POWER-GRID PROTECTIONAI for Electric Grid Protection
Sandia is engaged in multiple research and development efforts that use AI to secure the electric grid against intentional and natural threats, as well as problems created by aging infrastructure and unprecedented load growth.
Sandia is engaged in multiple research and development efforts that use AI to secure the electric grid against intentional and natural threats, as well as problems created by aging infrastructure and unprecedented load growth. In addition to C2E2 and DERMS, which was featured in the June 18 edition of Lab News, projects in this portfolio include:
● A cyber-physical AI-driven response capability that analyzes cyber and physical data and selects, coordinates and deploys response actions, increasing the speed and accuracy needed to combat AI-enabled adversaries and complex cyber-physical attacks. This is funded by the DOE Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response.
● AI-driven, traveling-wave protection technology designed to improve electric grid fault detection, protection speed, and fault location accuracy in modern distribution systems and microgrids, particularly those with high renewable penetration and wildfire risk. This work is funded by the DOE Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response.
● Multiagent reinforcement learning framework with Deep Q-Network models to train AI agents to optimize load-shedding accuracy under uncertainty, allowing utilities to meet critical system needs during major contingencies without triggering costly mass evacuations and controlled power outages. The DOE Office of Electricity funds this work.
Several additional projects funded by the Resilient Energy Systems Mission Campaign use AI to increase resilience of the electric grid and energy infrastructure to intentional threats. Sandia also supports DOE’s GENESIS Mission, which brings together the national laboratories, industry and academia to accelerate AI for national and energy security.
Diana Hackenburg - Program Communications Specialist at the Sandia National Laboratories’ climate security work. The article was originally posted to the website of the Sandia National Laboratories.
