Newfoundland Power is partnering with a California-based AI-powered platform to speed up the process in detecting problems in the grid.

Buzz Solutions, an AI-platform launched as part of the Electric Power Research Institute’s Incubatenergy Network, has just completed a pilot program with Newfoundland Power, which will help streamline how the utility finds problem sites in the power grid.

Company co-founder Vik Chaudry says the AI provides a digital solution for these utilities.

He says the program processes thousands of images for any form of faults or anomalies on them, such as conductor, insulator, or structural damages. It then sends them back to the utility, meaning the inspectors can take action with knowledge of where and what they’re facing.

The program can also detect potential problems, helping head them off before they occur.