Resiliency
Improve resiliency through committed partnerships , intentional system operations , and diversification .
Resiliency in the Context of Sustainability
In today ’ s world where weather-related events can wreak havoc on airline schedules , cybercrimes can shut down networks , and electricity outages can paralyze airports , we are constantly investing in our infrastructure , operations , and people to make our facilities more resilient . Throughout this report , a base assumption is an electrified future , from our bus fleet to our ground service equipment , and even planes in the longer-term . Our operations are shifting as technologies mature and the costs associated with alternative energy sources continue to decline . Additionally , on the customer side , we will see continued growth in electronic and electric vehicles usage . These technologies require additional electrical infrastructure at our facilities to deliver energy from a wire rather than a pipeline . As industry trends towards electrification , this shift supports our air quality , GHG emissions , and life cycle cost goals , but also creates a potential vulnerability related to disruptions in our electricity supply , particularly as our energy sources become less redundant .
As we evaluate the options to electrify our operations , we will do so responsibly , planning for the lowprobability , high-risk potential of a commercial power outage . What this means is that while we may migrate to an electric bus fleet , for example , we may continue to operate a certain number of diesel buses as back-ups . We will also remain vigilant about maintaining our back-up diesel generators should they be called on to support our critical operations during a power outage . It also means that as we evaluate the installation of a 100-MW solar farm at Dulles International during the next three years ; working with our partners on that project to determine the feasibility of adding battery energy storage for resilience purposes to compliment the project ’ s primary goal of renewable energy generation while dedicating necessary energy delivery to our facilities in the event of a grid outage .
One of the exciting things we are doing in this area is conducting resilience assessments at our facilities with our partner , NREL . This project was initiated in 2020 and an outline of the activities is as follows :
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Using the NREL resilience assessment methodology , we will work together to score threats and vulnerabilities , along with impacts and likelihoods of occurrence . Threat identification can include natural , human , and technological threats and hazards , and areas of impact will be determined by the assessment teams based on areas of control or collaboration . This assessment will also take into consideration the activities we are incorporating throughout the rest of this Sustainability Plan and the growing reliance on electricity usage
� After the risk assessment has been conducted and a ranking of these risks has been established , NREL will provide a list of potential mitigation measures for consideration
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The Authority will thoughtfully review the list of potential mitigation measures and select those which most improve our resilience while supporting other goals such as sustainability and economic responsibility
We will then develop an action plan for implementation to mitigate risks . Mitigation measures could be operational in nature ( such as O & M improvements , or procedures , practices , and trainings that will enhance resilience ), institutional ( such as improving access to real-time data for improved system management , enhancing operational intelligence , or engaging stakeholders through planning processes to solicit ideas and gain buy-in on new processes to develop a culture of resilience ), and technological ( such as microgrids , diesel generators , onsite renewable
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