Utility companies in the western United States are testing new technologies for defending their power grid against billions of cyber threats, with the support of a climate-focused startup that uses AI. Utility companies in the western United States are trying new technologies for protecting over 70 million customers from hacks into their very complicated network: some 5.5 million miles of power lines, spread over a quarter billion poles. 

Artificial intelligence, for the very first time, is now a prime tool to achieve this end. Start-ups, for instance, using innovation like AiDash, Pano AI, and Satelytics are reducing risks and enhancing the reliability of their grids. 

Using AI, California-based AiDash monitors power lines and adjacent vegetation with utmost precision. “Through satellites, we can monitor every tree, every pole as frequently as we want to, identify challenges, and address them before they cause an incident,” said Abhishek Singh, CEO and co-founder of AiDash, in a conversation with CNBC. 

Utility companies are usually required to inspect all of their lines and remedy any defects before fire season. In the article, Singh cites that such practices are incredibly costly to maintain, stating, “Maintaining trees along power lines is a $10 billion annual expenditure in the U.S. alone.” Higher labor costs and shortages make it more difficult to be able to identify problems without the help of technology. 

AiDash monitors problems that are occurring today and predicts future risks that will be caused by integrating weather data with vast vegetation information. In doing so, it reduces the risks of extreme weather-related disasters such as heavy rainfall and significant winds. 

National Grid, which serves much of the northeastern U.S. as an electric and gas utility, is at once both a customer and investor in AiDash through its venture capital arm, National Grid Partners. “Since engaging AiDash’s solutions, I have witnessed the roll out result in 30% fewer outages and reduced outage duration by 55%,” said Andre Turenne, Vice President of Investments at National Grid Partners. “Their platform was built end-to-end for utility engineers, providing predictive analytics and streamlining field operations,” Turenne said. 

So far, AiDash has brought in significant investments from Duke Energy, Edison International, Shell Ventures, Lightrock, and SE Ventures, which have managed to raise $91.5 million venture capital funding overall. 

As industries continue their shift to all-electric power, grid reliability will only grow in importance, so companies such as AiDash are well-positioned to modernize and secure the power grid. Over the next five years, National Grid will invest $75 billion in U.K., New York, and Massachusetts grid infrastructure and capacity upgrades. 

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