Advanced Grid Modelling Software Performs Quadrillions of Simulations and Claims That It Has Found 300 GW of Unused Transmission Capacity

    The latest “Energy Empire” podcast, hosted by Jigar Shah, a US entrepreneur and former US Department of Energy (DOE) Loan Programs Office director, featured a discussion about new software that may be able to “unlock” up to 300 GW of hidden capacity on the power grid without building any new power plants, but by better managing existing capacity. I am skeptical. Shah is known for less-than-realistic energy analysis. According to Interesting Engineering:

“The platform uses advanced grid modelling to track unused transmission capacity that has remained inaccessible with traditional planning methods. Amit Narayan, GridCARE founder and CEO, stressed that it could unlock roughly 300 gigawatts of capacity across the existing US transmission network within the next three to five years.”

      Unlocking any unutilized capacity would be welcomed as power demand rises, and since it is forecast to continue growing. Some data suggest that the U.S power supply could be up to 100 GW less than demand by 2030.

“GridCARE, a California-based startup founded in 2024 has deployed its advanced physics-based AI platform called Energize, to identify hidden or latent capacity on existing power grids. This could help AI data centers to secure and activate power in months rather than years.”

     Since transmission constraints are typically quite temporary, they believe they can manage transmission better without threatening supply during high-demand events. They also think they can do the necessary studies before integrating the new generation and storage much faster than is currently being done. One reason I am skeptical is that grid management software is not really new. However, as noted below, this software is already being used by some utilities to unlock new transmission capacity and hook up data centers faster, as noted below.

“GridCARE said its software could speed up connections for solar, batteries, and large power users without years of new infrastructure work. It is already being tested by several utilities.”

“According to the company, National Grid found more than 650 megawatts (MW) of previously unavailable capacity using the technology. Portland General Electric reportedly unlocked over 400 MW of additional capacity in Hillsboro, Oregon. It allowed six planned data centers to connect years earlier than expected.”

“Meanwhile, according to PV Magazine, an AI system at the nation’s largest grid operator, PJM Interconnection, reviewed 811 generation applications totaling 220 GW in less than an hour, instead of weeks.”

     An article in PV Magazine notes that the American grid runs at only about a third of its capacity for most of the year, leaving infrastructure idle. Shah noted in the podcast that “the core issue holding back clean energy deployment in the United States is not a lack of physical power generation but an acute underutilization problem.” Data from a Duke University analysis led by Tyler Norris found that the existing grid could accommodate an additional 100GW of demand with better management. This more optimized grid management system could alleviate the clogged up interconnection queue.

“The software exposes a structural disconnect inside utility headquarters. Right now, long-range planning departments calculate available capacity using static models that completely ignore flexible grid resources. Yet, in the very same company, real-time operations teams routinely dispatch batteries, demand response, and virtual power plants to keep the system stable. Teaching the planning side to account for the tools the operations side already uses is a massive part of the unlock.”

     They point out that the software is not intended to replace new transmission and generation, but to maximize existing infrastructure.

“This software will not eliminate the need for heavy construction. Connecting massive new gigawatt-scale data centers or regional solar hubs will still require building physical substations and heavy transmission lines.”

     Better use and integration of existing data by all parties is also required to enable the system to better utilize existing grid capacity.

“The immediate hurdle is institutional trust, said Narayan. Activating this latent capacity requires utilities, regulators, and developers to align on the same data.”

     More efficient use of transmission infrastructure should translate into lower power costs. If this software and others like it turn out to be as effective as advertised, then we should see lower costs in the next few years. However, since power costs have been rising over the past few years across the U.S., I still remain skeptical. I am also skeptical because storage is not widely available, and intermittent generation sources are not reliable. However, I sincerely hope I am wrong.

 

 

 

References:

 

Software runs quadrillions of simulations to uncover 300 GW on the US power grid. Georgina Jedikovska. Interesting Engineering. July 9, 2026. Software runs quadrillions of simulations to uncover 300 GW on the US power grid

Software can unlock 300 GW of capacity on U.S. grid without building a single power plant. Ryan Kennedy. PV Magazine. July 7, 2026. Software can unlock 300 GW of capacity on U.S. grid without building a single power plant - pv magazine Global