Climate Science in Action: Building a More Resilient Grid for the Future

New analysis details how SCE is preparing for more extreme weather while keeping electricity reliable and affordable for customers.

Today at Climate Week NYC, Edison International released Adapting Today: Energizing a More Resilient Tomorrow, an overview of climate-related threats facing the energy grid and the actions and collaborations needed to prepare for them. The paper details how Southern California Edison is leveraging advanced climate data to uncover vulnerabilities and guide efforts to strengthen infrastructure, meet increased energy demand and support a reliable, affordable electric system.

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The report highlights findings from SCE’s 2026 Climate Adaptation Vulnerability Assessment, or CAVA, which examines where changing climate conditions, including extreme heat, flooding, sea level rise and wildfire-conducive weather, may affect the electric system. Using high-resolution simulations and hazard-specific models, the assessment provides localized insights to inform infrastructure planning and adaptation efforts.

“Building on 140 years of service, SCE is using the latest science and data to better understand how evolving conditions will affect the electric system customers depend on,” said Pedro J. Pizarro, president and CEO of Edison International, SCE’s parent company. “These insights help us make informed decisions today about how we plan and build a safer, affordable and resilient grid for the decades ahead.”

From Climate Insight to Action

The CAVA shows how improved science can turn broad climate projections into practical, asset-level insights that support planning and investment decisions. For example:

• An increase in global warming from 1.5 to 2 degrees Celsius significantly changes the potential impacts the electric system may face. For example, the number of underground electrical duct bank sites prioritized for heat increased from three to 22 for circuits that already have high loading today. SCE plans to install temperature monitors on underground circuits to better understand the compounding effects of heat and load to inform future design standards.
• That same increase in warming also expands potential flood impacts to pad-mount and underground equipment, increasing the number of pad-mount transformers at risk from more than 9,800 to more than 12,000.

These and other findings help SCE identify where climate-related threats may warrant closer attention as infrastructure is designed, replaced and upgraded. By incorporating climate considerations earlier in the planning process and working with communities to understand local climate concerns, assess preparedness and align infrastructure plans with community needs, SCE is better positioned to make informed investment decisions and reduce the need for costly retrofits or premature equipment replacement.

Resilience Extends Beyond the Grid

Reliable electric infrastructure is one part of building resilient communities. California’s roads, water systems, emergency services, businesses and homes face many of the same climate hazards. Adapting Today calls for a whole-of-economy approach, urging state agencies, local governments, researchers, businesses, community organizations and utilities to work together today to prepare for increasing extreme weather conditions.

Adapting Today identifies several opportunities for coordinated action across California:

• Continue investing in publicly available climate science, research and innovative tools that translate regional projections into practical planning information.
• Incorporate forward-looking climate information into state and local infrastructure design, building standards, land-use decisions and permitting.
• Expand long-term funding and financing options for resilience projects.

Community perspectives are essential to understanding local vulnerabilities and shaping practical solutions. SCE worked with the Climate Resilience Leadership Group, a network of community leaders serving climate-vulnerable populations, to better understand local climate concerns and preparedness for climate-related power disruptions.

See the launch video and read Adapting Today: Energizing a More Resilient Tomorrow to learn more about SCE’s climate adaptation work.

About Edison International

Edison International (NYSE: EIX) is one of the nation’s largest electric utility holding companies, focused on providing clean, reliable energy and energy services. Headquartered in Rosemead, California, Edison International is the parent company of Southern California Edison, a utility delivering electricity to 15 million people across Southern, Central and Coastal California.

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