Guide to Impacts

Impacts describe the effects that threats have on power system infrastructure, systems, or processes. The identification of impacts associated with each threat is an important step in assessing vulnerabilities. Every threat could impact the power system in multiple ways. For example, strong winds from tornadoes could cause transmission poles and lines to fall— resulting in power outages, additional costs for repairs, and financial loss due to decreased generation requirements. To identify power system impacts: identify impacts to the power sector and identify impacts to the end user.