As AI strains grid infrastructure through soaring demand, it also holds the key to transforming how we plan, study, and interconnect the systems that support it.

In Part 1 of this series, we explored how the rapid rise of AI-driven data centers is reshaping energy consumption patterns and challenging traditional grid planning processes. But AI isn’t just a source of load. It also presents a critical opportunity for the energy sector to modernize the very systems being stretched to the brink.

At GridUnity, we believe that the same intelligence reshaping global industries can be harnessed to rethink interconnection and long-range grid planning—making them faster, smarter, and more strategic.

Rewriting the Rules of Interconnection: AI’s Role in a Smarter Grid

Today’s interconnection processes were not designed to keep pace with the kinds of requests utilities are now receiving. High volumes of applications, limited transparency, fragmented coordination, and outdated planning assumptions make it hard to respond quickly and confidently—whether the request comes from a data center, a DER aggregator, or a transmission-scale storage project.

Artificial intelligence can help in three critical ways:

1. Accelerated Study Cycles
   AI can help automate the initial review, screening, and clustering of projects to accelerate study phases without compromising accuracy or fairness.
   
   
2. Smarter Capacity Forecasting
   AI can synthesize system data, project queues, land use constraints, and policy changes to anticipate hosting capacity and congestion before it becomes a crisis.
   
   
3. Dynamic Decision Support
   AI models can suggest optimal project siting, highlight where minimal upgrades can unlock significant headroom, and flag areas where coordinated planning will be essential.
   
   

This shift mirrors a broader trend in utility operations—from outage prediction to vegetation management, AI is already being deployed to reduce risk and accelerate response. Interconnection planning is simply the next frontier.

“AI will empower system planners to act faster, see further, and make better-informed decisions with less friction.”
— Robert Sherick, VP of Strategy and Market Innovation, GridUnity

In other words, by using AI to streamline and strengthen interconnection processes, utilities can move from reactive queue management to proactive grid development, reducing delays, attracting higher-quality projects, and shaping investments where they matter most.

GridUnity’s Vision for AI-Enhanced Planning

We’re actively building toward a future where AI supports every phase of the interconnection lifecycle—from intake and screening through full cluster studies and long-range scenario modeling.

Key elements of our vision include:

• Pattern recognition across projects and studies, identifying systemic delays, duplicate efforts, and inconsistencies that slow progress.
  
  
• Natural language tools that help planners, engineers, and regulators query historical data, surface relevant precedents, and assess the impacts of policy or queue changes.
  
  
• Embedded intelligence that continuously learns from each study cycle, improving accuracy and reducing turnaround time.
  
  

Crucially, we see AI not as a replacement for utility planners, but as a powerful augmentation layer. It’s about giving professionals the tools to act faster, with more confidence, and with better data at their fingertips.

And as more utilities and grid operators adopt AI-enhanced processes, the collective benefits compound. A shared network of intelligence enables greater consistency across regions, faster benchmarking, and more informed regulatory alignment—creating a foundation for system-level resilience.

Planning for a High-Demand, High-Stakes Future

Whether it’s a 300 MW data center load or a 100 MW battery seeking transmission access, the grid planning world is changing fast, and success will hinge on the ability to adapt with speed and precision.

But no one can solve this alone. Making AI work for interconnection requires collaboration across utilities, software partners, regulators, and engineering teams. We're committed to working alongside all stakeholders to shape a future-ready grid.

"Imagine a future where interconnection is no longer a bottleneck, but a competitive advantage—where data-driven planning keeps us ahead of demand instead of behind it. That’s the future we’re building toward."

— Robert Sherick, VP of Strategy and Market Innovation, GridUnity

Want to learn more?
Get in touch to explore how GridUnity can help you streamline interconnection with the intelligence needed to navigate the AI era of grid planning.