Towards a Resilient Power Grid

Wildland fires have emerged as a formidable threat to Canadian electrical utility organizations, prompting a renewed focus on creating a more resilient power grid. While the endeavor to fortify the grid was already underway among utility managers, the unprecedented 2023 fire season served as a stark reminder of the changing climate and the imperative to prioritize strategic planning.

It is challenging to grasp the impact of the 18.2 million hectares of burned forest area. Paired with the scientific consensus predicting equally devastating, if not worse, fire seasons in the future, a resounding wake-up call has been sounded. Enhancing the resilience of communities, infrastructure, and critical services now stands atop the public and political agenda for the foreseeable future.
Where to Start

Immediate strides toward improved climate resilience can be made by electrical utilities through the enhancement of data used to assess the risk of wildland fires to their infrastructure. Upgrading data enables utility managers to proactively “harden the grid,” beginning with areas assessed to have the highest risk. It is crucial to note that mitigation planning encompasses not only potential asset damage but also the identification of locations where utility assets could ignite wildland fires, along with measures to prevent the spread from these locations.
It’s About the Data

The dynamic nature of wildland fire behavior, its intensity, and the escalating risk of large forest fires necessitate access to updated and accurate spatial information for utility managers. This information aids in identifying high-risk forest fuels adjacent to assets or across the fire-susceptible landscape. The recent destructive wildfires, such as those in 2023, originated from distant points and evolved into uncontrolled conflagrations driven by the presence and arrangement of wildfire-susceptible fuels, leading to electrical service disruptions in various parts of Canada, including Quebec.