Grid Integration, Power Systems, and Data Center Loads

NLR adapts and applies a broad portfolio of tools to assist countries with analysis of opportunities and strategies for achieving high-performing power systems that optimize use of a broad portfolio of advanced energy technologies.

Technologies include:

• Energy efficiency

• Energy storage

• Flexible gas and coal generation

• Nuclear power

• Grid management and infrastructure solutions.

We provide technical assistance to countries on using capacity expansion models to support regional and national grid integration studies and development of advanced energy road maps.

We also assist countries with production cost modeling to optimize generation siting and system design and performance with the overall grid systems.

Data Center and Artificial Intelligence Load Integration

Artificial Intelligence-driven data centers are emerging as large, grid-significant loads. NLR helps partners plan for data center growth through:

• Siting, impact, and trade-off analysis, including land and water impacts

• Efficient data center design and on-site and hybrid power systems

• Power sector modeling, including capacity expansion, transmission, hosting capacity, and stability analysis

• Cyber-physical resilience, including dynamic load models, testbeds, and secure design principles.

This work helps data centers operate as resilient, flexible resources that strengthen grid reliability and security.

Artificial Intelligence for Grid Planning and Operations

NLR applies artificial intelligence and machine learning to help utilities plan and operate the grid more effectively. Applications include demand and generation forecasting, outage response, contingency planning, and digital twin control rooms for operator training. We also use high-resolution weather data and customer-level metering data to improve grid loading assessments, project siting, and resource planning.

Grid-Gas Interoperability

Power and natural gas systems are increasingly interdependent. NLR models gas and power networks together to support long-term planning, reliable operations, and risk assessment. This includes analyzing how gas supply, storage, and pipeline constraints affect power generation, and quantifying the impacts of gas system outages and cyber events on both networks.

The Global Power System Transformation Consortium

NLR is a technical partner in the Global Power System Transformation (G-PST) Consortium, which convenes power system operators, research institutions, governments, and businesses to facilitate knowledge sharing on power system planning and operations. To learn more, visit the G-PST Consortium website.