CASE STUDY 12 Quantum computing Enhancing power grid anomaly detection through sensor placement Sensor placement in power grids refers to strategically deciding where to install sensors (such as PMUs – phasor measurement units or other monitoring devices) across the grid network to monitor electrical parameters such as voltage, current, frequency and phase angles. These sensors help detect anomalies such as equipment malfunctions, cyber- attacks, line overloads, faults or unexpected power flows that can threaten the reliability and stability of the grid. Proper sensor placement using optimization techniques ensures that power grids are monitored efficiently, economically and securely, preventing faults or attacks from causing widespread damage or blackouts. Without optimization, placement may be suboptimal, leading to unnecessary costs, vulnerability gaps and reduced reliability.Pasqal, alongside European energy and utility actors, has been experimenting on a quantum-enhanced solution to this problem by leveraging the inherent connections between a power grid and its graph-based representation, and the underlying minimum vertex cover combinatorial optimization problem. Pasqal’s neutral-atom quantum processors are physically engineered for independent set-related problems: the physical system itself embodies the independency constraints without artificial encoding. With appropriate hybridization and decomposition methods, the 80-qubit instances can be coupled to be able to experiment on grid sizes reaching 1,000 nodes as well. The physical experiments on the currently available device reach beyond a proof of concept- type investigation and pave the way to a progressive industrial adoption of such hybrid solution workflows.17 Quantum for Energy and Utilities: Key Opportunities for Energy Transition 26

Quantum for Energy and Utilities 2026