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Energy infrastructure is entering a new phase where design, data, and delivery are inseparable. Success now depends on how seamlessly we connect them. Traditional EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) models served well in simpler times, but today’s infrastructure demands more.
That’s where EPIC-O&M comes in, standing for Engineering, Procurement, Integration, Construction, Operation, and Maintenance. It is a next-generation, one-stop delivery framework that connects technical design, systems integration, procurement, construction, and long-term performance under one coordinated strategy.
EPIC-O&M is purpose-built for today’s energy storage and hybrid projects, where renewables and distributed energy resources are paired with grid services and advanced control systems. These projects require deep coordination between design, integration, and operations, and EPIC-O&M ensures every phase works together seamlessly for reliable, optimized performance.
The EPIC-O&M model extends the conventional EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) approach by adding two critical dimensions: Integration and Operation & Maintenance. It addresses the complexity of modern energy systems that must not only be built but also communicate, perform, and evolve as a unified whole.
Each component plays a distinct role:
The result is a seamless process that bridges the gap between engineering intent and operational reality.
EPIC-O&M stands apart because it embeds the Integrator function, the bridge that connects engineering and operational intelligence. These integrator skills enable solution flexibility for DC block supply and ensure the system can adapt to fully or partially integrated OEM subsystems.
Unlike traditional EPC approaches that often hand off risk to the owner, EPIC-O&M actively manages integration, performance, and operational risk. This model not only de-risks delivery but ensures ongoing optimization over time.
Engineering is recurring. Software maintenance is recurring. System performance tuning is recurring. Operations and maintenance are recurring.
That is why EPIC-O&M functions as a subscription-based model, a structure that spreads costs, aligns incentives, and keeps systems optimized. Instead of large one-time contracts with static deliverables, EPIC-O&M provides a dynamic, continuous service that evolves with technology and performance needs.
💡 If you missed it, our recent blog “Reducing Integration Risk: Why It Matters (and How to Do It Right)” explores why integration has become one of the most underestimated risk factors in energy infrastructure projects and how early alignment between engineering and controls prevents costly surprises later.
1. One-Stop Accountability
Clients benefit from a single point of responsibility. The EPIC-O&M team manages engineering, integration, procurement, construction, and operations under one framework, reducing coordination friction, scope gaps, and schedule delays.
2. Reduced Technical and Interface Risk
By uniting all six disciplines early in the process, EPIC-O&M minimizes misalignments at system interfaces between hardware, software, and construction teams, reducing rework, change orders, and cost overruns.
3. Faster Time to Commissioning
Integration and testing are built in from day one. Long-lead items are specified early, integration testing begins virtually through digital twins, and commissioning proceeds with fewer unknowns.
4. Transparent Deliverables
EPIC-O&M provides the client with clear deliverables at every stage, including:
5. Easier for Clients to Manage
With one integrated team, clients avoid the complexity of juggling multiple vendors, schedules, and contracts. The EPIC-O&M structure decouples technical complexity from client oversight, allowing owners to focus on outcomes like performance, cost, and reliability instead of managing integration conflicts.
EPIC-O&M is not just a delivery model. It is a risk-management framework for asset owners.
By integrating Engineering, Procurement, Construction, Operation, and Maintenance under one coordinated umbrella, EPIC-O&M reduces interface risk, commercial uncertainty, and vendor fragmentation.
Each layer: Engineering, Integration, Procurement, and O&M feeds data back into the system, ensuring issues are identified early and corrected quickly. This closes the feedback loop and enables proactive rather than reactive management.
The result:
The EPIC-O&M model transforms what was once a linear project delivery into a service-based, recurring model.
This subscription structure reflects the reality that energy systems evolve. Software updates, control tuning, data analytics, and performance optimization are ongoing requirements.
With EPIC-O&M, owners benefit from:
Each update adds functionality without disrupting operations, turning infrastructure into a living system that adapts over time.
This model de-risks ownership, maintains performance, and keeps costs competitive while ensuring systems stay aligned with grid and market changes.
The U.S. Department of Energy’s 2025 Resource Adequacy Report warns that without decisive action, the nation could face up to 800 hours of outages per year by the end of the decade, a one-hundred-fold increase in power interruptions.
As Terry Boston, former PJM CEO and Acelerex board member, emphasized:
“We cannot, will not, shall not allow 800 hours of outages per year. The loss of life potential is far too great.”
He further noted that dependable capacity, grid controllability, and rapid transmission expansion are now national imperatives, especially as AI data centers and industrial electrification drive unprecedented load growth not seen since the 1970s.
EPIC-O&M directly addresses this urgency by ensuring that dependable capacity is engineered, integrated, procured, constructed, operated, and maintained as one continuous framework. It turns reliability from an aspiration into a managed lifecycle deliverable, connecting design, integration, and O&M to prevent the very risks highlighted in the DOE report.
Under EIPCOM, roles are clearly defined but tightly coordinated. The Integrator role acts as the glue, ensuring no technical or operational gap exists between design, delivery, and performance. This structure simplifies oversight for clients while maintaining technical excellence and accountability.
🔹 OEM Procurement:
Procure BESS hardware (batteries, PCS/inverters, transformers, switchgear, BMS, EMS, control room, fire suppression, HVAC).
Deliverables: OEM contracts, FAT/SAT plans, delivery packages, training manuals.
🔹 Construction Procurement:
Procure and execute civil works (foundations, trenching, drainage, fencing, site access).
Deliverables: Tender packages, bid evaluations, site supervision reports.
🔹 Owner’s Engineering Services:
Provide technical oversight for design, grid compliance, bid evaluation, testing, and commissioning.
Deliverables: Design review reports, commissioning reports, appliance installation, software licenses, network design.
🔹 Digital Layer:
Deploy Acelerex REX™ EMS, SCADA, DAS, and Power Plant Controller across project sites.
Deliverables: Configuration files, digital twin reports, HMI layouts, cybersecurity documentation.
🔹 Remote Monitoring:
Enable 24/7 cloud-based monitoring for multi-site BESS operations and reporting.
Deliverables: DAS portal, API documentation, alert systems, dashboards.
🔹 Operations & Maintenance:
Perform preventive and corrective maintenance for both hardware and software.
Deliverables: Maintenance schedules, inspection checklists, system performance reports.
The model supports:
EPIC-O&M isn’t just a way to deliver projects faster. It’s how to deliver them smarter.
The Engineering, Procurement, Integration, Construction, Operation, and Maintenance model represents the next chapter in infrastructure delivery, one that matches the technical sophistication of today’s energy systems.
It is comprehensive, coordinated, and built around what clients value most: clarity, accountability, and performance.
At Acelerex, we see EPIC-O&M as more than a contracting model. It is a mindset that blends engineering excellence, digital integration, and operational discipline to deliver systems that are not just built but built to perform.