Investment on overhead MV network for a better resilience to climate hazard, a new approach

This paper discusses Enedis's strategy for improving electricity supply quality amid climate change challenges, particularly for overhead medium voltage (MV) power lines. Current risk assessment methods using external references (IGN CORINE Land Cover 2006, Météo France) prove inadequate, as risk zones don't consistently predict incidents across France. The data is nearly twenty years old and doesn't account for regional vegetation differences. Enedis is deploying advanced data processing and statistical learning to create failure prediction models. These models assess risk for each MV pocket (isolated line sets controlled by remote switches). The company is also expanding analysis beyond single faults to include double fault scenarios, which become critical during storms when incident rates spike dramatically. Rather than systematic underground burial (which offers poor return on investment), Enedis prioritizes investments based on profitability calculations. This optimization balances failure costs (weighted by risk and impact), operating expenses, and infrastructure work costs (undergrounding or installing remote-controlled switches). The undergrounding cost estimation involves standard unit costs multiplied by optimized route lengths, calculated after removing at-risk forest lines from MV pockets. This targeted approach aims to maximize investment efficiency while addressing the most vulnerable network segments facing climate-related risks like violent winds, frost, and forest proximity.