At the 220-kilovolt Houdian Quantum Application Demonstration Substation in Hefei, Anhui province, China has deployed its first facility dedicated to integrating quantum technologies into power grid engineering. Commissioned in November 2024, the fully unattended intelligent substation utilizes 85 independently developed quantum devices across 18 categories, spanning quantum sensing, communication, and computing.

The facility addresses core challenges in conventional power grids, including delayed defect responses, data security risks, and computational limits during complex grid simulations. Specialized equipment—such as diamond-based current sensors, quantum-dot gas detectors, rooftop quantum lidar for weather risk warnings, and quantum attitude sensors on transmission towers—provides high-precision, continuous monitoring. The facility also uses quantum encryption for Fiber and 5G networks, alongside quantum computing algorithms validated on China’s domestic Origin Wukong quantum computer for real-time power flow analysis.

Despite initial hurdles—including overseas supply cuts of diamond sensing materials and severe electromagnetic interference—engineering teams developed custom domestic alternatives and adapted the laboratory tools for field conditions. The quantum integration reduces annual electricity measurement errors by over 500,000 kilowatt-hours at the Houdian facility while lowering inspection and operational costs, establishing a framework now expanding across Anhui province and broader Chinese energy networks.

Source: People’s Daily