, please contact [email protected].

About Info-Tech Research Group

Info-Tech Research Group is the world's leading research and advisory firm, proudly serving over 30,000 IT, HR, and marketing professionals. The company produces unbiased, highly relevant research and provides industry-leading advisory services to help leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. For nearly 30 years, Info-Tech has partnered closely with teams to provide them with everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.

To learn more about Info-Tech's divisions, visit McLean & Company for HR research and advisory services and SoftwareReviews for software buying insights.

Media professionals can register for unrestricted access to research across IT, HR, and software, and hundreds of industry analysts through the firm's Media Insiders program. To gain access, contact [email protected].

For information about Info-Tech Research Group or to access the latest research, visit infotech.com and connect via LinkedIn and X.

SOURCE Info-Tech Research Group

Media Contact: Sufyan Al-Hassan, PR Director, Info-Tech Research Group, [email protected] | [phone] x2418