On 12 June 2024, Med-TSO organised the workshop “Resilient Grids in the Mediterranean – Mitigating Climate Risks in Electricity Infrastructure” at the TERNA Academy in Rome. This event addressed the growing challenges posed by climate change and extreme weather events on electricity infrastructure, bringing together experts from Med-TSO member TSOs to share knowledge and discuss practical solutions.
Federico Quaglia (TERNA, Italy), Chairperson of Med-TSO’s Technical Committee “Operation” opened the workshop by presenting the scope of the event. Then, Laurent Dubus (RTE, France) provided participants with foundational insights into climate change and the tools used to assess it scientifically. Experts from ELES, TERNA, and IPTO discussed real-world cases of climate-related threats affecting electricity infrastructures in Slovenia, Italy, and Greece. These included storms (lightning and extreme wind speeds), extreme heat waves and wildfires, flooding, landslides, icing and snowing.
In session 2, TERNA introduced a new risk-based Resilience Methodology to assess and enhance the power grid’s resilience against climate change. The methodology uses prospective climatological models, vulnerability assessments of overhead lines (OHLs), and contingency analysis to quantify system resilience.
The final session focused on adaptation strategies implemented by TSOs to build more resilient power systems. Discussions covered the influence of climate change on grid design, maintenance, and operation.
Med-TSO representatives shared valuable insights and expertise throughout the workshop, emphasising the importance of regional cooperation and knowledge sharing. The event concluded with a visit to the Italian National Control Center, providing attendees with a practical perspective on market and real-time grid operations.
This event is part of Med-tso’s knowledge-sharing program, which includes a series of technical visits that allow observing and learning from different TSOs’ experiences. The first was hosted in Madrid in March 2024, and the next will be organised in Greece in the following autumn.
Through collaborative efforts like this, Med-TSO remains committed to enhancing the resilience and integration of power systems across the Mediterranean, fostering the development of an integrated, secure and sustainable regional electricity transmission grid.
