Google (GOOGL.US) AI empowers PJM, the largest power grid operator in the US, to accelerate the grid-connection process of new power projects

The Zhitong Finance App learned that Google (GOOGL.US) said on Thursday that it will cooperate with PJM Interconnection, the largest power grid operator in North America, to jointly deploy artificial intelligence (AI) technology to accelerate the grid-connection process of new power projects.

This collaboration marks the first time that AI technology has been used to fully manage grid-connected power queuing systems. Demand for electricity continues to rise as major technology companies build large-scale data centers to train and deploy AI.

Amanda Peterson Corio, head of energy at Google Data Centers, said at a press conference: “Over the past ten years, the industry has been discussing the idea of building smart grids. Now, with AI, we are finally able to turn this vision into reality.”

In recent years, the waiting time for the US grid to connect to new energy projects such as wind power, solar energy, and natural gas has set a historical record. This delay has led to an increase in the tight supply of electricity in many parts of the United States. In a situation where old power plants are decommissioned faster than new power sources are being connected, it has not only boosted electricity prices, but also increased the risk of power outages.

The AI solution jointly developed by Google and its supported Tapestry (TPR.US) can effectively shorten the waiting period for PJM power grid projects through information integration and automation of grid-connected review and planning processes.

“This technology is designed to automate a lot of time-consuming manual review tasks,” said Page Crahan, general manager of Tapestry. The AI tools and models developed by the company and PJM will be launched in 2025 and gradually put into use over the next few years.

Initially, the technology will be used to automate manual processes for grid planners, including reviewing grid-connection applications to assess project viability.

Over time, the collaboration between Google, Tapestry, and PJM will create a PJM grid model similar to the grid information version of “Google Maps,” “integrating the different layers of information that planners may need to view and switch displays with one click to help make decisions faster, introduce new insights, and hopefully improve work efficiency in these ways,” Crahan said.

However, Aftab Khan, PJM's executive vice president of operations, planning and security, said that it is still too early to determine the extent to which cooperation with Google can actually shorten the time required for new power plant power access systems.

According to reports, PJM is responsible for managing the power system covering 67 million people in the US, and its operating area includes Northern Virginia — the location of the world's largest data center hub.