E-distribuzione, an electricity distributor in Italy, is implementing a resilience plan to prepare for extreme heatwaves in Sicily and other high-risk areas in the country.
The initiative follows a past extreme heat event, caused by record high temperatures exceeding 40°C that severely affected underground cables and disrupted electricity supply.
This initiative strengthens the 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 regulatory support for resilience-focused investments.
02
Focuses on rebuilding and reinforcing underground MV networks with improved material.
Main Information
Heatwaves are among the most impactful climate events forecasted for Europe, and according to IPCC their frequency is expected to grow substantially between until 2050, particularly in the Mediterranean region (RCP 2.6, 4.5 and 8.5).
An exceptional heatwave in Sicily caused a severe power blackout on the island. Maximum temperatures exceeded 40°C, and the prolonged absence of rain created conditions that damaged underground cables, leading to widespread outages. E-distribuzione analysed the event, identifying how extreme heat and dry conditions significantly reduced the capacity of medium-voltage cables, increased failure risks, and other linked negative effects, such as water supply problems.
Following this analysis, E-distribuzione 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.
Ireland
2025