Summer power outages in the United States can occur due to various reasons, including severe weather events, equipment failure, power grid overload, or human error. The frequency and scale of power outages can vary significantly from year to year, season to season, or your geography. The Summer months in particular bring with them a series of weather-related factors that may affect the national power grid outages more than other seasons, including:
- Thunderstorms
- Hurricanes
- Heatwaves
- Lightning strikes
- Strong winds
- Heavy rainfall
Since 2020, national grid power outages have been on the rise. The year marked a historic spike, as increases in non-weather related and weather-related power outages made for historic power outage numbers. This trend was consistent throughout the year, reflecting that turbulent weather conditions in both the winter and summer contributed to power outages. The frequency and duration of these outages only increased in ’22 & ’23 as powerful storms caused unprecedented damage to infrastructure.
Historically, widespread outages have been affiliated with winter storms, yet summer power outages are just as common. Preparing for power outages in the summer and ensuring that you are staying up-to-date with the power outage prediction for 2023 is critical to protect your business or home.
Does your state have an elivated risk of power outages?
States such as Florida, Texas, and California have encountered significant power outages due to weather-related events, system failures, or high demand periods. However, there is a trend of increased power outages across the country. Monitoring your local power outage predictions is important in keeping the proper power outage supplies on hand.
Below are several examples of state predictions for power outage trends:
California – Golden State Energy Incites
Florida – Sunshine State Energy Incites
Texas – Lonestar State Energy Incites
New York – Empire State Energy Incites
Michigan – Great Lake State Energy Incites
New Hampshire – Granite State Energy Incites
Massachusetts – Bay State Energy Incites
North Carolina – Tarheel Energy Incites
Don’t see your state listed here? Learn more about your area, or anywhere in the country via https://poweroutage.us/, an organization dedicated to tracking, recording, & aggregating power outages across the country.
Power outage prediction for Summer 2023
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), reports that there were approximately 3,526 power outage events by electric utilities in the United States in 2021, even more in 2022. These outages in 2021 affected around 40 million customers. With an increase in outages having taken place in 2022, there could be MORE than a 1/3 or 33% chance that power outages affect you in 2023, if trends stay consistent.
Grid Power Could Be Down for Longer than Ever Before in ’23
The EIA also reported that the duration of power outages in the United States varies widely. In 2021, the median duration of an outage was 120 minutes, while the average duration was approximately 7 hours. So, if we combined all of the average durations of all power outages in 2021, we would see 7 hours, yet power outages of roughly two hours were most frequent. This demonstrates how widely power outage events, and the lasting impact can vary. Some extreme cases, like 2023’s Hurricane Ian, left some east coast homes and businesses without grid power for over 2 weeks.
The Impact Tomorrow’s Power Outage Could Have on You.
When you consider the possible situations a power outage could bring this summer, they all sound rather inconvenient. Imagine; are the kids at home during the summer or are friends & family coming to town? Do you have a vacation home or business that needs to operate whether main grid power is available or not? There are several things to consider when reviewing backup sources of power for your home or business. Figuring out how to prepare for power outages and equipping your home or business with the right tools can prevent you from experiencing any of the challenges caused by zero power.
Daily Disruptions Caused by Power Outages
- HOME – cooking, heating, cooling, lighting
- COMMUNICATION – landline phones, mobile devices, mobile networks, and internet services
- SAFETY/SECURITY – security systems, alarm systems, streetlights
- HEALTH: medical equipment – extended outages could even be life threatening
If you already planned your summer vacation and don’t think that an emergency back-up power system fits in your budget, don’t worry. You haven’t heard about how we can save you thousands all while offering you more convenience in your electrical panel than ever before. This summer save an additional 15% when you bundle an Interlock Kit, power cord & receptacle!
