The Data-Driven Utility: How GridOS® and Microsoft Are Unlocking the Power of Unified Data

Critical operational information — from SCADA systems to GIS, asset management, AMI, and market platforms — resides in silos that were never built to work together. Each system tells part of the story, but when they operate independently, it becomes nearly impossible to see the full, real-time picture of grid health and performance.

The consequences of this fragmentation are becoming all too obvious as utilities face mounting pressures: aging infrastructure, accelerating integration of distributed energy resources, rising sustainability and regulatory expectations, and the rapidly growing demand for electricity driven by electrification and AI. These challenges all share a common thread — addressing them will require unified, interoperable data.

Unified data is more than an IT objective; it’s the foundation of grid modernization itself. When operational and enterprise systems connect seamlessly, utilities can harness AI, predictive analytics, and automation to move from reactive management to proactive orchestration. That transformation is exactly what GE Vernova’s GridOS® platform and Microsoft are enabling together — building the connected, federated data foundation that turns complexity into clarity, and innovation into reality.

GE Vernova and Microsoft share a common belief: that the next era of grid transformation will be driven not just by new infrastructure, but by the intelligent use of data.

The partnership brings together Microsoft’s trusted Azure cloud capabilities — including AI, analytics, and cybersecurity — and the GridOS® platform, built specifically for grid orchestration and operations. The result is a unified, digital ecosystem designed to help utilities unlock and unleash the full potential of their data, from the grid edge to their core enterprise data applications.

At the heart of this vision lies GridOS Data Fabric, now supported on Azure. Acting as a bridge between operational technology (OT) and enterprise analytics, GridOS Data Fabric on Azure eliminates long-entrenched silos between real-time OT systems and enterprise IT. OT data, once confined to control rooms, can now enrich data-driven use cases across the business — safely and securely within Azure’s resilient cloud environment.

"Utilities are sitting on a goldmine of operational data," said Hanna Grene, Global Operations & GTM Leader, Energy & Resources at Microsoft. "By integrating GE Vernova's GridOS Data Fabric with Azure, we're helping utilities unlock that data's full value and apply AI and analytics at scale. This is how the industry moves from insight to action-building a grid that's both intelligent and resilient."

With this foundation, utilities can in turn infuse their operational grid data into all their data-driven use cases—fueling AI, analytics, and innovations across the business, from predictive grid management to customer programs and enterprise analytics that inform smarter, faster decisions.

A truly positive outcome of unified data can be seen in GridOS® Dynamic Line Rating (DDLR). DDLR uses real-time environmental and asset data to calculate the true capacity of transmission lines based on a variety of atmospheric conditions. By combining inputs from weather sensors, GIS models, and grid telemetry, DDLR applies AI-driven calculations that enable operators to safely boost transmission capacity without costly physical upgrades.

As an integrated part of the GridOS platform, DDLR leverages GridOS Data Fabric for its data inputs and outputs. Data Fabric aggregates the diverse data inputs – weather, topology, asset conditions — and makes them accessible to DDLR’s line rating algorithm. DDLR’s output – real-time and forward-looking AI-based line ratings --– are visualized in dashboards in GridOS Data Fabric, enabling operators to make faster, data-driven decisions to enhance grid reliability and efficiency.

The value of DDLR’s data-based line rating extends beyond the control when it is deployed together with GridOS Data Fabric on Microsoft Azure. This architecture forms a bridge between operational systems and enterprise analytics. DDLR insights can flow seamlessly into Microsoft Fabric, Azure OpenAI, and Microsoft AI Foundry, fueling new use cases across the business. Forecasted line ratings can inform customer care teams of potential weather-driven curtailments, or provide planners with data-rich assessments for siting and permitting.

This example illustrates that IT and OT integration doesn’t just lead to better grid management — it unlocks the power of operational data across the entire enterprise, enriching analytics, AI, and decision-making for the control room and beyond.

The digital grid revolution depends on our ability to connect people, processes, and data. When information flows freely across systems, as with GridOS Data Fabric, innovation flourishes. Utilities can apply AI where it matters most, automate with confidence, and plan with foresight — creating a grid that’s resilient, sustainable, and ready for what comes next.

Together, GE Vernova and Microsoft are helping utilities build the much-coveted intelligent grid — one where unified data isn’t just a byproduct of modernization, but the engine of transformation itself.