A NERC perspective on AI regulations

 Mark Lauby – NERC

While Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and Data Science have been studied and developed for decades, technological growth and public attention have recently ballooned. This has led to a tremendous amount of research and new solutions in the marketplace, affecting nearly every aspect of work and personal life. Innovations and discourse continue to evolve rapidly as excitement grows and investment and research branch into new areas.
The BPS is the planet’s most complex machine in transition to the largest computer (a system involving complex humans and complex systems with complex interactions between them). Therefore, there are many considerations needed to manage the risks to the system, and devise Reliability Standards towards ensuring reliability is maintained while the benefits of AI/ML are enjoyed.
For real-time electric power operations, there is also recognition of the increasing complexity and complicatedness of the bulk power system (BPS) given ongoing changes, with several new use cases that stretch the assumptions of the system (e.g., increasing concerns around cyber
aspects, excess solar flowing onto the transmission system, significant load growth for electric vehicle charging, growing power requirements for AI/ML, cryptocurrency mining on blockchains, and other data center operations). The BPS is the backbone of North America’s energy infrastructure. It is crucial for security and economic stability across both the continent and the nation and underpins our daily lives.
Managing the real-time reliability of the system requires control room operators to possess increasing levels of cognition, attention, vigilance, knowledge, and abstract reasoning, invariably leading many to consider new AI/ML solutions.