Overview - IEC TR 63515:2025 - Conceptual framework of power system resilience
IEC TR 63515:2025 defines a conceptual framework to understand, evaluate and improve power system resilience. The technical report sets out a common vocabulary and structured approach covering definitions, driving factors, resilience models, evaluation metrics and methods, improvement strategies, and practical use cases. It is intended to guide development of resilient power systems and help implement targeted resilience improvements against extreme events and high-impact low-probability (HILP) incidents.
Key topics and technical scope
- Definition and interpretation of power system resilience, including how it differs from related concepts such as reliability, vulnerability, flexibility and security.
- Driving factors that affect resilience: diversified threats (high winds, extreme heat/cold, earthquakes, hydrological events, other natural hazards) and complex system characteristics (high renewables penetration, power-electronics, diverse load profiles, infrastructure interdependencies).
- Resilience models: short-term and long-term modeling approaches and the resilience function/curve concept.
- Features of resilient systems: preparation, resistance, adaptation, restoration, perception, coordination and learning.
- Evaluation metrics and guidelines:
- Quantitative metrics (performance curves, resilience triangle concepts, Monte Carlo‑based methods - example procedures are given in Annex A).
- Qualitative metrics and multi-criteria approaches (e.g., AHP examples).
- Evaluation criteria and recommended evaluation methods.
- Improvement strategies: preventive actions, sustained-operation measures, recovery plans, and long-term resilience strategies.
- Use cases illustrating applications (examples include responses to ice events, earthquakes, hurricanes and urban resilient grid projects).
Note: IEC TR 63515:2025 contains no normative references and is explicitly non-exhaustive - alternative scenarios, metrics and measures may be considered.
Practical applications - who should use it
This technical report is directly useful to:
- Transmission and distribution system planners and operators for resilience assessment and operational preparedness.
- Utility asset managers and reliability engineers designing mitigation and restoration strategies.
- Grid architects and engineers integrating high shares of renewable generation and power-electronics.
- Regulators and policymakers developing resilience requirements, performance indicators and emergency planning.
- Consultants and researchers performing resilience modeling, quantification and cost–benefit analysis for adaptation investments.
- City planners and infrastructure agencies embedding grid resilience within broader critical‑infrastructure programs.
Related resources
- IEC Electropedia and ISO Online Browsing Platform for terminology and related vocabulary.
- Obtain the full publication and the latest edition via the IEC Webstore for implementation details and annexed evaluation examples.
Using IEC TR 63515:2025 helps organizations build a consistent, practical foundation for measuring, improving and governing power system resilience against extreme events and evolving system complexity.