Technical Trends and Challenges in Enhancing the Resilience of Power Distribution Facilities

Recent policy and regulatory developments in Japan—such as revisions to the Electricity Business Act, power system reforms, and the Cabinet decision on the Act for Strengthening Energy Supply Resilience—are increasing the importance of strengthening the resilience of power distribution equipment. General transmission and distribution operators have implemented diverse measures to ensure stable supply during major natural disasters, yet related technologies and knowledge have not been comprehensively organized in a systematic manner. To address this gap, the IEEJ Technical Report surveys practices and challenges with a focus on large-scale disasters, including typhoons, earthquakes, heavy snow, and volcanic eruptions. In addition, initiatives in other critical infrastructure sectors, such as telecommunications and railways, are reviewed to clarify disaster response approaches considering sector-specific equipment characteristics. This section outlines the survey scope and key findings of the report.