GAO logoU.S. Government Accountability OfficeBreadcrumbHome Reports & Testimonies Electricity Grid Resilience: Climate Change Is Expected to Have Far-reaching Effects and DOE and FERC Should Take ActionsJump To:Electricity Grid Resilience:Climate Change Is Expected to Have Far-reaching Effects and DOE and FERC Should Take ActionsGAO-21-346Published: Mar 05, 2021. Publicly Released: Mar 10, 2021.Fast FactsClimate change is expected to affect every aspect of the electricity grid—from generation, transmission, and distribution, to demand for electricity. For example, more frequent droughts and changing rainfall patterns may diminish hydroelectricity in some areas, and increasing wildfires may damage transmission lines.The Department of Energy and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission could do more to enhance grid resilience to climate change. We recommended that DOE develop a strategy and coordinate efforts within the department to enhance resilience, and that FERC assess grid climate risks and plan how to promote resilience.Hurricane Maria Damaged Power Lines in Puerto Rico in November 2017MultimediaPhoto of a powerline down after a hurricane in Puerto RicoBlog PostHurricane Ida Highlights Need for Enhanced Electricity Grid ResilienceTHURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2021Hurricane Ida landed near Port Fourchon, Louisiana, on August 29, leaving at least 7 people dead and…Photo showing flooding on Delaware State Route 1Blog PostHow is the Federal Government Approaching Climate Resilience?TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2022Extreme weather events—like wildfires, hurricanes, and some winter storms—threaten the stability of…Skip to HighlightsHighlightsWhat GAO FoundClimate change is expected to have far-reaching effects on the electricity grid that could cost billions and could affect every aspect of the grid from generation, transmission, and distribution to demand for electricity, according to several reports GAO reviewed. The type and extent of these effects on the grid will vary by geographic location and other factors. For example, reports GAO reviewed stated that more frequent droughts and changing rainfall patterns may adversely affect hydroelectricity generation in Alaska and the Northwest and Southwest regions of the United States. Further, transmission capacity may be reduced or distribution lines damaged during increasing wildfire activity in some regions due to warmer temperatures and drier conditions. Moreover, climate change effects on the grid could cost utilities and customers billions, including the costs of power outages and infrastructure damage.Examples of Climate Change Effects on the Electricity GridHighlight_5_v1_103904Since 2014, the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) have taken actions to enhance the resilience of the grid. For example, in 2015, DOE established a partnership with 18 utilities to plan for climate change. In 2018, FERC collected information from grid operators on grid resilience and their risks to hazards such as extreme weather. Nevertheless, opportunities exist for DOE and FERC to take additional actions to enhance grid resilience to climate change. For example, DOE identified climate change as a risk to energy infrastructure, including the grid, but it does not have an overall strategy to guide its efforts. GAO’s Disaster Resilience Framework states that federal efforts can focus on risk reduction by creating resilience goals and linking those goals to an overarching strategy. Developing and implementing a department-wide strategy that defines goals and measures progress could help prioritize DOE’s climate resilience efforts to ensure that resources are targeted effectively. Regarding FERC, it has not taken steps to identify or assess climate change risks to the grid and, therefore, is not well positioned to determine the actions needed to enhance resilience. Risk management involves identifying and assessing risks to understand the likelihood of impacts and their associated consequences. By doing so, FERC could then plan and implement appropriate actions to respond to the risks and achieve its objective of promoting resilience.Why GAO Did This StudyAccording to the U.S. Global Change Research Program, changes in the earth’s climate are under way and expected to increase, posing risks to the electricity grid that may affect the nation’s economic and national security. Annual costs of weather-related power outages total billions of dollars and may increase with climate change, although resilience investments could help address potential effects, according to the research program. Private companies own most of the electricity grid, but the federal government plays a significant role in promoting grid resilience—the ability to adapt to changing conditions; withstand potentially disruptive events; and, if disrupted, to rapidly recover. DOE, the lead agency for grid resilience efforts, conducts research and provides information and technical assistance to industry. FERC reviews mandatory grid reliability standards.GAO was asked to examine U.S. energy infrastructure resilience. This report describes: (1) potential climate change effects on the electricity grid; and (2) actions DOE and FERC have taken since 2014 to enhance electricity grid resilience to climate change effects, and additional actions these agencies could take. GAO reviewed reports and interviewed agency officials and 55 relevant stakeholders.Skip to RecommendationsRecommendationsGAO is making two recommendations: (1) DOE should develop a department-wide strategy to enhance grid resilience to climate change, and (2) FERC should identify and assess climate change risks to the grid and plan a response. DOE and FERC neither agreed nor disagreed with GAO’s recommendations.Recommendations for Executive ActionDepartment of EnergyPriority Rec.The Secretary of Energy should develop and implement a department-wide strategy to coordinate its efforts that defines goals and measures progress to enhance the resilience of the electricity grid to the risks of climate change. (Recommendation 1)OpenDOE agreed with our recommendation. In its June 2021 management decision letter to Congressional committees, DOE stated that it developed a grid resilience strategy under its Grid Modernization Initiative (GMI)–a collaborative partnership of five DOE offices: Fossil Energy; Nuclear Energy; Electricity; Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy; and Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response. According to DOE, the GMI strategy, developed in December 2020, includes an all-hazards approach to characterize and implement system resilience but it does not prioritize climate change over other threats. Nevertheless, DOE noted that the current strategy will be the framework for the…View MoreFederal Energy Regulatory CommissionThe Chairman of FERC should direct staff to take steps to identify and assess climate related risks to the electricity grid, and plan a response, including identifying actions to address the risks and enhance the resilience of the grid to climate change. (Recommendation 2)OpenFERC agreed with our recommendation. In October 2021, FERC sent a letter to Congressional committees stating that it is taking steps to identify and assess climate-related risks to the electricity grid. For example, in June 2021, FERC held a technical conference on climate change that addressed how utilities might assess climate-risks, ways to increase resilience to climate change, improving transmission and generation outage management, and potential changes to mandatory reliability standards. FERC is currently reviewing comments obtained from stakeholders following the conference and plans to develop recommendations on next steps for the Commission to consider. Also, in September 2021,…View MoreFull ReportHighlights Page (1 page)Full Report (56 pages)Accessible PDF (66 pages)GAO ContactsFrank RuscoDirectorRuscof@gao.gov(202) 512-3841Office of Public AffairsChuck YoungManaging Directoryoungc1@gao.gov(202) 512-4800TopicsEnergyClimateClimate changeCritical infrastructureElectricityElectricity gridsEnergy resourcesEnergy sectorsExtreme weatherHurricanesNational laboratoriesPower plantsPublic utilitiesRisk managementPrivate sectorReceive GAO UpdatesStay informed as we add new reports & testimonies. Enter Your Email AddressGAO LogoU.S. Government Accountability OfficevFooter menuPress CenterContact UsInspector GeneralRestricted ReportsCopyright & Terms of UsePrivacy PolicyAccessibilitySitemapFOIA RequestsScam AlertsNo FEAR Act DataHealth Care Advisory Committees