Power Grid refers to the interconnected network that delivers electricity from generation sources to consumers. At NEC Labs America, research on the power grid includes applying AI and distributed sensing to improve efficiency, fault detection, and renewable energy integration. Fiber optic sensing, predictive modeling, and smart monitoring systems help ensure reliability. These innovations support the transition to sustainable energy infrastructure while reducing costs and enhancing resilience.

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Resilient DFOS Placement Strategy for Power Grid Monitoring: Integrating Fiber and Power Network Dependencies

We propose a novel Distributed Fiber Optic Sensing (DFOS) placement strategy tailored to the evolving needs of modern power grids, where fiber cables serve dual purposes: communication and real-time sensing. Our approach integrates a heuristic algorithm, PURE (Power Source-aware Route Exploration), with Integer Linear Programming (ILP) to optimize DFOS placement while addressing power supply constraints. The strategy ensures resilient monitoring across diverse grid scenarios by prioritizing observability during outages and leveraging advancements in fiber infrastructure deployment. Case studies demonstrate the effectiveness of our methodology in maintaining power grid resilience while minimizing deployment costs.