While aging infrastructure and increased cyberattack threats are year-round concerns for the power grid, each season adds its own set of challenges in the form of extreme weather. The strain on an already vulnerable power grid has increased as hurricanes, tornadoes and heat waves become more frequent and more severe.

With high temperatures and severe storms expected this summer comes the risk of blackouts, brownouts and power failures. In addition, cyber and physical attacks on substations and transmission lines are on the rise, creating a national security concern.

Taking proactive measures in advance of emergency situations can help mitigate issues and keep critical services powered up. It’s important to be prepared for the summer’s potential power outages.

Add backup power

Backup power has become a necessity, particularly for mission critical facilities such as hospitals that must continue operation during outages. Now, business owners and homeowners are urged to adopt similar contingency plans by incorporating standby generators and battery storage systems. Cogeneration systems that produce heat and electricity from one fuel source provide a viable backup power solution for large facilities, reducing reliance on the grid and providing long-term cost savings.

Because prolonged outages can compromise data security, businesses should use uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) for their critical servers and IT infrastructure. These battery-backed systems create a buffer period for businesses to safely shut down operations or transition to a secondary power source. Cloud-based backups and off-site data storage are other options for quick recovery.

Stockpile critical supplies

Homeowners should ensure they have flashlights, nonperishable food, bottled water and medical supplies on hand. If their homes are equipped with solar systems that have battery storage to provide power during extensive outages, they will continue to have refrigeration and power for essentials. Anyone who uses medical equipment such as oxygen concentrators or CPAP machines should have an emergency plan, which could include access to a portable power station or community emergency resources.

While homeowners and business owners brace for the after-effects of weather-related or human-caused power outages, utilities must devise methods of updating and upgrading infrastructure to modernize the grid. Several possible solutions to improve grid resilience exist, including investing in smart grids, decentralized power generation and renewable energy integration.

The onus is not entirely on utility companies. State and federal governments also play a role in securing the grid from cyber and physical threats. This can be achieved through enhanced cybersecurity measures, real-time monitoring of grid activity and improved coordination between government agencies and private utilities.