Power Outages: 2017 U.S. Statistics Are Startling

The recently published Blackout Tracker Annual Report by power-management company Eaton shows some startling power outage 2017 statistics. The report, which includes information about power outages in all fifty states, shows that even though the total number of outages dropped slightly from 2016 to 2017, the number of people affected by these outages more than doubled at 36.7 million (up from 17.9 million). Experts recommend that all businesses have a disaster recovery plan in place to make recovering from outages as smooth as possible. Businesses should also have backup power generators in place to avoid any serious downtime due to emergencies or unforeseen events, especially for the success of mission-critical applications.

Power Outage 2017 Statistics Takeaways

What can we take away from the shocking figures of power outage statistics from 2017? A major takeaway is that as the numbers indicate, the number of people affected by power loss annually is on the rise. In order to prevent your home or business from being one of those affected, there are a number of steps that may be taken. Preventative measures that can be taken to avoid power loss include:

• Installing a Backup Power Generator: The addition of a backup power generator can keep essential functions operating even during times of power loss. With plenty of reliable vendors selling used generators, it’s never been more affordable to install a power generator of your own.
• Completing Routine Inspections & Tune-Ups: It is crucial to complete routine inspections and maintenance of generators and other electrical equipment around your home or facility to ensure everything runs smoothly when it’s needed most.
• Creating a Community Microgrid: In addition to having a personal power generator onsite, joining forces with your local community to install a community microgrid can be a great way to bypass the United States’ aging infrastructure that is to blame for many of today’s power outages. Microgrids offer a more reliable power source that can be more environmentally friendly and more affordable than traditional sources of power.

Although the dramatic increase in the number of people affected annually by power loss may seem daunting, by taking a few precautions your home or business’s most essential functions can be kept running anytime major power outages occur.