Researchers at the US Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, working with the University of Tennessee, have developed a secure, affordable sensing device that delivers real-time insights into electric grid behaviour.

The innovation, called a universal grid-edge analyser, records the smallest changes in electrical voltage and current as waveforms, then almost instantly compresses, encrypts and streams the data to central servers. Processing 60,000 measurements per second – 500 times more than the previous technology – it can capture split-second reactions from power electronics that help run today’s grid.

“Unlike traditional centralised power plants, data centres and distributed energy plants with batteries use power electronics to connect to the grids,” said lead researcher Yilu Liu. “Those power electronics can switch very quickly. Their fast-acting nature can impact the stability of the entire grid, so monitoring these dynamics helps us improve future grid operations, keeping the lights on for everyone.”

The technology builds on the university’s long-running grid frequency monitoring network called FNet/GridEye (fnetpublic.utk.edu). That network’s 200 sensors across the USA and about 100 more worldwide collect and transmit aggregated data for a broad overview of grid activity. The new device delivers more detailed information at faster speeds, capturing incidents that earlier technology would have missed.

Designed for flexibility, it can be embedded in power electronics, installed on a distribution line or even plugged into a wall outlet.

Utilities in places such as Hawaii and Texas are using the device to understand how concentrations of power electronics interact with the grid. For example, at AI data centres, even minor voltage fluctuations can trigger a switch to backup power, requiring immediate action to control the energy load. The analyser can help operators anticipate and navigate these episodes to maintain stable operations.

Other ORNL (www.ornl.gov) contributors include Bruce Warmack and Ori Wu, along with former staff members Ben LaRiviere and Lingwei Zahn.

UT-Battelle (www.ut-battelle.org) manages ORNL for the US Department of Energy’s Office of Science (www.energy.gov/science/office-science).