Climate change impact on distribution network: regulatory tools for resilience

Recent data on global climate trends have shown an intensification in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, with an obvious impact on service infrastructures such as electricity, water, transport, etc. Focusing on power system infrastructure, historically, snowstorms, wind and heavy rainfall have had a structural effect on the overhead power grid. Nowadays this is amplified by increasing temperatures and the lack of precipitations in the summer period, with the underground grids that suffer extensive damage. Therefore, it is necessary to modernise the electricity infrastructure with new planning and development techniques that consider structural and technological solutions to mitigate, as much as possible, disruptions due to extreme weather events. Within the Italian scenario, this paper provides an overview of the current regulatory framework to stimulate the planning and development of a resilient distribution network with a detailed discussion on the parameters to be used in the cost-benefit assessment, which is the main tool for evaluating grid development interventions recognised at the regulatory level.