The Buzz · New Brunswick Civic Wire

Saint John Energy built a digital twin. Here's why.

Your power grid is getting a digital twin, right?

Good morning from the Fundy shore — the tide's turning, and so is New Brunswick. Let's get into it.

Now, I'll tell you what, there are some stories that make you scratch your head and some that make you go "Only in Saint John," and this one about Saint John Energy launching a simulated electricity grid? That's the latter, right. Imagine, we're building a digital twin of our entire power system – like a virtual copy of all the wires, substations, and even the power flowing from our harbour up to Rockwood Park. It's not just a fancy computer program; it's a sandbox for the future, where companies and researchers can mess around with new energy ideas without, you know, plunging half the city into darkness.

### What This Means for Saint John

This whole "digital twin" thing might sound a bit like science fiction, but it's pretty clever, I'll tell you.

* **Testing New Tech:** Think about all those smart home devices, electric vehicle chargers popping up on King Street, or those big battery storage units. Instead of hooking them up to the real grid and hoping for the best, they can test everything out in this digital world first. * **Innovation Hub:** Saint John is already a hub for energy, what with Irving Oil and all. This just builds on that, potentially bringing more research and development jobs right here. * **Smarter Energy for Us:** Ultimately, it means a more reliable and efficient power supply for everyone from the North End to the Lower West Side. If they can predict how the grid will react to new demands, we're all better off.

This isn't just about a local utility being tech-savvy; it's about Saint John carving out a niche in the global energy conversation. It’s showing that while we're proud of our history with the Reversing Falls and the City Market, we're also looking forward, right? It's proof that we're always trying like hell to be new.

Caleb Duguay-Firth, MiTL Sports Desk, Saint John.

You can hear more on this and other wild Saint John stories every morning. Catch the crew live at mornings.live.

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