ComEd, Argonne team up to study the impact of climate change on power grid
USA: The first study has been launched in concert with EPRIs climate READi power initiative.
Image source: T&D World
USA: The first study has been launched in concert with EPRIs climate READi power initiative.
ComEd, in partnership with the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory’s Center for Climate Resilience and Decision Science, has announced it is launching a comprehensive Climate Risk and Adaptation Study, which will examine the impact of changing weather due to climate change, including sustained heat and flooding risk, on the design and performance of the power grid in the region. This is the first study to be launched in concert with the Electric Power Research Institute’s (EPRI) Climate READi: Power (REsilience and ADaptation initiative), a recently announced, three-year global program on climate change risk. ComEd’s parent company, Exelon Corporation, is one of 13 founding members of the initiative.
The collaboration between ComEd, Argonne and EPRI will build upon established climate science and industry best practices to help ComEd plan and build infrastructure that is more resilient to the climate changes that pose growing risks to the grid. This will be the first climate adaptation study in the region and one of the only studies in the nation to incorporate the impact of increased electrification into the climate risk planning process. The study will further inform ComEd’s grid plans, including the company’s Multi-Year Integrated Grid Plan, which will be filed with the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) in January 2023 as required by the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA).
“Families and businesses in northern Illinois have a front-row seat to the increasingly severe weather caused by climate change, which has brought record-breaking temperature swings, historic tornadoes and hurricane-strength winds that continue to test the resiliency of the power grid and the reliable energy our customers have come to expect,” said Gil Quiniones, CEO, ComEd. “As we plan the future grid investments required to enable the state’s clean energy transition, it is essential that we fully understand future grid challenges — including the impact of climate change and electrification — to ensure our grid can adapt to changing conditions and maintain our outstanding system reliability and resiliency. We expect that the final report of this study will be released no later than the filing of our new Grid Plan so that our customers and other grid stakeholders can also consider it.”
Source: T&D World