Our story
Our vision is to unlock the energy the world needs by enabling a more flexible, reliable, and affordable grid.
Enabling the grid the world urgently needs
The rise of AI, wide-scale electrification, and economic growth are contributing to rapid increases in electricity demand, at a time when the transition to clean energy is moving much slower than the world needs.
Electric grids must become an enabler of this new energy future, not a barrier. We urgently need to optimize and reinforce existing grids, as well as efficiently developing new infrastructure, to address the growing demand with clean energy at lowest cost for consumers.
A global team transforming grids
At Smart Wires, we help customers quickly gain extra capacity and solve complex grid issues through our innovative, modular, and fast-to-deploy solutions. Our customers can dynamically control and optimize the use of their existing grids while deploying and leveraging critical new infrastructure faster and more efficiently.
Headquartered in the Research Triangle Park of North Carolina, we are a team of over 100 passionate and visionary experts across four continents who work every day to transform grids globally. We collaborate closely with our customers to understand their unique needs and seamlessly integrate our innovative solutions into their grids.
Over 5 GW of firm capacity delivered
In collaboration with our customers and partners, we have successfully deployed grid-enhancing technologies across three continents. This has unlocked over 5 Gigawatts of capacity — enough to power millions of homes — supporting the faster integration of new demand, enhancing security of supply, and delivering cost savings to consumers.
Our history
Northeast blackout
After the 2003 Northeast Blackout left millions across North America without power for days, a visionary team at Georgia Tech saw the need for a solution — developing a smart power flow control concept to let grid operators monitor and adjust power flows in real time.
Smart Wires established
Smart Wires was founded to take the Georgia Tech concept into reality. A team of experts developed and commercialised the first power flow control devices, PowerLine Guardian® and Power Guardian™.
First pilot project
The first pilot project installed PowerLine Guardian® devices on transmission lines in Tennessee, followed by multiple projects using these first devices.
First SmartValve pilot
We developed the first generation of SmartValve — advanced power flow control that could push power off overloaded lines and pull it onto underutilised ones. We partnered with EirGrid and ESB Networks in Ireland for the first transmission grid deployment.
Transition to SmartValve as core technology
We deployed second-generation SmartValves with Central Hudson in New York State, then developed the third-generation SmartValve — delivering 10 MVAr of power flow control, compared to 1 MVAr in the prior generation.
First large-scale deployment
We partnered with National Grid Electricity Transmission on the world's first large-scale use of advanced power flow control, adding 2 GW of electric capacity.
Expanded suite of grid-enhancing technologies
We added state-of-the-art SUMO software to complement SmartValve, completing our suite of grid-enhancing technologies. By this point we had deployed in Europe, the US, Latin America, and Australia.
Large-scale projects across four continents
We deployed grid-enhancing technologies with leading operators across Europe, the Americas, and Australia — unlocking over 3.5 GW of capacity and supporting the faster integration of new demand.
We continue our mission
Today we are the world's leading grid-enhancing technology and services company, helping customers gain capacity and solve critical grid issues — creating a more flexible, reliable, and affordable grid.
Ready to get more from your grid?
Talk to our team about what SmartValve or SUMO could deliver on your network.
Contact us