Systematic Approach to Storm Hardening

As extreme weather events become more frequent and severe, utilities must embed resilience directly into their long-term distribution system planning. This panel will explore insights from a new SEPA report that examines how utilities across the country are integrating resilience into distribution plans, with a focus on systematic, forward-looking strategies. The session will highlight how Florida’s regulatory framework, which requires that utilities outline systematic approaches to reducing storm restoration costs and outages, is shaping utility strategies. The conversation will cover grid-hardening practices like targeted undergrounding, pole and feeder hardening, and advanced planning tools, with an emphasis on how these strategies align with clean energy goals, DER integration, and community resilience.