Mitigation Actions Title
Mapping of Flooding vulnerability data
Mitigation Actions Description
Evaluate latest flooding information available post-Sandy and utilize rain Intensity Duration Frequency (IDF) curves to potentially update infrastructure maps to more accurately define flood plains and areas vulnerable to flooding impacts
Description Problem
Sea Level Rise contunues to be a priority for Con Edison and our infrastructure and we continue to update our planning and design to capture the latest climate impacts. Climate projections indicate rainfall intensity may increase when it does rain. Limited stormwater drainage capacity can exacerbate these intense events.
Action Category
Prevention and Policy
Action Status
In-Progress
Action Status Date
2023-12-15T00:00:00.000
Hazards Addressed
Flooding
Other Funding Source
Authority Expense
Description Of Social Vulnerability Addressed
Due to the size of Con Edison’s networks (i.e., the interconnected areas that serve as a planning unit) and the population density in the City, almost half of Con Edison’s networks serve at least one DAC as defined by NYS DAC maps. This will be taken into account in the planning stage, as any potential risk mitigation measure applied to a network could benefit DACs. Con Edison recognizes that equity must play an important role in resilience planning efforts and has been deliberate about considering equity in the planning process. Disadvantaged communities (DACs) have fewer alternatives during energy system outages and will be more impacted by climate change. Because of this, it is critical to consider how DACs may be affected and what Con Edison can do to provide these populations with continued resilient and reliable service. - The Company has formed an Environmental Justice Working Group, and plans to release a finalized Environmental Justice Policy Statement in the upcoming weeks to apply an equity lens to resilience-driven investments.Con Edison has committed to two ways to report on investments in DACs to learn how they affect these communities. The first is to report the value (dollar amount) of strategic electric capital investments in DACs (and determining the baseline), through biennial retroactive reporting using the New York State DAC map. The second is to track the number of outages in DACs relative to non-DACs to understand the level of impact on these communities. These actions help to balance broader infrastructure needs with focused DAC resilience enhancements and to align with the New York State (NYS) Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. The Company also plans to work with external stakeholders to provide feedback in project site selection and prioritization for investments that specifically benefits DAC communities.
Description Of Critical Facility
Critical Facilities (as defined internally) include facilities important to our communities’ emergency response (e.g., hospitals, police, fire, EMS operations, etc.), facilities housing critical infrastructure (e.g., transportation facilities, water pollution control plants, etc.), facilities providing critical public services (e.g., prisons and correction facilities, shelters/care facilities, etc.), and residential facilities considered more vulnerable (e.g., developments with large elderly populations, nursing homes, high-rises, etc.).
Planning Regulation Capability
Con Edison created an internal climate change planning and design guideline to refine the tools, methods, and approaches of incorporating resilience and adaptation into the business. We developed a comprehensive long-term resilience plan roadmap that can be found here: https://www.coned.com/en/our-energy-future/our-energy-vision/storm-hardening-enhancement-plan
Web Link
https://www.ConEd.com/resilience
