The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has issued a warning, stating that the impact of extreme weather on critical services is more significant than previously assessed.
In the Third National Adaptation Programme (NAP3), Defra highlights that as the grid decarbonises and other infrastructure systems electrify to meet the UK’s net zero targets, the exposure of the energy system to climate hazards will change, making climate resilience crucial to securing our energy supply.
The report stated that the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and Ofgem are taking the lead in promoting resilience within the energy sector to ensure climate and weather resilience by 2024.
They will designate responsible parties for maintaining energy sector codes and standards, enforce compliance with regulatory frameworks and drive investment in infrastructure resilience.
As part of their efforts, DESNZ and Ofgem will provide guidance to National Gas in reviewing construction standards to prioritize climate resilience.
Distribution network operators will collaborate with the government and Ofgem to update technical standards based on lessons learned from Storm Arwen, while also developing a network resilience model to predict the impact of severe weather events and guide planning and funding decisions.
The DESNZ will conduct internal reviews and support energy generation companies in assessing resilience.
Ongoing research will also be funded to improve understanding of climate change impacts on the energy system.
