EPB launches $22M quantum computer to solve grid problems, boost economy

EPB launched a $22-million quantum computer Friday morning, making Chattanooga's municipal utility the first company in the world to combine commercial quantum computing and quantum networking in one center.

The computer, the IonQ Forte Enterprise, sits behind glass at the EPB Quantum Center in what officials said may be the cleanest air in the city. Any dust or other particles in the air can disrupt the computer's fragile laser-based system that processes information through photons, the smallest units of light.

Through a $4 million federal grant, EPB hired eight graduate researchers to develop the first algorithms, or problem sets, to run on the computer. The researchers ran their first algorithms Friday, marking the computer's official commissioning. The initial problems involve how EPB can best run its smart electric grid switches to prevent loss of electricity and save customers money.

Most quantum computers in the U.S. are sealed away from commercial use at research centers or government laboratories. EPB's quantum work dates back to 2016 through a partnership with Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Los Alamos National Laboratory to study cybersecurity applications for the electric grid.