2023
Italy
An Italian grid operator is upgrading electricity networks against more frequent and intense heatwaves. The initiative focuses on reinforcing vulnerable infrastructure with resilient materials and smarter grid designs, ensuring reliable service during extreme weather.
This initiative strengthens electricity network’s resilience against prolonged heatwaves by reinforcing important network points and upgrading infrastructure with heat-resistance materials, to ensure ongoing electricity supply and reduce vulnerability to future extreme temperature events.
Highlights
01
Supported by a national incentive offering up to 13% investment premium.
02
Focuses on rebuilding and reinforcing underground MV networks with improved materials.
Main Information
In July 2023, an exceptional heatwave in one of the southern regions of italy. Maximum temperatures exceeded 40°C, and the prolonged absence of rain created conditions that damaged underground cables, leading to widespread outages. Following the event, the grid operator identified how extreme heat and dry conditions significantly reduced the capacity of medium-voltage cables and increased failure risks and other negative effects such as water supply problems.
Following this analysis, the grid operator proposed a resilience enhancement plan to adapt the network to withstand future extreme heat scenarios. The plan includes rebuilding sections of the underground medium-voltage (MV) network using resilient components like jointless cables and expanding network meshing with new MV lines and transformers.
The initiative aligns with a new regulatory framework of the Italian regulator, which rewards resilience-focused investments with a premium of up to 13% on expected investment costs. The plan, which started being implemented in 2024 and is expected to be fully executed by 2027, targets multiple Italian regions based on projected heatwave risks.
