AI is entering the planning, design, construction and operation of power transmission projects, but in engineering it cannot be treated as a universal tool. Transmission projects involve electrical, structural, geological, meteorological, ecological, construction and maintenance disciplines. Every conclusion must have data sources, engineering justification and responsibility boundaries.
In transmission planning, AI’s greatest value lies in route comparison and risk identification. It can integrate elevation, slope, geological hazards, ecological red lines, icing zones, wind zones, transport conditions, crossing quantities, construction difficulty, maintenance accessibility and investment estimates into one model, then quickly generate multiple options. Compared with manual comparison, AI can improve efficiency and help design teams identify high-risk sections that may otherwise be overlooked.
However, AI has clear limitations. It may misjudge data-deficient areas as low-risk, or fail to fully understand special terrain, local standards and utility requirements due to limited training samples. Therefore, AI can provide candidate schemes and risk alerts, but it cannot replace chief engineer decision-making. The underlying logic of Power Engineering Planning must come from engineering rules, not algorithmic black boxes.
The correct workflow is “AI screening + professional review + multi-scheme evaluation.” AI identifies route conflicts, geological hazards, ecological sensitive zones and construction difficulties. Electrical engineers verify clearances, structures, foundation types and crossing schemes. Maintenance specialists evaluate patrol access and emergency repair accessibility. Ecological and geological specialists conduct special reviews. The final scheme must be confirmed by multiple disciplines.
AI can also support post-project review. Actual costs, construction duration, defect numbers, maintenance faults and line loading can be fed back into the model to improve future planning. Valuable AI will not replace engineers. It will become an assistant for scenario simulation, risk scanning and engineering knowledge accumulation.
