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Dannie Peng

China plans to expand the application of quantum technologies – including precision sensors and computer simulations – across its power grid to help prevent blackouts.
The push follows a successful trial at a substation in Hefei, Anhui province.
During the 18-month trial, 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 state-run 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.
Multiple other quantum products have already been deployed across Anhui and are gradually being rolled out nationwide, the report noted.
It revealed that insights gained from the Hefei project would be used to inform similar demonstration projects across higher-level substations.
In the substation’s switchgear room, where high-voltage electricity is distributed through the system, a specialised quantum sensor monitors minute changes in temperature and humidity in real time.
Crucially, it can also detect weak partial electrical discharges, a common fault that can damage equipment and trigger grid outages.
In addition, a different kind of quantum sensor is used to track how much electricity is being channelled through power lines, swiftly pinpointing fault locations.
Quantum technology is also applied to locate cracks in ferromagnetic materials like iron and cobalt as well as to spot fire hazards.
Beyond physical inspections, the facility has integrated quantum encryption devices into the power system’s fibre-optic links and 5G communications to make them more secure.


The facility used quantum computing to model the grid’s potential operational states, drawing on Origin Wukong – China’s third-generation superconducting quantum computer – for simulation and verification.
This breakthrough “is expected to further enhance the power system’s capacity for real-time analysis and computation”, Tian noted.
Tian said that conventional power grids were constrained by issues including imprecise and delayed equipment monitoring, weak data security and computational bottlenecks.
For instance, traditional substations often suffer from discrepancies between the electricity actually transmitted or consumed and the figures recorded by metering devices.
To tackle this, the researchers developed a diamond-based quantum precision measurement technology capable of sensing tiny fluctuations in current.
According to the report, it is estimated that this technology allows the substation to reduce electricity measurement errors by more than 500,000 kilowatt-hours per year, significantly improving both reliability and efficiency.
The researchers are continuing to iterate and develop new quantum applications, such as a tool for detecting gas leaks caused by equipment defects far earlier than conventional technology.
Parts of China, the world’s largest electricity producer, were hit by power shortages and blackouts in 2020, 2021 and 2022. These issues were caused by a variety of factors, including high demand, constraints on the coal supply and hot weather.


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After a successful trial, the cutting-edge devices will be rolled out nationwide to boost the power system’s reliability


After a successful trial, the cutting-edge devices will be rolled out nationwide to boost the power system’s reliability.


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

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}After a successful trial, the cutting-edge devices will be rolled out nationwide to boost the power system’s reliability

After a successful trial, the cutting-edge devices will be rolled out nationwide to boost the power system’s reliability