Designing blackout-resilient grids in the age of renewables: Inside the work of power systems

When a city loses power, the public sees the darkness; engineers see something else. They see a fragile choreography between generators, transmission lines, substations, inverters, protection relays, and human operators making rapid decisions under pressure. For me, as a Nigerian-born power systems researcher currently working at the University of New Orleans (UNO), these blackout moments are not just disruptions; they are datasets, warnings, patterns, and design problems that can be solved with the right tools.

My work focuses on how emerging economies can integrate large shares of renewable energy without worsening instability. I study how we can build grids that are not only cleaner, but also intrinsically more resilient. This question guides my research at the Power & Energy Research Laboratory (PERL), where our team collaborates with Entergy to solve real-world grid challenges such as small-signal stability, transient and voltage stability, and inverter-based resource (IBR) integration. These are the same issues utilities across Africa and even parts of the United States are wrestling with on a daily basis.

My academic journey began in Ibadan, where I earned a Bachelor’s equivalent degree in Electrical Engineering from The Polytechnic, Ibadan. I later moved to the United States to pursue a PhD in Electrical Engineering (with a focus on Power & Energy Systems) at the University of New Orleans. Along the way, I have been privileged to contribute to several strands of research that reflect the future of electric power systems. My publications include a Comprehensive Smart cities review in IEEE Sensors Reviews, which examined how IoT-enabled infrastructure and sensor networks can enhance reliability in modern cities. I co-authored a major review on next-generation lithium-ion batteries in Measurement: Energy (Elsevier), focusing on AI-driven performance optimization and circular-economy strategies for EV batteries. I have also published work on flexible and wearable energy storage devices, blockchain-enabled peer-to-peer renewable energy trading models, digital twin models for smart substations, and IoT-based real-time weather and energy monitoring.

Across these different domains, a common theme emerges: visibility. A grid that cannot “see itself” cannot protect itself. Many utilities in emerging economies operate with limited real-time data, especially at the distribution level, where most instabilities begin. This lack of visibility is one of the reasons why grids fail even when generation capacity is adequate.

This is why part of my research focuses on using Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) as a stability and planning tool. In a recent study presented at IEEE SoutheastCon 2025, our team showed how smart meters can be transformed from simple billing devices into real-time sensors that detect voltage sag, overload, system imbalance, and emerging faults. When AMI data is aggregated into an IoT platform, the entire distribution network becomes observable at a level previously impossible. This allows utilities to locate technical and non-technical losses, understand stress points, and intervene before small disturbances cascade into blackouts.

Another dimension of my work involves building digital twins for smart substations. These virtual replicas allow operators to simulate grid behavior, test settings, and detect emerging equipment problems before they manifest as outages. Digital twins are especially valuable for systems where inverter-based resources are replacing traditional synchronous machines, because they allow grid operators to analyze stability in near real time.

In addition to stability, planning remains one of the hardest problems in renewable-heavy systems. My co-authored work on lithium-ion batteries demonstrates how AI optimization can extend battery lifetime, optimize charge-discharge cycles, and improve system-level performance. These insights can also guide placement and scheduling of grid-scale storage, which is essential for stabilizing grids with high solar penetration.

Earlier in my career, I explored blockchain-based peer-to-peer energy trading models for microgrids. These models show how communities with rooftop solar or small renewable plants can transact energy transparently, using blockchain ledgers to ensure accountability and automate settlement.

All these strands AMI visibility, digital twins, AI-driven storage, blockchain microgrids — point toward a simple but powerful principle: decarbonization without stability is not progress. In Nigeria, Africa, and across the developing world, renewable energy must be integrated thoughtfully, or instability will rise. And in the United States, where data centers, EV loads, and extreme weather are expanding, the risk of instability is also increasing.

What connects these two regions is the need for intelligent, data-driven, stability-aware design. I am motivated by the belief that grids can be built to serve people reliably. Growing up with unreliable electricity in Nigeria showed me how energy touches every part of life: education, health, small business, security, and dignity. Every blackout is more than an event; it is an interruption of human potential.

My ongoing work at UNO and with Entergy continues to explore how advanced monitoring, artificial intelligence, stability modeling, and digital system design can support both emerging economies and modernized U.S. grids. As global energy systems transition toward renewables, the need for engineers who understand both the physics of the grid and the realities of the communities they serve will only grow.

illuminem Voices is a democratic space presenting the thoughts and opinions of leading Sustainability & Energy writers, their opinions do not necessarily represent those of illuminem.

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