In a country like Italy, whose complex terrain — one of the most diverse in Europe — is geologically vulnerable by nature, ensuring the continuity and security of vital infrastructure requires much more than mere structural resistance. When it comes to seismic events, the ability to react, to adapt and to intervene rapidly — in a word, resilience — depends increasingly on the quality of knowledge and the speed of data.
There is a point where the field of seismological research and the management of the national electricity grid overlap: in transforming scientific data into an operational tool for real-time decision-making. From latest-generation monitoring technologies to Italy’s ambitious early-warning seismic project, right through to the pioneering prospect of transforming power lines and cables into a far-reaching network of sensors on land and at sea, the dialogue between science and the major infrastructure operators is blazing new trails for the country.
We discussed all this with Fabio Florindo, President of Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), to find out how cooperation between research and technological innovation is reshaping the strategic infrastructure security of the future.
From the evolution of real-time monitoring to early-warning systems and the use of fibre optics and submarine cables as widespread sensors: a conversation with Fabio Florindo, President of Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology.
When it comes to significant seismic events, timely information can make all the difference. What progress has been made in the INGV’s monitoring and communication systems in recent years, and how can these technologies support the security of the country’s strategic infrastructure in real time?
«In recent years, we have seen developments in our ability to observe the Earth in real time. The INGV’s National Seismic Network is now one of the country’s most important scientific infrastructures. It enables us to quickly pinpoint an earthquake, assess its characteristics and make this information available to the Civil Protection Department, institutions and strategic infrastructure operators.
But these days, speed alone is no longer enough. The real added value lies in transforming the data into information useful for decision-making. For those who manage a complex system such as the electricity grid, quickly knowing where the most intense vibrations have occurred means being able to plan targeted checks straight away, reducing response times and increasing security.
We are also working on a very ambitious project: the renewal of the National Seismic Network and the development of an Italian early-warning seismic system in collaboration with the National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics, the University of California, Berkeley, and other scientific partners. It is important to make it clear that this is not about predicting earthquakes — something that science is currently unable to do — but about taking advantage of the speed at which information can travel to gain just a few seconds before the most destructive waves arrive. To people, this may not seem like much; but to an automated infrastructure, it can make a significant difference.
I believe this to be the future: harnessing scientific research more and more in service of the country, transforming knowledge into a practical tool to increase the security and resilience of our infrastructure».
Looking at the national electricity grid through the eyes of a geophysicist, which “signals” from the land should be monitored most closely? And what sort of dialogue might develop between scientific research and grid operators such as Terna?
«Geophysics teaches us something very important: it is not enough to know where an earthquake may occur; we also need to understand how the terrain will respond.
Two locations may be the same distance from the epicentre, yet experience very different effects due to the nature of the terrain, the presence of faults, the topography or other geological factors. This is why it is important to look at the terrain as a whole: seismic activity, ground deformation, slope stability, liquefaction and, in volcanic areas, the signs that precede changes in volcano activity.
For an operator like Terna, this information can be a valuable tool, not only in emergency management but for planning and maintaining the grid too.
I am convinced that collaboration between research organisations and major infrastructure operators will be a strategic issue over the coming years. Everyone brings different expertise to the table: research generates knowledge, while operators understand the functioning and operational requirements of their networks. When these skills work together, the result is a more secure and more efficient system».
Could the integration of sensors directly into grid infrastructure transform kilometres of power lines — including those laid underwater — into a sort of far-reaching “nervous system” for monitoring natural phenomena?
«I think it’s one of the most interesting possibilities we face today.
Large-scale infrastructure criss-crosses the landscape; increasingly, it can also serve as an observation tool. I am thinking, for example, of fibre optics used as widespread sensors, or of future submarine cables fitted with measurement systems. Technologies of this kind can help to monitor earthquakes, seabed deformation and, potentially, even tsunamis.
Of course, they will not replace the INGV’s dedicated scientific networks. Rather, they will complement them, for an even more comprehensive monitoring of the territory.
This is a concrete example of how research and innovation can generate mutual benefits: infrastructure designed to transmit energy can simultaneously act as a valuable source of scientific data. It is a vision that I find very inspiring, and which I believe will increasingly shape the infrastructure of the future».
There is often talk in public discourse of the “resistance” of infrastructure, but the concept of “resilience” introduces a more dynamic element. From a seismological point of view, what characteristics enable an electricity grid to not only withstand an earthquake, but to respond and recover quickly?
«Resilience is a word we use a lot, but it has a very specific meaning.
A resilient grid is not simply a grid designed not to fail: it is a grid capable of adapting, of minimising the impact of an event and of being restored to operation quickly.
Well-designed infrastructure is certainly required to achieve this, but so too are knowledge of the territory, continuous monitoring, maintenance, grid redundancy and operational procedures established in advance, before an emergency strikes.
From the INGV’s point of view, every earthquake also represents a learning opportunity. By analysing how the terrain and the infrastructure responded to the event, we can improve our models, refine our hazard scenarios and provide increasingly effective tools to those responsible for designing and managing strategic networks.
Ultimately, resilience is not built solely with concrete and steel: it is also built with knowledge. And this is precisely what research can contribute: helping the country to gain a better understanding of its own territory, making it more secure and better prepared to face future challenges».