Establishing Modern Grid Resilience in the Southeast United States

Abstract

The electric grid plays a crucial role in the functioning of American households, schools, businesses, and health facilities, as well as national security. Action is needed to address the vulnerability of the grid to natural disasters, which are increasing in frequency and intensity due to climate change. States that are particularly under threat include those in the Southeast, such as Louisiana, Mississippi, and Florida, where hurricanes and severe storms can be especially destructive. States in this region also typically rely on natural gas as a primary source of energy, which upholds a centralized grid structure that is more susceptible to widespread power outages than a distributed structure. Power outages, which disproportionately impact low-income communities, can be detrimental to health and safety during a natural disaster by severing access to communication and necessary medical equipment. Using Louisiana as a case study, we recommend one policy through which the state can transition to a more distributed structure; the Louisiana Public Service Commission should revise the 2019 legislation that financially disincentivizes customers to install solar panels, and instead expand the benefits for these customers. This change will increase the proliferation of solar energy, which can serve as power sources in a distributed grid. Solar panels, coupled with battery storage, can reduce the likelihood of power outages during extreme weather events. Expanding the use of renewable energy in Louisiana could encourage other states in the region to also make this shift, serving as a model for stronger climate adaptation across the country.