Across the U.S., climate-driven temperature shifts are reshaping the risk landscape. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data shows a clear warming trend across all seasons. Winters are warming faster than summers, altering freeze cycles, snowpack, and water availability.  

On the opposite end, extreme summer heat events are becoming more frequent and intense, increasing health risks and placing additional strain on electrical infrastructure. Since the mid-1960s, heat waves have become more common, while cold waves have declined since the early 1900s, creating a wider, more volatile temperature range for utilities to manage.  

The grid was never designed for this level of thermal whiplash, especially given today’s aging infrastructure, and the consequences are already visible. In 2025, Nebraska experienced a 104-degree temperature swing in just six days, placing significant stress on materials and increasing the risk of cascading failures across interconnected systems. Events like this, along with others across the United States, highlight the growing impact of extreme weather on the power grid: 

• The Pacific Northwest Heat Dome (2021) pushed the region to its limits. Portland temperatures exceeded 115°F, melting power cables and forcing the suspension of streetcar service. Thousands of customers lost power as equipment overheated, demonstrating how difficult it can be to restore power during prolonged extreme heat.  
• The Smokehouse Creek Fire (2024) burned more than a million acres and cut power to thousands through both preemptive shutoffs and direct grid damage. Investigations indicated that electrical infrastructure may have contributed to ignition, underscoring how grid-related issues can disrupt power generation and trigger cascading failures across the system. Wildfire seasons are intensifying, and the grid now plays a dual role, both vulnerable to wildfires and, in some cases, a contributing factor. 
• Winter Storm Uri (2021) showed what can happen when the grid isn’t prepared for conditions outside historical norms. At its peak, 4.5 million homes and businesses were without power, some for up to 120 hours, and at least 246 deaths were linked to the storm. The grid failed due to frozen equipment, fuel supply disruptions, and inadequate weatherization, vulnerabilities that the new NERC standards aim to address.  

Utilities must act now to strengthen grid resilience and maintain reliable service in increasingly volatile conditions. GFT outlines key steps utilities can take today to improve resilience against extreme weather.

Developed in response to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Order 896, TPL-008-1 requires utilities to: 

• Perform extreme-temperature assessments of both heat and cold impacts on the bulk power system.  
• Build benchmark scenarios using credible meteorological projections or historical events.  
• Conduct steady-state and transient stability analyses under extreme conditions.  
• Develop corrective action plans when systems fail to meet performance criteria.

More frequent outages, whether caused by heat, cold, or wildfire mitigation, disproportionately affect vulnerable communities: 

• Rural areas with limited backup infrastructure.  
• Low-income or medically dependent households. 
• Regions unaccustomed to extreme heat, as seen in the Pacific Northwest.  

Outdated alert systems and delayed communication make these challenges worse. Utilities must modernize both supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) alerts and public-facing notifications to keep communities informed and safe.

Standards like TPL-008-1 and EOP-012-2 mark important progress, but real resilience requires expertise, planning, and action. 

GFT helps utilities, generator owners, and communities build a grid that’s prepared, not reactive. We offer: 

• Climate & Extreme Weather Modeling – We provide downscaled climate projections, heat index modeling, freeze curves, and wildfire-weather correlations aligned with TPL-008-1 planning. 
• Compliance Support (TPL-008-1 & EOP-012-2) – We support the full lifecycle, from benchmark development to documentation audits and corrective action planning. 
• Preventive Maintenance Strategy – We identify assets most vulnerable to heat, cold, and wildfire before failures occur. 
• Wildfire Mitigation & Operational Support – We deliver vegetation analysis, fire weather modeling, and operational risk strategies. 
• SCADA & Public Alert Modernization – We help modernize systems so operators and communities receive timely, actionable information. 
• Community Resilience Partnerships – We collaborate across the private sector and public agencies to strengthen local and regional resilience. 

Contact our Security & Safety team for more resilience strategies that integrate advanced weather intelligence.