Electrical Grid Architectures for Smart Cities from Digitalized Power Systems to AI-Enabled Urban Energy Ecosystems

Abstract

Smart cities increasingly depend on electrical grid infrastructures capable of operating under high levels of digitalization, decentralization, and intelligence while maintaining reliability, security, and governance at the city scale. However, conventional power systems, historically designed for centralized generation and passive operation, are poorly aligned with the operational complexity, multi-actor coordination, and cross-sector integration characteristic of urban energy systems. This review develops an architecture-first perspective on smart-city electrical grids, tracing their evolution from digitalized power networks to decentralized and AI-enabled urban energy ecosystems. Rather than focusing on individual technologies, the study evaluates grid architectures using a multi-layer framework that integrates physical grid infrastructure, distributed energy resources and microgrids, communication and data platforms, intelligence placement, cybersecurity exposure, and governance accountability. Smart-city grid architectures are assessed using deployability beyond pilot projects, auditability, and regulatory alignment as primary evaluation criteria alongside conventional technical considerations. Through this perspective, the review explains a recurring pattern observed in the literature: many technically mature smart-grid solutions fail to scale in real urban deployments due to architectural fragmentation and governance constraints. By synthesizing insights from power systems engineering, information and communication technologies, and smart-city research, the paper highlights architectural trade-offs related to decentralization, interoperability, resilience under compound threats, and assisted autonomy. The resulting framework supports researchers, system designers, and policymakers in the coordinated development of resilient, secure, and governable electrical grids for future smart-city energy systems.