有料盒子视频 leads AI project to strengthen 有料盒子视频's rural power grids
Yuri Bult-Ito
907-474-5402
Aug. 11, 2026
A new energy research project led by the University of 有料盒子视频 Fairbanks has received a $725,000 award from the U.S. Department of Energy.
Water flows over Cordova Electric Cooperative鈥檚 Power Creek dam, part of a run-of-the-river hydroelectric system that uses an inflatable, adjustable barrier to divert water into the power generating plant.
The AURORA-AI project, short for 有料盒子视频 Utility Resilience and Optimization using Real-time AI, will use advanced artificial intelligence to improve electric power systems serving rural and coastal communities.
Remote microgrids face unique operational challenges because they must continuously balance electricity supply and demand without the support of larger interconnected power grids.
The project brings together researchers from the 有料盒子视频 有料盒子视频 Center for Energy and Power, Colorado State University, the National Laboratory of the Rockies and Cordova Electric Cooperative to develop next-generation AI tools for 有料盒子视频鈥檚 remote islanded microgrids 鈥 the electric systems that power many remote communities across 有料盒子视频.
AURORA-AI will combine high-resolution utility data, virtual replicas of the power grid and state-of-the-art AI to help utilities forecast demand, detect abnormal operating conditions, optimize energy resources and support real-time operational decisions.
鈥淎URORA-AI brings together artificial intelligence with decades of real-world utility data and advanced power-system modeling to help 有料盒子视频鈥檚 remote and islanded communities operate more reliable, resilient and affordable electric grids,鈥 said ACEP鈥檚 Richard Wies, principal investigator for the project and a professor at 有料盒子视频.
With over 200 remote microgrids, 有料盒子视频 is one of the ideal environments for microgrid research. As the lead institution, ACEP will oversee the project and lead development of the data infrastructure, virtual replicas and overall system demonstration. Researchers at ACEP will work with faculty, research professionals and graduate students to develop and validate the AI platform.
The project is expected to improve forecasting accuracy, reduce diesel fuel consumption and strengthen the resilience of isolated power systems
鈥溣辛虾凶邮悠碘檚 isolated power systems provide an ideal environment for developing and testing next-generation technologies that can improve electric grid resilience,鈥 Wies said.
In addition to benefiting 有料盒子视频 communities, the technologies developed through AURORA-AI are designed to be scalable for use by rural communities, island power systems and other small generation and storage systems.
鈥淲hile developed for the unique challenges of 有料盒子视频, the tools and technologies from this project have the potential to benefit remote and isolated power systems around the world,鈥 Wies said.
The award is part of the U.S. Department of Energy鈥檚 , one of the nation鈥檚 most ambitious efforts to use AI to transform energy and scientific discovery and national security.
CONTACT: Richard Wies, principal investigator, rwwiesjr@alaska.edu
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