The identification of threats to the power sector is a key step in planning for a resilient power system. A threat is anything that can, either intentionally or accidentally, damage, destroy, or disrupt the power sector. Threats can be natural, technological, or human caused. Threats are not typically within the control of power system planners and operators. They can include wildfires, hurricanes, storm surges, cyberattacks, and more. Threats can affect many components of the power sector—from generation to transmission and distribution to operations, workforce, and finance. This section introduces the key steps in identifying threats to the power sector: assessing existing conditions, identifying threats, and scoring the likelihoods of threats.
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.
The identification of vulnerabilities is a key step in the power sector resilience planning process—following the identification of threats and their associated impacts. This document introduces the key steps in identifying power system vulnerabilities: assessing existing conditions, identifying vulnerabilities, and scoring vulnerabilities.
Risk is defined as the potential for loss, damage, or destruction of key resources or power system assets resulting from a threat. Risk is evaluated as the product of the threat likelihood and vulnerability severity scores. Analyzing risk is a key step in vulnerability assessments and allows for the prioritization of vulnerability mitigation actions. This document presents the steps involved in analyzing risks: assess risks, score risks, evaluate risks, and identify levels of risk acceptance.
Power sector resilience solutions often include some combination of resource or technological diversity, redundancy, decentralization, transparency, collaboration, flexibility, and foresight considerations. A mix of solutions should be considered because no single intervention will address all potential vulnerabilities. Additionally, every power system is unique, and any solutions will have to be tailored to fit with specific power system characteristics. Solutions may fall into different categories of power sector interventions: long-term planning, regulations and policies, programs, and capital projects.
Guide to Threats
