Power Without New Wires? The Grid Gets Smarter!

Smart Wires’ real-time devices help utilities redirect electricity and expand capacity without new lines

5 May 2025

The US electricity network is beginning to shift how it manages power flows, as utilities deploy technologies that reroute electricity without building new transmission lines.

Smart Wires, a grid technology company, has developed modular devices that identify overloaded lines and shift power to underused routes. The equipment, installed directly on existing infrastructure, responds to real-time changes in supply and demand and is intended to reduce congestion across the network.

Utilities have sought such systems as pressures on the grid grow from electric vehicles, renewable energy projects and expanding data centres. While large transmission upgrades can take years to approve and construct, Smart Wires’ hardware can be added within months, offering a lower-cost alternative to traditional expansion.

The company says its technology has unlocked several gigawatts of capacity in markets including the US, Latin America and the UK. The size of the gains depends on local grid design and regulatory rules, but the company argues that existing networks often have spare capacity that cannot be accessed without active control of power flows.

These tools fall under a group of “grid-enhancing technologies”, known as GETs, which aim to improve the performance of current assets. “Utilities are looking for tools they can deploy fast and scale easily,” said Joanna Lohkamp, who has led Smart Wires since 2023. “The grid must adapt to today’s needs, not just tomorrow’s plans.”

Regulatory frameworks still shape how widely GETs can be adopted. Some regions allow utilities to recover the cost of new lines more easily than the cost of digital or modular upgrades, creating uneven incentives. Industry studies suggest that such technologies could cut the need for conventional grid investment by about 25 to 50 per cent, though the estimates vary by region and planning method.

Policymakers and system operators are examining how GETs could support long-term energy goals, particularly as weather-dependent renewable power increases the need for flexible networks. For now, most deployments remain limited in scale, but interest has grown as power demand forecasts rise.

Smart Wires’ systems form part of a broader effort to use existing infrastructure more efficiently. While new transmission lines remain central to long-term planning, utilities are beginning to rely on a mix of conventional upgrades and real-time control tools to manage near-term constraints.