Powering Through: Coping With Outages After Extreme Weather Events

Power outages caused by weather are becoming more frequent. In the United States, weather was responsible for 80% of all major power outages from 2000 to 2023 (see graph below).

Hurricane Helene made landfall on the Florida panhandle on 26 September, unleashing high winds, extreme rainfall and storm surges to coastal areas. Over the following days, it brought torrential rainfall to Georgia, western North and South Carolina, eastern Tennessee and southern Virginia. Many of these regions experienced extensive flash flooding. As a result, over 230 people were killed and nearly 2 million were without power. Helene was rapidly followed by Hurricane Milton, an extremely powerful storm that hit western Florida and cut power to over 3 million homes.

Tropical storms increase power outage risk by 14x, and heavy rainfall adds another 52x. (source below)*

Climate change, combined with an aging power grid and increased energy demand, will likely cause more outages in the future. To reduce the number of outages, as well as mitigate their impacts, it’s important to build the resilience of our infrastructure to mitigate their effects on health, business continuity and costs, worker safety and the environment.

Blackout Blues: Hidden Health Risks

Power outages pose serious health threats, especially for vulnerable populations.

In 2020, US blackouts hit a record-breaking average duration of eight hours. Medical experts warn that this level of disruption can have significant health consequences, including:

• Temperature-related illnesses
• Food poisoning
• Carbon monoxide poisoning
• Increased hospitalizations for heart, lung and kidney diseases

Regions most likely to experience prolonged power outages—Louisiana, Arkansas, Central Alabama, and Northern Michigan—are often already grappling with climate change and health disparities.

Business power outages cost $150 billion annually, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.?

Most businesses feel the impacts of power outages, from productivity loss to data loss or inventory loss. However, the potential effects on the environment may be less obvious. These could include chemical incidents during shutdowns and restarts, as well as increased greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel-powered backup generators and other machinery.

Expert Insights: The Importance of Comprehensive Shutdown Plans

Our panel of EHS, ESG and chemical safety experts at EcoOnline discuss the critical importance of risk assessments, backup plan resilience and robust emergency systems during power outages.

3 Takeaways on Power Outages and Chemical Risk

• To avoid catastrophic results, companies should have backup plans and safe shutdown procedures.
• Identifying risks to equipment and the environment from chemical releases is essential for organisations handling hazardous chemicals.
• Reporting chemical inventories and production-related releases to the environment can help assess potential toxic release risks associated with power outages, as well as inform mitigation plans.

Weathering the Storm: Tips to Avoid Chemical Incidents

Power outages and restarts can potentially trigger chemical accidents. The following steps can mitigate the chemical risks associated with power outages and protect employees and the environment.

• Keep track of chemicals: Use process safety management plans to identify and assess risks associated with chemicals based on their Safety Data Sheets?(SDS).
• Share information: Comply with US EPA regulations by sharing their chemical inventory with local communities, local fire departments and first responders—and include a mapping system for chemical locations to assist in emergencies.?
• Update inventory routinely: Update the chemical inventory regularly to ensure community awareness.
• Have backup plans: Ensure backup systems are resilient and have contingency plans in place, as demonstrated by the Fukushima example above.

Avoiding Health and Safety Issues

Utility workers face significant risks during and after power outages. Gina Vanderlin, Health and Safety Program Manager at PSEG Long Island (New York), recommends the following measures to ensure their safety.

• Be Alert to Power Surges: Identify potential backfeed sources and ensure compliance with safety standards.
• Check Equipment Rating: Ensure that all equipment, including ladders and aerial devices, is rated for the appropriate weather conditions.
• Check Ground Stability: Conduct regular assessments, especially in areas prone to flooding or landslides to avoid slipping hazards.
• Implement Staggered Shifts: Alternating crews helps minimize overtime and promotes adequate rest periods.
• Provide Accommodations: Offer accessible facilities for workers to avoid fatigue, including rest areas.
• Encourage Buddy Systems: This helps workers monitor each other’s well-being and enables them to intervene if they observe signs of fatigue.

Expert Insights: Power Outage Preparedness

Power outages are best managed through proactive planning, careful risk assessment and investment in resilient infrastructure and community programmes. David Picton, Senior VP ESG & Sustainability at EcoOnline, offers a six-step approach to achieve this.

6-Step Approach to Risk Management of Power Outages

Power outages can have severe social and economic consequences. This six-step framework will help you understand and address the challenges posed by long-term power outages.

1. Conduct a comprehensive risk assessment: Use advanced climate forecasting tools to identify potential risks and vulnerabilities in specific regions.

2. Analyse root causes: Understand the underlying factors contributing to power outages, such as extreme weather events, infrastructure failures or operational issues.

3. Map financial impacts: Evaluate the potential economic consequences of power outages on businesses, communities and critical infrastructure.

4. Explore mitigation options: Consider a range of strategies to reduce the likelihood and severity of power outages, including infrastructure upgrades, emergency response plans and community resilience initiatives.

5. Choose appropriate strategies: Select mitigation measures that align with the specific risks and priorities of the organisation or community.

6. Invest in resilience: Allocate resources to implement chosen strategies and build long-term resilience to power outages.

Learn More About This Situation

These Four Regions of the US Are Hardest Hit by Power Outages — DEOHS

Power outages and community health: a narrative review — NIH

Weather-related Power Outages Rising — Climate Central

Spatiotemporal distribution of power outages with climate events and social vulnerability in the USA — Nature Communications

America’s Electric Grid: Growing Cleaner, Cheaper and Stronger — Pew

Hurricane Milton Is Growing Stronger as It Blows Toward Florida’s Tampa Bay Region — AP?

Helene left at least 128 people dead and communities ‘wiped off the map.’ — CNN

News Stories We’re Following

Where power outages are in Florida today — Herald Tribune

More than 400,000 still in the dark in Hurricane Milton aftermath — USA Today

Satellite images show how Hurricane Milton reshaped parts of Florida coastline — CBS News

Hurricane Milton could have an impact on Florida in the long term — NPR

Will Invest 94L become Nadine, impact Florida? — Daytona Beach News-Journal

*Notes and Sources

Data

Major outages are events that affect at least 50,000 customers (homes or businesses) or interrupt service of 300 megawatts or more.

Citations

Hurricanes and storms with high winds that originate over tropical oceans make a power outage 14 times more likely. And a tropical cyclone accompanied by heavy rainfall on a hot day makes power outages 52 times more likely. https://deohs.washington.edu/hsm-blog/these-four-regions-us-are-hardest-hit-power-outages