Resilience for power systems amid a changing climate

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe US electric power system faces an urgent need for policies that address climate vulnerabilities. Extreme weather events, sea level rise, water availability issues, and changing temperatures can result in acute disruptions to and persistent economic impacts upon electric power generation. In the United States, extreme weather events affecting power systems already cost the country’s economy tens of billions of dollars each year. Policies to improve power systems’ resilience to climate change impacts will produce important co-benefits that apply to other disruptions, such as cyber attacks, earthquakes, and tsunamis.