Weathering the Storm: Planning and Building Smarter

The importance and challenge of utility distribution system strategy and planning cannot be overstated in light of climate change and the increasing frequency of extreme storms. Independent power producers, distributed energy resource (DER) providers, and retail energy providers similarly face the same challenges. The United States witnessed a record-breaking hurricane season in 2020, resulting in staggering damages of approximately $95 billion. The most recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) highlights the urgency of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to limit global warming to mitigate the disastrous and costly effects of climate change. The report indicated that these events are likely to become the norm and will worsen if mitigation and adaptation measures aren't established. These events are becoming more frequent and severe, making it imperative to establish effective mitigation and adaptation measures.