Enhancing power flow estimation with topology-aware gated graph neural networks

Accurate and scalable surrogate models for AC power flow are essential for real-time grid monitoring, contingency analysis, and decision support in increasingly dynamic and inverter-dominated power systems. However, most existing surrogates fall short of practical deployment due to their limited capacity to capture long-range nonlinear dependencies in meshed transmission networks and their weak enforcement of physical laws. These models often require extensive hyperparameter tuning, exhibit poor generalization under topology changes or large load swings, and typically do not quantify uncertainty or scale well beyond a few hundred buses. To address these challenges, this paper proposes a gated graph neural network (GGNN) surrogate for AC power-flow estimation under topological uncertainty. The model is trained across multiple IEEE benchmark networks of varying size and complexity, each incorporating randomized line contingencies and up to 40% load variation. To improve robustness and generalization, we explore both conventional supervised learning and physics-informed self-supervised training strategies. Comparative evaluations show that the proposed GGNN consistently outperforms prior GNN-based surrogates, achieving predictions closely aligned with Newton–Raphson solutions. By embedding operational constraints directly into the architecture and loss function, the model ensures physical consistency and delivers a lightweight, accurate, and scalable tool for real-time grid operations.