Building resilient power grids: Integrating climate and disaster risk into infrastructure planning and operations

Natural hazards, often exacerbated by climate change, are among the leading causes of power service disruptions worldwide. These are increasingly impacting utilities’ planning and operations. Countries like Colombia, Kenya, Mozambique, Pakistan, Turkey, and the United States have all faced severe disruptions in recent years. The impact on power systems is multifaceted: heat waves can damage transmission and distribution infrastructure, spike electricity demand due to cooling needs, and reduce hydro power generation unexpectedly.

Addressing these risks is a complex task, especially for cash-strapped utilities in low and middle-income countries that must balance affordability, sustainability, and resilience. Knowing what part of the grid infrastructure needs to be strengthened can be even more difficult when utilities lack appropriate data on the spatial distribution of their assets and understanding of their exposure to natural hazards. The Utility Knowledge Exchange Platform (UKEP) held a discussion with global experts, which including the perspectives of system operators in Chile and Pakistan, on the importance of integrating climate resilience for electricity service delivery.

Here are actionable steps that can help utilities advance resiliency efforts:

1. Conducting initial risk assessments to identify critical focus areas. Utilities can start by carrying out basic risk assessments to identify key areas of concern. Even without access to detailed data or sophisticated tools, these can help prioritize actions. By evaluating natural hazard events based on how likely they are to happen and their potential impact, utilities can spot significant risks. This information is valuable for highlighting vulnerable areas and essential assets, such as transformers, that need protection.
2. Investing in enhanced data collection and analytical capacity for more advanced risk assessments. For example, in Antigua and Barbuda, better data and capacity allowed utilities to assess extreme wind risks to the power transmission system and identify effective mitigation measures. The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)’s Climate READi: (REsilience and ADaptation initiative) is developing a comprehensive framework to assess physical and climate risks to power grids, bringing together global experts to tackle the challenges posed by extreme weather. These insights highlight the value of investing in improved data collection, enabling utilities to pinpoint more cost-effective strategies.
3. Prioritizing assets and identifying solutions can benefit from utilizing new technologies for data collection and modeling, which minimize impacts on power grids in hazard-prone locations. In Tajikistan, Pamir Energy uses hazard sensitivity analysis and numerical modeling to strategically place transmission towers away from avalanche paths, while maintaining connections to remote communities. In Japan, Chubu Electric Power employs smart applications to monitor outages and manage vegetation risks in rural areas. These sophisticated methods and technologies must be tailored to the specific risk and complexity of each situation.
4. Integrating risk-management strategies into operational decision-making, which involves regular monitoring of infrastructure and risk levels and enabling quick emergency responses. Following a 2021 comprehensive risk-assessment, Colombia’s transmission system operator XM set up sectoral working groups, rapid communication channels, and a commitment to continuous improvement, allowing it to effectively address El Niño risks in 2023-2024.
5. Building regional alliances to strengthen disaster risk management and response is crucial. The Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation’s (CARILEC), Disaster Assistance Program (CDAP) pools resources like emergency funds, workers, and spare parts to support utilities during crises, as seen during Hurricane Irma in 2017. Similarly, Ukraine’s Ministry of Energy established a platform to coordinate equipment needs in response to the ongoing war.
6. Reviewing standards of design and operation. For instance, the Pacific Islands in 1982, adjusted the structural design of power poles to better withstand environmental challenges, emphasizing the importance of proper incentives, enforcement, and capacity to ensure these measures achieve their intended outcomes.

Tackling the challenges of climate and disaster resilience demands a global effort. The World Bank, through tools like the Climate Change Knowledge Portal, and initiatives such as the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) and the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR), is committed to helping countries prioritize and implement resilient solutions.  By bridging data gaps, fostering peer-to-peer exchange through platforms such as UKEP, and advancing regional collaborations, we can strengthen the resilience and sustainability of power systems worldwide.  
 

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