AI in Energy Security: The Smarter, More Cost-Effective Surveillance Solution
Originally published by IntelliSee on February 27th, 2025
Risk is a constant in the energy sector, be it oil and gas, electricity, or renewables. From workplace hazards to evolving regulations, energy leaders must navigate complex challenges while ensuring operational continuity. The key to staying ahead? A more innovative, more efficient approach to risk management.
AI-powered surveillance is such an approach. Adding AI-powered software as an overlay to your existing surveillance system revolutionizes employee safety and physical infrastructure security. Enhancing surveillance protects your people and assets, can streamline compliance, and delivers a measurable return on investment.
For forward-thinking leaders, AI-powered surveillance isn’t just an upgrade; it’s a competitive advantage. Let’s explore how integrating AI into your risk strategy can drive efficiency, reduce liabilities, and safeguard the future of your operations.
The Importance of Safety and Security in the Energy Sector
The energy sector is fundamental to modern life, powering homes, industries, and transportation. In 2022, U.S. consumers spent $1.7 trillion on energy, accounting for 6.7% of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP.
Ensuring robust safety measures is vital, as the sector involves high-risk operations. In 2023, there were 5,283 fatal work injuries across all industries in the United States. The oil and natural gas industry reported a nonfatal injury and illness rate of 1.4 cases per 100 full-time workers in 2020.
Additionally, the U.S. energy sector has seen a sharp rise in physical threats. In 2022, the Electricity Information Sharing and Analysis Center (E-ISAC) reported approximately 1,700 attacks, vandalism, or suspicious activity targeting energy facilities. This trend continued into 2023, with the U.S. Department of Energy documenting at least 175 physical attacks or threats against critical grid infrastructure.
Understanding AI-Powered Surveillance
The power of AI-driven surveillance lies in its ability to identify patterns, shapes, and anomalies relevant to the energy sector with near-instant precision. This could be a perimeter breach, a spill, someone loitering, a vehicle, or even an active shooter. Standard surveillance systems are reactive, with cameras recording passively, waiting for someone to rewind a tape after an incident. AI-powered surveillance doesn’t wait. It detects threats instantly, triggering real-time alerts so the right people know, the proper protocols activate, and the correct response happens immediately.
Safeguarding the Physical Energy Infrastructure
Let’s examine two use cases illustrating how utilities, cooperatives, or independent power producers might use AI-powered computer vision to manage risk.
Use Case 1. AI-Powered Surveillance Transforms Remote Solar Farm Protection
Challenge: A large solar farm spans thousands of acres across a remote desert, providing renewable energy to tens of thousands of homes. Its isolated location, however, makes it a prime target for equipment theft and vandalism. Thieves frequently steal solar panels, copper wiring, and tools, costing the company millions in replacements and repairs.
The company hired a dedicated security team to manually monitor video feeds from surveillance cameras to mitigate these risks. Despite this, slow response times and missed incidents continued to be a problem, and the cost of maintaining a full-time monitoring staff cut profits. The company needs a more efficient, proactive security solution.
Solution: The company upgraded to an AI-powered surveillance system, overlaying AI software onto its existing security cameras. The AI system continuously monitors and analyzes video feeds in real-time, using advanced algorithms to differentiate between wildlife, authorized personnel, and potential intruders.
One evening, the AI system detected unusual movement near a restricted equipment area. Unlike traditional motion sensors, which often trigger false alerts, the AI recognized an individual loitering with bolt cutters and flagged the person as a potential intruder. Within seconds, an automated alert was sent to the operations center.
Outcome: With AI-driven instant detection and response, local authorities were immediately alerted and arrived before thieves could steal or damage equipment. The system’s ability to detect and act without human monitoring saved the company from another costly incident.
Result: The solar company reduced security costs by eliminating the need for full-time video surveillance personnel while improving its response to threats. The AI-powered system not only paid for itself in savings but also enhanced security, reduced downtime, and ensured uninterrupted energy production.
Use Case 2: AI-Powered Surveillance Mitigates Internal Threats in a Nuclear Power Plant
Challenge: A long-time employee at a nuclear power plant grew increasingly disgruntled due to management changes and perceived unfair treatment. One day, he decided to take drastic measures and brought a gun to work, intending to confront his supervisors.
Solution: In part, in response to potential workplace violence, the power plant had recently upgraded its security infrastructure to include an AI-powered surveillance system. The system was designed to continuously monitor video feeds from cameras installed throughout the facility. The AI model was trained to recognize unauthorized access to restricted areas and the presence of weapons.
Outcome: On the day of the incident, the surveillance system detected the employee entering a restricted area with an object resembling a firearm. The platform immediately flagged the suspicious activity, sending an automated alert to the operations center. Security personnel located and intercepted the employee before he could reach his supervisors. The timely intervention prevented a potentially tragic situation and allowed the plant to handle the incident discreetly and safely.
Result: The incident underscored the value of AI-powered surveillance. The system proved instrumental in averting disaster by detecting a threat in real-time. Investing in innovative technology ensured the safety of the plant’s employees and eliminated the possibility of negative publicity.
Steps to AI Adoption
Adopting AI-powered computer vision may seem daunting, but it’s more accessible than you might think. Here are five steps to smoothly integrate AI-enhanced surveillance into your security framework:
Assess Your Needs Start by identifying key security vulnerabilities and risks in your facility. Are you struggling with perimeter breaches, loitering, or vandalism? Understanding the pain points helps determine where AI-powered surveillance can deliver the most significant impact.
Evaluate Your Existing Infrastructure The good news? AI-powered computer vision doesn’t require a complete security system overhaul. Instead, it overlays your current camera network, making your existing investment more intelligent and effective.
Choose the Right AI Solution Not all AI surveillance solutions are equal. Look for a platform that provides real-time threat detection, easy integration, and a user-friendly interface for security personnel. Ideally, the solution should identify a range of threats in a single product, from drawn guns to vehicles and even slips and falls. What types of support are available to help you set up and maintain your system? Do you feel comfortable with the supplier’s privacy policy? What is the supplier’s roadmap for new features?
Train Your Team Implementing AI-powered surveillance is only as effective as the people using it. Ensure your staff understands how to configure detections, interpret alerts, and respond to incidents so you can leverage the system to its full potential.
Monitor and Optimize AI-driven security solutions improve over time. Review system performance and fine-tune detection parameters to maximize effectiveness.
Following these steps, you can seamlessly transition from your traditional surveillance system to an intelligent, proactive defense strategy.
Vision for the Future
Managing risk is job number one for energy leaders, and an AI-powered surveillance system can help. It sees and analyzes images in real-time, making it more intelligent and faster than a passive surveillance system. The savings achieved through automation and risk reduction offset the incremental cost. Additionally, AI-powered computer vision can support compliance with physical security regulations. Ready to future-proof your system? The time to act is now.
IntelliSee offers an AI-powered computer vision software platform that meets the energy sector’s needs. It protects people, mitigates physical threats, delivers a positive ROI, and supports compliance with industry regulations.
To learn more about how IntelliSee’s AI-powered software can support your company’s needs, contact a member of our team today.
