Defining Resilience — Why It Matters for Utilities Now
By Russ Henderson, Director of Research
Resilience has become one of the most important — and most talked about — priorities in the North American utility industry. Once synonymous with reliability, the term now covers a broader, more urgent mandate: anticipating, withstanding, and recovering from high-impact, low-frequency events that can threaten grid stability, customer safety, and community well-being. From extreme weather and wildfires to cyber threats and supply chain disruptions, the challenges utilities face are bigger, faster, and less predictable than ever before.
The Organizational Resilience Executive Council (OREC) took up this topic during its inaugural August call, bringing together leaders from across the U.S. and Canada to share how they define resilience — and how those definitions are shaping investments, operations, and customer engagement. What emerged was a picture of an industry moving beyond a reactive mindset to one that integrates resilience into every part of the business.
Some utilities frame resilience through the lens of hardening infrastructure — undergrounding lines, reinforcing poles, and expanding vegetation management to prepare for storms and wildfires. Others are investing in advanced grid technologies, from self-healing systems to predictive analytics, to shorten outage durations and reduce restoration costs. Many are tying resilience directly to climate adaptation plans, using future climate projections to guide long-term asset design. And increasingly, utilities are recognizing the social dimension, building community resilience hubs, prioritizing support for vulnerable populations, and partnering with local agencies to improve preparedness at the neighborhood level.
While each utility has its own risk profile and operating environment, several themes emerged:
- Resilience is multi-dimensional. It’s not just about grid strength — it includes operational agility, workforce readiness, and the ability to coordinate across departments and with external partners.
- Planning and execution are inseparable. Strong resilience strategies are embedded in daily processes, not left on the shelf for “black sky” events.
- Technology and data matter. From advanced grid controls to predictive analytics, the right tools improve situational awareness and speed recovery.
- Resilience has a community face. The ability to safeguard vulnerable populations, communicate clearly, and maintain public trust is as critical as physical infrastructure.
Council members also stressed that resilience should be treated as a living capability, refined continuously through exercises, real-world lessons, and cross-functional collaboration. For some, that means linking resilience objectives directly to long-term capital planning. For others, it’s ensuring operational playbooks are adaptable to a wider range of threats, from extreme weather to supply chain disruptions.
As OREC moves forward, the Council will continue to share peer experiences, identify emerging best practices, and help members align their resilience strategies with evolving risks and expectations. The August conversation was a strong starting point and a reminder that in today’s environment, resilience is not optional. It’s the foundation for delivering safe, reliable, and trusted service, no matter what the future holds.
Learn more about OREC by contacting Tim Herrick.
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