IDC Energy Insights today hosted a Web conference titled, IDC Energy Insights Predictions 2013: North American Utilities, highlighting market predictions for the year ahead. Featuring analysts Dean Chuang, Jill Feblowitz, Rick Nicholson, Usman Sindhu, Casey Talon, and Marcus Torchia, the session provided organizations with insight and perspective on long-term industry trends along with new themes on the horizon. The Predictions Web conference series is designed to help company leaders capitalize on emerging market opportunities and plan for future growth. A replay of today's web conference will be available within 48 hours. To access the replay and receive a complimentary copy of the presentation, please visit http://bit.ly/EI_Predictions2013_Utilities.

The Top 10 Predictions for 2013 are:

• Prediction 1 - Utilities will make outage prevention, readiness, and response a top priority in 2013.
• Prediction 2 - Smart electric meter shipments will fall below 9M units in 2013.
• Prediction 3 - In the next five years, consumer spending will transform home energy management.
• Prediction 4 - By 2017, 70% of AMI systems will integrate to a distribution control system.
• Prediction 5 - In 2013, utility incentives will drive $160M in smart building technologies, ensuring energy efficiency is here to stay.
• Prediction 6 - Utilities have breathing room to plan as PEV penetration is lower than expected.
• Prediction 7 - Utility CIOs' security practices in 2013 and beyond will center on risk management.
• Prediction 8 – CIOs' agenda for 2013 will focus on bringing business efficiencies through IT initiatives.
• Prediction 9 - In 2013, marketing and customer ops will increase efforts in the social business space.
• Prediction 10 - North American IT spending will grow at 4.92% CAGR over the five years from 2010 to 2015.

"In 2013, North American utilities will need to beef up lagging revenues to cover infrastructure investments in a climate where customer satisfaction is declining and reliability is threatened by cyber attacks and extreme weather," said Jill Feblowitz, Vice President, IDC Energy Insights. "At the same time, utilities that have invested in smart meters and smart grid technology will move to the next phase, investing more time and dollars in outage response, security, business efficiency, and customer engagement."

Ms. Feblowitz continued, "Enabling technologies ripe for investment include analytics, mobility, and social business, while in anticipation of higher energy prices, residential customers will warm to home energy management and business owners and operators will seek education on smart buildings."

For additional information about these Predictions or to arrange a one-on-one briefing, please contact Sarah Murray at 781-378-2674 or sarah@attunecommunications.com. Reports are available to qualified members of the media. For information on purchasing reports, contact info@idc-ei.com; reporters should email sarah@attunecommunications.com.

About IDC Predictions

A hallmark of IDC's offering for three decades, the annual Top 10 Predictions reports provide IDC's outlook on the IT market, across industries, for the coming year. During the next 60 days, IDC will publish dozens of Top 10 Predictions documents for 2013. Please visit www.idc.com/predictions2013 for a complete listing.

About IDC Energy Insights

IDC Energy Insights assists energy businesses and IT leaders, as well as the suppliers who serve them, in making more effective technology decisions by providing accurate, timely, and insightful fact-based research and consulting services. Staffed by senior analysts with decades of industry experience, our global research analyzes and advises on business and technology issues facing the utility and oil and gas industries. International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology market. IDC is a subsidiary of IDG, the world’s leading technology, media, research, and events company. For more information, please visit www.idc-ei.com, email info@idc-ei.com, or call 508-935-4400. Visit the IDC Energy Insights Community at http://idc-insights-community.com/energy.