As the global power grid transforms, utilities face growing complexity in modeling, stability assessment, and operational planning. The increasing penetration of inverter-based resources (IBRs), power-electronics-interfaced devices (PEIDs), and distributed energy technologies exceeds the limits of traditional phasor-domain tools, which struggle to capture fast, nonlinear, and unbalanced behaviors. Electromagnetic transient (EMT) simulations have become essential, offering sub-cycle accuracy, detailed switching behavior, and multi-domain integration. EMT is now integrated into planning workflows, interconnection studies, protection coordination schemes, real-time platforms, and digital twin architectures, helping utilities, system operators, manufacturers, and research institutions address modern grid challenges at both device and system levels. This article provides a utility-focused overview of EMT simulation strategies for large-scale power grids, with a particular emphasis on practical implementation, model development and validation, hybrid co-simulation architectures, and digital twin integration. Drawing from real-world experience and evolving industry standards, the article also highlights use cases across the power system lifecycle from planning and protection to procurement and interconnection. Furthermore, it offers a roadmap for scaling EMT practices in support of the future grid reliability and performance.

The proliferation of distributed energy resources (DERs) and the increasing frequency of high-impact events have introduced challenges for the reliability, resilience, and operational flexibility of modern electric power systems. Microgrids have emerged as a promising solution, enabling localized control, seamless transition between grid-connected and islanded modes, and enhanced integration of DERs. This article presents the design, implementation, and operational validation of the Bronzeville Community Microgrid (BCM), a pioneering utility-scale microgrid commissioned by Commonwealth Edison (ComEd) in Chicago, Illinois. The BCM integrates a diverse mix of customer loads and DERs, advanced automation, and a microgrid master controller (MMC) to manage dynamic operating modes and adaptive protection. The article details the technical architecture, control strategies, and functionality validation through hardware-in-the-loop simulations and field tests, demonstrating the BCM’s capabilities for planned islanding, grid reconnection, and clustering with the Illinois Institute of Technology campus microgrid. Lessons learned and strategic opportunities for future microgrid deployments are discussed, highlighting the role of microgrids in advancing resilient, distributed, and intelligent power systems.

Flexibility can significantly improve an energy system’s ability to balance variable renewable energy sources (RESs) with changing electricity demand, enhancing stability and resilience and cost-effectiveness. Through adjustment of power generation and consumption, flexibility enables greater integration of renewables and utilization of energy storage systems to balance supply, leads to more efficient use of existing infrastructure, supports faster adoption of net-zero strategies, and mitigates the impact of fluctuations in supply and demand. In this context, to become more flexible, the power system needs to become more resilient; be able to adapt to a sharp drop in conventional generation, the rise of renewables, and increases in electricity demand; and withstand, recover from, and adapt to the impact of severe events.

The global transition to renewable energy is transforming power systems, necessitating advanced transmission solutions to ensure reliability and resilience. High-voltage direct current (HVdc) systems, particularly multiterminal dc (MTdc) networks, are pivotal in integrating diverse renewable energy sources into hybrid ac/dc networks. These systems facilitate efficient power transfer over long distances and enable dynamic energy sharing across regions. However, the increasing penetration of inverter-based resources introduces complex control challenges that must be addressed to maintain grid stability and resilience.

The term virtual power plant (VPP) has been used pervasively and rather loosely to characterize the aggregation of distributed energy resources (DERs), and typically, small-scale energy resources that are jointly managed and offered into the various markets in electricity systems.

In the wavering glow of early electric lamps, Samuel Insull saw a future that few could imagine. At the dawn of the 20th century, electricity was a marvel, but one with limited reach: used mainly for lighting, it flickered on in the evening and faded to darkness as night settled in. Beyond its limited utility, electricity was prohibitively expensive, a luxury reserved for those who could afford its steep costs.