PowerAgent: A Road Map Toward Agentic Intelligence in Power Systems: Foundation Model, Model Context Protocol, and Workflow

The operational resilience of electric power grids is facing growing challenges caused by aging infrastructure, increasing system complexity, and a rising frequency of extreme weather events. Traditional control paradigms, built around deterministic models and human-in-the-loop decision making, will become insufficient to manage the escalating demands on power grids. In response, recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI)—particularly the emergence of general-purpose AI agents capable of tool use, reasoning, and task orchestration—offer a new direction for enhancing grid flexibility and resiliency. This article introduces the concept of the Power Agent: an AI-enabled, context-aware assistant that leverages foundation models, standardized tool interfaces, and structured workflows to support grid operation and planning decisions. We discuss the conceptual architecture, implementation pathways, and system-level benefits of deploying Power Agents in power grid operations, with an emphasis on augmenting operator capabilities, improving situational awareness, and reducing operational bottlenecks.