Increases in extreme weather conditions have been burdensome for utility companies. The New York Times reported, "Utility companies [have]’ increasing vulnerability to extreme weather events that are becoming more common and more intense under climate change."
The Ford School's Catie Hausman told the Times, “There are a lot of different signs of climate-related weather risks to infrastructure.” Those risks include hurricanes and flooding, wildfires, heat waves and increased tornado risks or cold snaps in regions less used to them.
"Figuring out how to harden the grid and expand the country’s transmission network could lower costs to consumers, bring more renewables online and reduce power outages," she said.
Additionally, discussing the possibilities for turning to AI as part of the solution, Hausman noted, "Whether AI is giving us something new or a black box of mush is going to depend on the company and the tools they’re using."
