Emerging Best Practices for Electric Utility Planning with Climate Variability A Resource for Utilities and Regulators

Summary

This U.S. Department of Energy report from May 2023 details emerging best practices for electric utilities to adapt to climate variability, moving beyond historical planning methods which are insufficient given that the last nine years (2014-2022) were the warmest on record. It recommends integrating climate data into forecasting, resource, asset, and contingency planning. Key examples include Con Edison's proposed investment of up to $5.2 billion by 2030 for climate resilience, expecting summer peak load to increase by 700-900 MW by 2050 due to temperature rise. Southern California Edison forecasts a 600% increase in thermal generator forced outages by 2030 due to extreme heat, while PG&E plans to bury 10,000 miles of power lines at a cost of $15-30 billion to mitigate wildfire risks. The report emphasizes regulatory support for prioritizing climate investments and inter-organizational cooperation.

Key Facts

Source Document

https://example-government.gov/policy-document-link