PowerAgent: A Roadmap Towards Agentic Intelligence in Power Systems

Qian Zhang – Harvard University

Recent advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI)—particularly the emergence of general-purpose AI agents capable of tool use, reasoning, and task orchestration—offer a new direction for enhancing grid flexibility and resiliency. We introduce the concept of the PowerAgent: an AI-enabled, context-aware assistant that leverages foundation models, standardized tool interfaces, and structured workflows to support grid operation and planning decisions. We discuss the conceptual architecture, implementation pathways, and system-level benefits of deploying Power Agents in power grid operations, with an emphasis on augmenting operator capabilities, improving situational awareness, and reducing operational bottlenecks.