April 13, 2022

Las Vegas: What Do Businesses There Do When the Power Goes Out?

las-vegas-sign-and-blurred-cityscape

Las Vegas is known for many things, but one of its most iconic hallmarks is the streets lit by neon lights. All these lights take a lot of power, and with the ever-growing power demands and severe weather, there is always something threatening to overload or interrupt the power grid. So, how does a city famous for its lights prepare for a power outage? The first thing they do is identify potential reasons for a power outage, so they know when they are coming, then they need to have a backup plan when an unfortunate outage occurs. Las Vegas and other similar cities can only do so much to protect and prevent interruption in electricity, so it will ultimately be up to you to ensure your business gets consistent power no matter the situation. 

What Causes Power Outages in Las Vegas and How Common are They?

Some people may not see a need for backup power in Las Vegas because they don't get the weather typically associated with power loss like tornadoes and hurricanes. But unfortunately, Vegas is not immune to power outages, and they happen just as often as they do in other parts of the United States, although perhaps not as widespread.

Just because it doesn't rain that much in Nevada doesn't mean they don't get storms. Powerful winds can whip up dust and create dangerous conditions that knock over power lines and mess with electrical infrastructure. Las Vegas has a relatively new power grid that uses more alternative energy sources, but that doesn't mean that it is immune from global warming or the pitfalls of early adoption of alternative energy. Even in a world without severe weather, there would still be unforeseen circumstances like one Vegas casino experienced when rodents were blamed for a total power failure. 

How Cities Like Las Vegas Withstand Power Outages

Las Vegas has done a fantastic job at upgrading its infrastructure with alternative energy sources and building it to withstand the extreme weather conditions brought on by global warming, but there is only so much a city can do. While the city mostly gets its power from the greater Nevada power grid, Las Vegas also has some off-grid power facilities that supply power specifically to Las Vegas. This is great for backup power, but it also helps to alleviate the high demand from the grid that can overload transformers. So, what happens when a city can't prevent a power outage?

What Businesses Can Do?

No matter the size of a business in Las Vegas, a power outage can lead to a significant loss of revenue and increase liability. Las Vegas is sunny 340 days a year, so having solar panels and a backup battery will work for some smaller businesses, but on-site solar panels aren't going to power one of the bigger casinos. The safest and most reliable way to withstand a power outage in Las Vegas is with a backup generator. Backup generators come in all shapes and sizes and can be powerful enough to power large buildings until the grid can come back online. 

Be Prepared

As a city full of lights, Las Vegas has done a fantastic job trying to keep up with a changing world, but they can't protect you from every power outage. Vegas is also only one city; there are many more like it across the United States which have not done as much to update and protect their infrastructure. The best thing any business can do to protect themselves from loss and liability from a power outage is to get a backup generator capable of powering at least the essential functions of their building until the power comes back.