Electricity grid resilience requires infrastructure upgrades and network science

Modern electricity grids are facing unprecedented pressure due to the electrification of transportation, rising industrial demand, and the integration of renewable energy sources. Traditional transmission systems, many of which are over 25 years old, are approaching capacity limits. While expanding the grid through new greenfield transmission projects is essential for connecting remote resources like geothermal and advanced nuclear power, these projects often face decade-long delays due to permitting and cost challenges.

To address these constraints, there is an increasing focus on innovative grid technologies, such as high-ampacity conductors that increase power transfer over existing infrastructure. However, current transmission software often lacks the computational capacity to optimize long-term expansion while simultaneously accounting for real-time engineering and reliability constraints.

Complementing these infrastructure needs is the application of network science to improve energy resilience. By treating the grid as a complex network of nodes and edges, analysts can use centrality metrics and cascade simulations to identify critical