Blackout Mitigation

Blackout mitigation research focuses on preventing large-scale power outages by predicting their severity, designing effective remedial actions, and understanding their root causes. Current efforts leverage advanced computational methods, such as graph neural networks and reinforcement learning algorithms guided by physics-based models, to analyze grid vulnerabilities and optimize control strategies, including both line switching and generator adjustments. This work is crucial for enhancing grid resilience against increasingly frequent extreme weather events and the growing integration of renewable energy sources, ultimately improving the reliability and stability of electricity systems. Furthermore, innovative data analysis techniques, combining satellite imagery and social media data, are being used to better understand the impact and public perception of blackouts.