IEEE Course Teaches How to Use AI to Modernize Power Grids

Today’s U.S. electrical grid, among the largest, most complex systems ever built, is operating at its limit. The combination of rapid industrial growth, more frequent extreme weather, and a record surge in electricity use has pushed the grid to its breaking point, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.Built decades ago for a more predictable world in which power came mostly from centralized coal or gas plants and electricity use grew at a steady pace, the grid faces unanticipated strain due in part to growing demand from data centers. The jobs of professionals managing the infrastructure have evolved from traditional engineering tasks to complex, fast-moving challenges.Industry reports show that millions of modern digital sensors, smart meters, and grid monitors are generating nonstop waves of information. The sheer volume of data requires instant, automated computer analysis because human operators cannot process it fast enough.Pressure on utilities stems from two sources: a spike in electricity demand and a shift in how power is generated.An example of the operational strain can be seen at the regional level. With the recent deployment of artificial intelligence tools and h…