Electricity Security Policy

Managing reliable and resilient power systems is an evolving challenge. Policies to improve energy efficiency and promote decarbonisation through end-user electrification and increased variable renewable generation result in a more dynamic regional and real-time operating environment. Greater volatility of supply and demand, combined with policy, regulatory and economic uncertainty, create a more complex infrastructure investment environment.

The IEA Secretariat has developed an integrated assessment framework to incorporate electricity security assessments into emergency response reviews, including the impact of climate resilience on electricity infrastructure and growing cybersecurity threats. The IEA has outlined three strategic areas to assess electricity security: generation adequacy, regional market integration and variable renewable generation. These strategic areas all affect electricity reliability, security and adequacy.

As the IEA expands its analysis on energy security beyond the oil industry, to include natural gas and electricity, an interconnected vision of all three energy sources has become more relevant to understanding a country’s preparedness to any energy security threats.