Training Power Workers Without the Risk

Virginia Tech is advancing workforce training by combining virtual reality (VR) and digital twin technology to simulate real-world power systems. Led by Professor Ali Mehrizi-Sani, the project allows trainees to interact with a digital replica of a live electric substation, enabling hands-on learning without real-world consequences. The virtual environment helps prepare workers for complex scenarios, like throwing a switch and seeing its effects across the grid, which would be risky in real life.

Nam Nguyen, executive director of Energy and Utilities, said the system allows trainees to make mistakes and solve problems in a safe, flexible environment. This approach supports a new generation of linemen and technicians as they learn to navigate increasingly sophisticated infrastructure.

The initiative, funded by the Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science, the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative, and the National Science Foundation, aims to modernize how technical professionals are trained, making education more immersive, effective, and adaptable to 21st-century demands.