China hopes to banish blackouts as quantum tech puts power grid in superposition

After a successful trial at a substation, China plans to expand the application of quantum technologies – including precision sensors and computer simulations – across its power grid to help prevent blackouts.

During the 18-month trial in Hefei in Anhui province, quantum technology was used to rapidly detect and diagnose equipment defects and faults in the power system, according to a report published on Wednesday by the party mouthpiece People’s Daily.

Quantum technology harnesses the physics governing individual atoms, in which they exist in multiple states simultaneously until they are measured, a phenomenon known as “superposition”. This can be used to measure, compute and communicate data in a variety of ways. While its applications are only beginning to transition from research labs to the real world, it can offer major advantages, especially in precision, speed and security.

“The operation has proved that quantum technology is not a ‘showpiece’, but a ‘hard support’ for guaranteeing the power supply and promoting development,” Tian Teng, a researcher with Anhui Electric Power Company, was quoted by the report as saying.

Officially commissioned in November 2024, the first-of-its-kind facility has developed and applied dozens of quantum solutions spanning three domains: measurement, communication and computing.

The report described the project as a “landmark integration of the new-type power grid with cutting-edge quantum technology”, representing the first systematic application of quantum tech to power grid engineering.