With electricity becoming part and parcel of our lives, power outages are more devastating than ever. The unexpected loss of power has increased rapidly in recent years, and statistics show that companies are adjusting to handle these situations.
As a business person, you cannot always rely on the national grid for a steady power supply unless you are ready to incur losses or close your operations during blackouts. That is because power outages have become more common than ever due to various reasons. Let's explore the various causes of power outages and how you can prepare yourself for them.
The United States operates on an aging grid built in the mid-20th century. As per the US Energy Information Administration statistics, businesses and people experienced over 8 hours of power interruptions. The entire power grid needs a transformation to meet the modern-day power needs, something which cannot be achieved any time soon.
Highly-populated areas are prone to power outages because of the high demand for electricity, which overloads the national grid. Furthermore, more people run temperature regulation appliances, overloading the power grid during hot and cold seasons. You'll experience brownouts or blackouts as the available electricity cannot support the increased demand.
Major weather events are the primary reason for the frequent outages experienced in the US. Hurricanes, strong winds, and ice storms damage power lines and cause long-term power outages. Can you imagine a single ice storm left thousands of Oklahoma residents in the dark? With climate change mitigation proving difficult, you should expect more violent weather conditions.
With squirrels being intrigued by the humming of electrical units, they are responsible for around 20% of US power outages. Whether it is a short-circuit caused after they approach a transformer or their chewing on power cords, animals can cripple an entire power substation. Birds also tend to fly around power lines, causing power outages. Animals and birds cause damage that takes much longer to repair.
Even though utilities inform residents and businesses in advance of the interruptions, you cannot ignore the damage and inconveniences caused to businesses. What makes it worse is that these planned grid maintenance routines might take longer than expected.
Even though the utility companies try their best to restore power in the shortest time possible, it's not always the case. A power outage in the US might take several hours or even weeks before it's corrected. That is especially when the outage results from bad weather, which damages the power lines. Since this is the US's leading cause of power outages, you should expect extended periods of darkness. Power outages affect extensive regions, negatively impacting businesses, homes, and the economy in general.
Since the US power outage situation will only worsen in years to come, you must prepare yourself and your business. Even though there is little you can do to prevent power outages, you can effectively protect your business from its effects by installing a backup generator. Whether it is a new or used diesel generator, you can always be sure that your business will remain in operation even after regular blackouts.
The power outage problem in the US is not going away soon. That's why you should get a backup generator from a reputable power solution company, like Power System Services. This will ensure that you get a high-quality generator and assistance with maintenance, including tips on keeping the generator in good condition.
With Power System Services, whether it is a powerful storm or hurricane causing a power outage, your business can remain in operation. Contact us today to prepare your business for the projected increase in power outages.