Atmospheric icing is a major concern for infrastructure systems, particularly in cold and high-latitude regions. Ice buildup on lines, towers, and other components leads to mechanical failures, long power interruptions, and serious safety hazards. These effects reduce network reliability, threaten public safety, and create significant economic losses. Although many anti-icing and deicing methods have been developed, choosing the most effective option remains difficult. Performance varies greatly across terrain, climate, and operational settings, and methods that succeed in one environment may underperform in another. To address this gap, the paper focuses on selected parts of a broader decision-making framework for atmospheric anti-icing and deicing techniques (starting with problem formulation and ending with review of outcomes). In particular, attention is given to Step 2, gathering information, and Step 3, identifying alternatives. For information, challenges facing power infrastructure and the main internal and external factors influencing performance were reviewed. For alternatives, techniques were categorized into four groups: active anti-icing, passive anti-icing, active deicing, and passive deicing. The results go beyond a traditional review by linking technical and management perspectives. Practical guidance is provided to support the comparison of different methods, clarify their limitations, and promote the use of hybrid solutions that combine passive and active strategies. This work provides engineers, operators, and policymakers with a clear reference for adaptive and site-specific planning. The approach can also be extended to wind energy, transport, and other sectors, strengthening resilience and sustainability under evolving climate risks.
Qarahasanlou et al. (2026) studied this question.