US Power Outage Statistics
A look into U.S. power outage statistics - their causes, repercussions and ways to avoid being affected by them.
A power outage can strike your business without warning. No matter where you live or which industry you’re in, the lights can go out at a moment’s notice. A solid stream of power is something that most business owners take for granted until it’s too late. At this point, commercial and industrial power usage accounts for a little over 61 percent of the entire United States’ power grid.
How reliable is your power grid, and what potential problems might cut the power to your business? You might be surprised.
America’s Aging Power Grid
The United States’ power infrastructure is aging rapidly. In 2014, the country’s electric grid was losing power more often than any other developing nation. Customers in Japan, for example, averaged 4 minutes of downtime every year, while customers in the Pacific Northwest averaged about 214 minutes of downtime. The Department of Energy indicated that these power outages could be costing companies as much as $150 billion per year.
The Wrath of Mother Nature
Far and away, the most common reason for a power outage is bad weather. Research suggests that up to 70 percent of US power outages are caused by severe weather or natural disasters. Whether it’s a violent winter storm, an unyielding summer heat wave, or a hurricane making landfall - Mother Nature has no qualms about ripping a tree out of the ground and dropping it on electrical wires.
The Price of Air-Conditioned Comfort
Beware the Curious Squirrel
In pretty much any populated area, there’s wildlife living at the fringes. These creatures interfering with electrical equipment accounts for percent of the country's outages. Whether it’s a bird who gets too close to a transformer or a squirrel who takes a bite of a power line, there’s the constant threat that an animal could potentially knock out the power in your neighborhood.
Avoiding a Blackout Entirely
There’s one surefire way to save yourself the anxiety and lost business of a blackout. Purchase a quality generator. With the right kind of backup generator and routine maintenance, a power outage doesn’t have to mean lost business.
With a backup generator in play, you won’t lose any of your stock, customers, or money when the lights go out.
Contact Generator Source to learn more about your options for preserving power even when the power grid isn’t cooperating.
| 3/9/2017 6:01:25 PM
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