A review of multimodal large language models for smart grids management and control

The worldwide effort to reach carbon peak and neutrality objectives alongside energy market expansion has accelerated renewable energy integration, like wind and solar power. The shift towards renewable energy integration introduces substantial uncertainties in power system scheduling and control processes, which test the limits of existing theoretical methods. The advanced reasoning and data-processing capabilities of Large Language Models (LLMs), with particular reference to their ability to analyze multimodal data, provide transformative potential for managing and controlling smart grids. This review examines how LLMs can tackle modern power system challenges while confirming their fit with the power sector’s expanding dependency on Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies. We assess the requirements of modern power systems for such AI-based solutions, while evaluating how LLMs shape grid management and exploring their enabling technologies, such as model architecture and training methods, along with necessary data. Our review investigates how multimodal LLM technology serves different smart grid functions, including generation, transmission, distribution, consumption, and equipment management, to exhibit its adaptable nature in strengthening grid resilience and efficiency.