How Reliable is Our Power Grid?
Many of us may not remember the 1965 Northeast Blackout that disrupted power for 30 million people on November 9, 1965, but we can all remember a time we lost power. Power outages can cause a major inconvenience and sometimes happen no apparent reason. When we lose power on a bright sunny day we start to question just how reliable is our power. To answer this question, we must take a look at our power grid, its history, and how the grid works.
The United States power grid is a network of lines and transformers that moves and converts energy from power plants to the usable energy you receive in your home. The video below from the YouTube channel “Burn: An Energy Project” breaks down how energy gets to your home.
The power grid as we know it today began in the late 1800’s and rapidly expanded in the 1900’s. Although the grid expanded, many parts of the grid are operating well past their life expectancy. This means power outages will become more frequent and last longer. Dr. Gregory Reed discussed in 2013 the state of the power grid and what this means for people who depend on the grid.
Imagine going through events like these clips show, without power more frequently for even longer periods of time. According to Dr. Reed’s predictions, that is what we are looking at and we are decades away from fixing the challenge at our current pace.
Luckily, you can protect yourself during a power outage:
- If you have medical needs, now is the time to discuss with your provider your emergency medical plan and what you need to do to keep you medicine safe. If your treatment or medicine changes, be sure to ask your provider how to adapt your plan.
- Keep refrigerators and freezers shut as much as possible.
- If you are going to use a portable generator check out our portable safety tips before you start your portable generator.
- Keep a fresh supply of batteries on hand.
The best way to survive a power outage is to have a Generac Automatic Standby Generator installed by Hale’s Electrical Service. Connect with our Generac Specialists to learn how you can protect your power!