Utilities need to adjust to climate change: A look at the necessary adaptations.
The Climate READi framework, developed by the independent, non-profit energy R&D institute EPRI, is a collaborative and standardized approach designed to help energy companies assess physical climate risks and vulnerabilities in the energy system across different weather and climate conditions.
This innovative framework provides a consistent methodology to identify exposure, pinpoint vulnerable assets and regions, and evaluate how climate-related risks evolve over time. It guides investment priorities and adaptive strategies for a resilient electricity system that can handle future climate scenarios.
The Climate READi framework integrates advanced climate science, such as synthetic climate event modeling, combined with predictive power outage models. This combination enables the quantification of how climate change could alter the frequency and severity of outages and other disruptions. For instance, using the Climate READi approach, researchers have projected that some metropolitan areas could see decades-long increases in outage events by over 70%. Miami, for example, could experience a potential 119% increase by 2100 compared to today’s climate.
Weather and climate impacts vary regionally and over time, and the Climate READi framework emphasizes a common, accessible, and collaborative platform that is adaptable to location-specific conditions and risks. It enables data-driven planning by combining climate projections and historical outage data to inform strategic decision-making for adapting the energy infrastructure to evolving threats from climate change.
The framework recommends conducting model-based evaluations across an integrated modeling platform. Utilities, regulators, and other stakeholders can use this framework to evaluate local hazards, prioritize investments, and adapt the evolving electric system to the climate of the future.
To ensure effective implementation, the team is advised to begin with in-depth and iterative scoping, setting expectations among internal and external stakeholders. A dedicated team with clear ownership and responsibility for climate-informed planning and analysis is also recommended.
Severe weather events often leave communities without power to meet critical needs. Factoring climate risk into investment decisions is a cost-effective means of increasing energy systems' resilience to climate hazards. As we face an increasingly unpredictable climate, a common, consistent, and collaborative framework for physical climate risk is needed to ensure the reliable, resilient, and affordable power system of the future for all.
A coalition of over 40 energy providers and system operators, along with other organizations, have developed the Climate READi framework to improve the resilience and reliability of the power system. The framework's potential impact is significant, as it could help energy companies anticipate and prepare for the challenges posed by a changing climate.
Recent events, such as the 2025 U.S. tornado season being on track to be above the 30-year historical average and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasting a 60% chance of an above-average hurricane season, underscore the need for such a framework. Morgan Scott, the vice president of global partnerships and outreach at the Electric Power Research Institute, emphasizes the importance of ensuring the load data used for planning and evaluation reflects the weather dependency for the selected conditions and technologies being evaluated.
As we move forward, the Climate READi framework offers a promising solution to help energy companies navigate the challenges of a changing climate and build a more resilient and sustainable energy system for the future.
- The Climate READi framework, integrating advanced climate science and industry collaboration, empowers energy companies to evaluate their energy systems' vulnerabilities due to climate-change, guiding adaptive strategies and investment priorities for a resilient electricity system.
- The framework, by combining climate projections and historical outage data, enables data-driven planning in environmental-science, ensuring the power system is adapted to evolving threats from climate change, which could potentially increase outage events in metropolitan areas like Miami by over 100%.
- To build a reliable, resilient, and affordable power system for the future, the Climate READi framework, adopted by a coalition of over 40 energy providers, emphasizes the importance of accurate load data for planning and evaluation to withstand the challenges of a changing climate, such as the increased likelihood of severe weather events like hurricanes and tornadoes.
