Utility providers are now facing increasingly tough competition for the ratepayer dollar. Challenged to do more with less, utility providers must assess their competitive environment, employ innovative business practices, streamline their operations, and become more efficient than ever before. To meet these challenges, many utility providers are turning to information technologies as a key element in achieving their business plans. And, once an implementation plan has been developed, governance of that plan is needed to ensure that the implementation plan remains integrated with business goals as the organization and technology evolves. Experience and research have shown that a link is needed between business goals and information systems planning to ensure effective use of information technologies. This paper discusses that link, including case studies from actual public agency information system implementations. Each case study demonstrates how an organization's business planning has been successfully linked to its information systems. Includes 7 references, tables, figures.