Extreme and irregular weather
More frequent and intense storms and floods can cause damage to power lines, transformers, substations, and other components of the power grid, leading to power outages and disruptions in service.
Rising temperatures
Increase in demand for power, especially for air conditioning and refrigeration can strain power generation and transmission systems, leading to overheating and potential equipment failure and reduce efficiency.
Rising sea levels
Saltwater intrusion and storm surges can corrode equipment and damage infrastructure, leading to outages and increased maintenance costs.
Droughts and changes in precipitation patterns
Droughts reduce water levels; lower capacity of hydropower plants to generate electricity. More precipitation can lead to flooding, which can damage hydropower facilities and disrupt operations.
What can we do?
To make power infrastructure more sustainable:
- improve grid management;
- improve infrastructure resilience;
- enhance disaster preparedness and response strategies;
- diversify to renewable resources like wind and solar.
