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Abstract

Cities and regions around the world are experiencing an increase in extreme weatherrelated disruptions as a result of climate change. These disruptions are testing the integrity of energy systems including electricity grids. An emerging concept to assess the vulnerability of systems to disruptions is the concept of resilience. Resilience is used to assess the entire cycle of a disruptive event or specific phases such as the before, during, and after the event. In this thesis, a set of criteria to assess the resilience of the electricity grid is defined. Then the electricity grid sectors of Harris County, Texas are assessed by applying the developed and operationalized resilience criteria. This is done to understand the current resilience conditions of electricity grid sectors. The criteria are applied for assessment purposes by using the MultiAttribute Value Theory (MAVT) method of MultiCriteria Decision Analysis (MCDA). The results of this method are displayed using a series of maps. Results from the electricity grid sectors’ assessment provide an understanding of the resilience of a city’s electricity grid sectors, highlighting which low scoring sectors need more attention. In turn, having an overview of the resilience of electricity grid sectors can be used to plan or improve infrastructure including the integration of local renewable energy generation.