[06/24] SAT-Guard research was presented at EGU 2026, introducing a new framework for understanding how multiple natural hazards affect energy systems and trigger cascading disruptions.
Research from Durham University's Institute of Hazard, Risk and Resilience (IHRR) was presented at the European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly 2026 in Vienna, Austria—one of the world's largest conferences in the geosciences.
As part of the SAT-Guard project, Dr Tagele M. Aschale presented the research paper "Multi-Hazard Impacts and Cascading Risks in Energy Systems", co-authored with Professor Bruce D. Malamud and Professor Daniel N. Donoghue. (Geography)
Energy systems are increasingly exposed to natural hazards that are becoming more frequent, intense, and interconnected under climate change. While previous studies have typically focused on individual hazards or single energy infrastructure components, this research takes a broader systems perspective by examining how multiple hazards interact with different parts of the energy system and can trigger cascading failures.
The study developed a comprehensive hazard–energy interrelationship matrix that evaluates 390 potential interactions between 30 types of natural hazards and 13 energy system components, including electricity generation, transmission, distribution, storage, and energy demand. The analysis was supported by a systematic review of 219 published sources.
The results demonstrate that hazards rarely act in isolation. Many hazards can both directly damage energy infrastructure and increase the probability of failures elsewhere in the system, creating cascading impacts across interconnected energy networks. The findings show that transmission lines, substations, wind power systems, solar power systems, and hydropower facilities are among the most exposed components to multi-hazard impacts.
A key outcome of the research is the development of an open-access hazard–energy interrelationship database and decision-support framework that can help researchers, policymakers, utility operators, and disaster risk practitioners better understand vulnerabilities and strengthen energy system resilience.
The presentation generated valuable discussions with researchers and practitioners working on disaster risk reduction, climate adaptation, critical infrastructure resilience, and multi-hazard assessment. The work contributes to the broader objectives of the SAT-Guard project (led by Professor Hongjian Sun, Engineering Department, Durham University) by advancing knowledge on how interconnected hazards affect critical energy systems and by supporting more integrated approaches to risk management and resilience planning.
The research was conducted through the Institute of Hazard, Risk and Resilience (IHRR), Durham University, and funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) through the SAT-Guard project.
EGU Citation:Aschale, T.M., Malamud, B.D. and Donoghue, D.N. (2026). Multi-Hazard Impacts and Cascading Risks in Energy Systems. EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria. https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-12258
Photo caption: Dr Tagele M. Aschale presenting findings from the SAT-Guard project on multi-hazard impacts and cascading risks in energy systems at the EGU General Assembly 2026 in Vienna, Austria.
Photo credit: Professor Bruce D. Malamud, Durham University.
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