New York Power Authority, partners to chart effects of climate change on operations

A joint impact study currently being conducted by the New York Power Authority (NYPA) and its partners seeks to evaluate the long-term effects of climate change on physical power generation and transmission assets and system operations.

The NYPA, the largest state public power organization in the United States, along with the Argonne National Laboratory, Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), and Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy (CGEP), will utilize advanced climate models to study how extreme weather caused by climate change could affect both power generation and transmission assets in the days ahead. This will help NYPA to adjust its risk and expenditure planning and better account for resilience.

The Argonne National Laboratory will take the lead on the effort, thanks to its expertise with hyperlocal climate model simulation datasets, including some of the country’s most detailed climate projections. Such models will be combined with quick-processing supercomputers to chart risks. Researchers will then comb this data and identify and quantify the potential impacts climate change could pose to facilities, assets, and equipment, culminating in a system-wide risk assessment.

“It’s imperative that NYPA assess the vulnerability and sensitivity of its generation and transmission systems to climate-driven risks such as increased flooding and extreme temperatures so we can prepare to stand up to these hazards and make smart investments in resiliency strategies,” Gil Quiniones, NYPA president and CEO, said. “The results of this climate analysis will improve our ability to address the risks associated with climate change and inform our strategies and investments in the coming years so that we can continue to ensure a reliable, resilient, and affordable electricity system across New York State.“

Study results are expected next spring as part of a multi-year sustainability plan NYPA will use to outline its next steps on environmental, social, and governance matters. Discoveries could lead to alterations of NYPA’s planned design and operational standards and specifications required for its energy efficiency, solar, storage, and other operations.

As part of the project, CGEP will provide expertise on integrating global energy systems and climate models, scenario design for energy systems analysis, and offer input through the results review panel.