Large Language Model Assisted Operational Monitoring for Battery Energy Storage System Integrated Power Distribution Networks

Battery energy storage systems (BESS) are increasingly used in distribution networks for voltage regulation and demand response, which increases the volume and complexity of operational telemetry available to grid operators. This paper presents an AI-enabled monitoring framework that connects a large language model (LLM) interface with a structured telemetry database for BESS-integrated distribution system analysis. Operator questions are submitted in natural language and translated into validated SQL queries using predefined database schema information and approved KPI views. Retrieved measurements, including bus voltages, state of charge, active power, and reactive power, are evaluated against engineering constraints for voltage limits, BESS operation, and demand response tracking. The framework is validated using hardware-in-the-loop co-simulation data from a BESS-equipped distribution feeder operating under reactive power-based voltage control and price-driven demand response. Case studies show that the framework generates valid database queries, identifies repeated voltage violations, detects reactive power overshoot, and evaluates active-power tracking performance. The results show that LLM-assisted monitoring can connect structured grid telemetry with automated engineering assessment for BESS operation analysis.

Hierarchical Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning for Carbon-Aware AI Data Centers in Power Distribution Systems

Eco-friendly energy management for artificial intelligence data centers (AIDCs) is crucial because of the significant increase in energy consumption-induced carbon emissions from AIDCs resulting from the rapid expansion of AI applications. This paper proposes a hierarchical carbon-aware multi-agent reinforcement learning (CA-MARL) framework for robust and efficient operations of AIDCs under uncertainties while ensuring low-carbon operation of power distribution systems. The framework comprises a workload manager (WM) agent and multiple local AIDC agents trained using a multi-agent transformer method, corresponding to a global AIDC aggregator and a local AIDC operator, respectively. Leveraging AIDC operation data along with nodal carbon intensity (NCI) calculated from the carbon emission flow-integrated distribution system operator problem, the WM agent spatially allocates AI training and inference jobs among all AIDCs. Based on the jobs allocated from the WM agent and NCI information, each AIDC agent schedules economical and eco-friendly operations of the AIDC by performing the following tasks: i) temporal shifting of training jobs, ii) spatial allocation of training graphics processing unit (GPU) blocks and inference GPUs within the AIDC, and iii) control of the supply air temperature of the cooling system. The effectiveness of the proposed framework was assessed using an IEEE 33-node power distribution system.

Multi-Modal Agents for Power Distribution Defect Detection: An Evaluation of Foundation Models

The power distribution network is critical to reliable electricity delivery, yet traditional inspection methods face limitations in semantic understanding, generalization, and closed-loop automation. To address these challenges, this paper proposes a Multi-Modal Agent framework specifically for power distribution defect detection. Central to this study is the systematic evaluation of multimodal foundation models as unified cognitive engines. We rigorously assess their integrated performance across three critical capabilities: (1) Perception, where the model must accurately identify equipment and generate expert-level descriptions of defects; (2) Reasoning, where the model interprets visual findings to diagnose causes, assess severity, and plan maintenance strategies based on domain knowledge; and (3) Tool Usage, where the model acts as an autonomous operator to execute actions -- such as querying knowledge bases or generating work orders -- to achieve closed-loop maintenance. To support this evaluation, a domain-specific evaluation dataset and a comprehensive benchmark are developed. Experimental results demonstrate the strengths and limitations of current foundation models in these three dimensions, providing empirical evidence for deploying autonomous agents in high-stakes industrial environments.