How to prepare for power outages

abandoned power plant

As seasons change and years pass, our expectations for what is coming change. In first-world countries, the grid has evolved into a mesh of networks working in harmony with dozens of other systems. We flip a switch and a grid operator has already determined the precise amount of power needed. Why do we still suffer from power outages? More importantly, how do we to prepare for a power outage?

Our methods of production have changed over the years. Many sites are transitioning away from coal but still rely on it while innovation marches forward. Newer and more efficient solar options are changing the landscape. Renewables are working tirelessly to overcome their shortcomings and attempting to surpass the sheer volume of power production provided by fossil fuels. 

Economics and logistics have the old and new systems locked into a battle for now. 

Most of us will remain tied to the grid until we can place a solar panel or two on our roof for a reasonable price.   

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What Is the Electrical Grid?

Let’s scale down the electrical grid. Imagine a small home with a generator and one lightbulb. The generator works well for this and easily handles one individual light bulb. Now add four houses with ten floodlights. Suddenly, your small generator is overloaded. To help, you add another generator. The additional generator has to sync up perfectly with the first one. Once both are running at the same frequency, there’s more power for the houses. 

A generator’s electrical output has to adjust when the houses turn on and off their lights. Balancing just a lightbulb or two isn’t that difficult. When everyone wakes up at 6 AM, or the temperature hits 100 degrees and everyone has their air conditioner on, this can become a massive problem.    

How Can the Electrical Grid Fail?

Natural Disasters

Natural disasters (including anything from a fallen tree on a line, ice storms, and hurricanes) are common causes of outages. Though, as we’ve seen, it’s not just common natural disasters that cause power outages. Extreme heat can force grid operators to limit the amount of transmission on the line. Extreme cold can increase consumption to the point that power plants can’t produce enough energy to fulfill demand. This can force grid operators to utilize rolling blackouts to divide up the power supply they have among customers.

Cyber Attacks

Among the less expected, but more nefarious outages, we have cyber-attacks and EMPs.

Cyber-attacks can cause widespread failure, especially in public utilities. Thankfully, the number of successful attacks has been low, but they do happen. Just recently, hackers attempted to poison drinking water through a cybersecurity attack on a water plant. 

EMP

EMP stands for electromagnetic pulse. The largest EMP is produced by detonating an atomic weapon high in the atmosphere. A detonation of this magnitude would create havoc on a large area and knock the area beneath the destination out of service. The EMP may also take down the rest of the grid as other power plants attempt to handle the added stress and change from the event. 

What Should You Do When the Power Goes Out? 

Save the Ice Cream/Food

Start eating that ice cream! Alternatively, depending on the season, freeze some water to bring inside for your fridge and freezer. Keep the doors closed as much as possible.

According to the CDC, if you keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed, your refrigerated foods will be okay for 4 hours. Your frozen foods last even longer. If your freezer is half full, it will stay safe for 24 hours. If it is full, it will stay good for 48 hours! Maybe we should leave the ice cream alone for now…

Check out more CDC guidelines here on food safety after a power outage or natural disaster.

Prepare Your Meals

Meal preparation during a power outage can be much more complicated than usual. You’ll need food that’s ready to eat or a way to cook it. Using a camping stove or a grill outside can add to your cooking options. 

It’s good to have some ready-to-consume food on hand. Things like canned meat, nuts, and peanut butter are nutritious sources of protein that are shelf-stable and ready to eat. 

Check Your Electrical Devices 

You’ll want to do a quick check of your house. It’s best to unplug as many devices as you can. We’ll cover this a little further on in the article. 

Pay careful attention to electrical risks! Turn the stove off and unplug the small electric heater. You don’t want to start a fire when the power returns. 

Do You Have the Supplies You Need?

You should have these items on hand regardless of the cause of the power outage.

Water

Water is usually more reliable than electricity. That doesn’t mean it’s a guarantee, though. Widespread outages, frozen pipes, or large disaster events can leave your pipes empty. Remember, if you have an electric well, you won’t be able to draw up water without a backup mechanical or electric option.  

The CDC recommends keeping 1 gallon of water per person, per day, and storing at least a three-day supply.

Candles

The invention of LEDs has revolutionized lighting, especially during power outages. A candle is still a nice backup. Nothing quite beats the nice warm glow of one. Just be sure you practice good fire safety.

Flashlights

Ah well, there’s a reason candles aren’t on the FEMA or ready.gov power outage prep list anymore. LED flashlights can provide all your illumination needs without the fire hazard. Make sure you have spare batteries!

Weather Radio

It’s good to have a weather radio for an information source. Our cellphone networks have become more reliable but still fail. An extra backup information source is always good!

Matches or a Lighter

While rubbing some sticks together might work eventually, it’s a good idea to keep an ignition source handy.

Propane Heater

They have designed some propane heaters to run safely inside under certain conditions. Most propane heaters and stoves are not safe to use indoors, though. A carbon monoxide detector is a must if you choose to run a propane heater, even if it says it’s safe for indoor use.  

Carbon Monoxide Detector (with battery backup)

Ah well, what do you know! It’s on the list of things to have already!

Carbon monoxide kills! Heating your home with alternative heat sources can be extremely dangerous. Do not run your car inside your garage; do not use a grill or camp stove inside. 

Feeling unusually groggy or sleepy can be a sign of carbon monoxide poisoning. Get to fresh air immediately and call 911! The fire department can check carbon monoxide levels and make sure you don’t need additional treatment. 

Generator & Battery Back-Up

What’s the next best thing for when the grid goes down? Having your own grid! Generators are beyond the scope of this article, but could be a useful addition to your disaster preparation supplies. Make sure you have oil and fuel to use with it! 

Having a battery backup is pretty easy anymore. Charge up a few power banks and your phone will remain operational for several days. 

What Happens When the Power Returns?

Unfortunately, turning the power back on often isn’t as easy as restoring a system back to its normal running load. Many electrical devices draw more electrical energy when they turn on. This additional draw is called a startup or surge current.

You can help lower the effects of the surge by unplugging electrical devices and turning off light switches. This will help decrease the spike seen as they restore the power. It will increase the chances of your power staying on too.

The compressors in your refrigerator or air conditioner use much more power when they start than during their regular run cycle. Many homes and businesses instantly start using their peak consumption when electricity returns to large parts of the grid at once. This can also cause circuits to trip. 

Watts to Come Next? (sorry, that’s the only one I promise)

Battery technology is improving and companies are scaling up battery cell production rapidly. Tesla has a power bank that can power your entire house. They are working on even larger scale projects to help balance power loads for entire cities.

A typical AAA or lithium-ion battery isn’t the only way to store electricity. Some countries pump water from large pools up a hill when energy demands are low and then run it back through turbines when demand is high. It’s like a dam, but they can pump water uphill to refill the reserve, then use it over and over.  

These emerging technologies will help with energy resilience and peak loads. They react faster to changes in grid conditions and will hopefully increase reliability.

As innovations march on, vulnerabilities will always remain. Are you ready? 

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