California is set to become the first U.S. state to use generative AI to assist in managing power outages—marking a technological shift that could reshape how critical infrastructure like transformers are monitored and maintained.

The California Independent System Operator (CAISO) will announce a pilot program on July 15 at the DTECH Midwest summit, in partnership with Open Access Technology International (OATI), deploying AI software known as Genie. This tool is designed to automate the scanning and analysis of outage reports, currently a manual process requiring engineers to sift through hundreds of reports tied to grid components, including transformers.

Genie uses a centralized AI-driven keyword dictionary to proactively identify outages and generate real-time impact assessments, enhancing operator response times and potentially extending the lifespan of stressed transformer units.

“Even if it takes a minute to scan one report, across 200 to 300 events that adds up,” said Abhimanyu Thakur, VP at OATI. By reducing manual input and consolidating data streams, Genie can flag transformer-related events more quickly—ensuring grid stability and operational safety.

CAISO senior advisor Gopakumar Gopinathan described the rollout as “a first step toward bigger automation,” with transformer oversight a likely candidate for future AI-driven optimization.

The pilot places California at the forefront of integrating AI into utility infrastructure. If successful, this could set a precedent for more AI applications in grid reliability and transformer maintenance across North America.

Source: technologyreview.com