Transmission Stress Testing the Grid With a Digital Twin (Xcel Energy)
Feb 10, 2026
Marcus Johansson, a senior Xcel Energy leader driving digital transformation and wildfire mitigation. He discusses digital twins for rehearsing extreme weather, wildfire scenarios, and load surges. Short simulations help planners and engineers anticipate risks. The conversation covers predictive maintenance, AMI data use, AI for large datasets, and how these tools reshape grid investment and operations.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Digital Twin Enables Scenario Rehearsals
- A digital twin is a virtual replica of the transmission and distribution network layered with operational, asset health, and environmental data.
- It enables simulations and scenario analysis to rehearse weather, wildfire, and load stress before they occur.
Act Before Failures With Simulation Triggers
- Use digital twin simulations to trigger proactive mitigations like PSPS or enhanced settings during wildfire risk.
- Also schedule preventative maintenance earlier when simulations show accelerated asset deterioration.
Fine-Grained AMI Powers Localized Planning
- High-resolution AMI data (96 reads/day) lets engineers simulate localized load changes like EV clusters and transformer stress.
- That granular visibility turns planning from guesswork into targeted infrastructure decisions.