The UK Government's Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)  has published reports from seven national infrastructure organisations, including National Grid's UK gas and electricity transmission businesses, looking at how organisations with a critical role in running the UK's infrastructure are preparing for the threats and opportunities posed by climate change.

National Grid has been identified as taking appropriate planning and contingency into its short, medium and long term plans for challenges that climate change may bring to the gas and electricity networks

In summary, National Grid is at an advanced stage of its planning to deal with climate change risks.  Both the gas and electricity systems are resilient and are constantly evaluated and adapted to meet changing circumstances.  National Grid works closely with climate change scientists, weather analysts and other energy companies to understand and identify the risks so that we can be prepared to meet them.

Climate change adaptation report for National Grid Gas plc

Climate change adaptation report for National Grid Electricity Transmisison plc

The UK Climate Change Act 2008  introduced a new power for the Secretary of State to direct “reporting authorities” (companies with functions of a public nature such as water and energy utilities) to prepare reports on how they are assessing and acting on the risks and opportunities from a changing climate. In this first round of reporting (2009-11), 91 organisations ((reporting authorities) have been issued with Directions to report.