Electric power grids face increasing vulnerability to extreme weather events, which disrupt power supply, jeopardize personal safety, and impact national security. To address this, we propose enhancing resilience in aging and stressed power distribution systems, particularly those serving underserved communities. Recent advancements, such as integrating distributed energy resources (DER) and distribution automation, offer opportunities for system resilience.

This panel will discuss industry-academic partnerships focused on improving grid resilience for underserved communities affected by high-speed wind hazards. The panel will quantify community resilience, explore metrics-driven distribution planning, and discuss operational strategies. The approach includes automated restoration using solar and storage technology, risk-centric infrastructure planning, and a scalable layered architecture to be deployed in a low-income area of Rockford, Illinois.