EPRI
Emma Wong is EPRI Nuclear Principal Lead for Innovation, Quantum Technologies, and International Engagement.
Imagine the potential if, at any moment, utilities could peer inside a power plant component without opening it, detect the faint magnetic whisper of a hidden crack, or measure gravity so precisely one could sense an underground void. This is the emerging world of quantum sensing, a field that sits at the intersection of physics, engineering, and interdisciplinary imagination.
Although many quantum sensors are still in the research and development stage, some have been in practical use since the mid-20th century. Recently, EPRI researchers examined the potential of quantum sensing to enable advanced real-time inspection and monitoring in the field, particularly for nondestructive evaluation of critical energy infrastructure in challenging environments.
As the energy industry aims to build systems with ever-increasing reliability and safety performance, the implications of quantum sensing are becoming increasingly important. By harnessing the potential of quantum phenomena — superposition, entanglement, tunneling, and coherence — the industry may be able to push the boundaries of measurement to reveal precision that classic sensor tools simply cannot match.