Category: Programmable Logic Controllers

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How AI Is Being Used by Power Utilities to Benefit End Users?

Renewable Energy World.com by Jeremiah Karpowicz:

DTech-Midwest-Conference-AI
Image: Renewable Energy World.com, DTECH Midwest Panel Discussion, “AI Use Cases at the Grid Edge”, Moderator: Fei Ding, NREL

At the DistribuTECH (DTECH) Midwest Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota, major discussions have taken place on how AI is used to benefit end users. A panel discussion comprised of power utility and electric cooperatives, led by “Fie Ding from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the panel benefited from her work at NREL, which is connected to developing advanced models and controls for managing grid-edge resources.

These models go far beyond traditional meter data, fundamentally altering how utilities use information in a way that will redefine what customers see and expect in their monthly billing statements.”

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Nashville TN Regulators Approve AI Use for Early Warning Water Management Systems

WN.com & The Tennessean:

AI Use for Water Systems

Regulators in Nashville approve to advance “a new pilot program that would use artificial intelligence to improve Nashville’s water management system with an early warning detection system and has made it a step closer to beginning development in partnership with Vanderbilt University.

Vanderbilt University will work with the Department of Water and Sewerage Services, better known as Metro Water Services, to develop a system that would use AI to detect anomalies and patterns in water management systems.”

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Using AI Technologies for Power System Asset Management

EngineerLive.com

AI-Power-Asset-Management
Image: EngineerLive.com

What new roles will AI play in the future for aiding power utility companies with power delivery asset management techniques? “Utilities face significant challenges with aging infrastructure, extreme weather, rising operational costs and increased demands for reliability. AI offers a promising solution to all of these issues.

Recent advances show how AI can revolutionize asset management for power utilities. Automated systems can now accurately identify and assess components on utility poles, streamline inspections and minimize human error. These systems not only detect defects with high precision but also enhance maintenance efficiency, reduce downtime, and extend the lifespan of critical assets.”

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A North Dakota Coal Plant Approved to Power AI Data Centers

Power-Eng.com: Kevin Clark

ND-Coal-Plant-to-Pwr-AI-Data-Center
Image: Coal Creek Station, ND: Lignite Energy Council

“North Dakota’s largest coal-fired power plant was recently approved by the McLean County Commission for re-zoning of 800 acres of agricultural land to commercial near Rainbow Energy Center’s 1,151 MW Coal Creek Station.”

This approval would pave the way for Rainbow Energy’s Coal Creek to power new AI data centers. “Rainbow Energy has previously said its plans for the area include construction of new data centers that would source power from Coal Creek.”

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Can the Integrated Circuit Chip Manufacturers Keep Up with the AI Demand?

UtilityDive.com: Robert Walton

Amazon-AI-Facility
Image: Amazon Web Services Data Center: Nathan Howard/Getty

Will the integrated circuit (IC) chip manufacturers be able to maintain AI’s ever-increasing demand for new data center facilities?

London Economics produced a report stating that, “AI demand forecasts have alarmed utilities that are rushing to add energy resources, despite concerns over impacts on power bills. Projected data center demand from the U.S. power market would require 90% of global chip supply through 2030, where such a scenario is unrealistic.”

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Copper Prices Are Expected to Rise!

TheAlantic.com: Annie Lowrey

Copper-Prices-Expected-to-Rise
Image: TheAtlantic.com: Getty

Copper prices for all imported copper into the U.S. are expected to rise as much as 50% or more due to the threat of new tariffs that are expected to begin as early as August 2025.

The electric power and electronics industries will be impacted the most with paying nearly double for copper related materials needed for new construction, new assembly, power grid improvements, maintenance replacements, and necessary repairs.

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