Power after the storm achieving grid resilience in a climate-changed world

In this report, the authors analyze a decade of power outage data from the central United States, drawing on outage records, media reporting, and peer-reviewed scientific literature. The analysis is structured around three core questions: which extreme weather events have been most consequential for power outages over the past ten years; what patterns can be identified from the impacts of the most severe outage events; and how the extreme weather hazards most closely linked to power disruptions in the region are expected to evolve under climate change.

To inform pathways toward a more equitable and climate-resilient electricity grid, the report situates these findings within the broader body of climate science on extreme weather and infrastructure vulnerability. By examining how different hazards intersect with existing grid weaknesses and social factors, the analysis highlights the implications of a changing climate for power reliability in one of the nation’s most exposed regions. The report’s findings point to several key insights, outlined below.