- What Is a Rolling Blackout?
- How To Survive Rolling Blackouts: 6 Tips for Preparedness
- Essential Role of Portable Power Stations During a Rolling Blackout
- How to Recover from a Rolling Blackout and Prepare for the Next One
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Rolling Blackouts Demand Preparedness and Power Independence
How to Stay Powered During Rolling Blackouts
- What Is a Rolling Blackout?
- How To Survive Rolling Blackouts: 6 Tips for Preparedness
- Essential Role of Portable Power Stations During a Rolling Blackout
- How to Recover from a Rolling Blackout and Prepare for the Next One
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Rolling Blackouts Demand Preparedness and Power Independence
Not all blackouts are unexpected and caused by an accident or emergency. In some cases, planned rolling blackouts are necessary to protect a vulnerable electric grid and prevent widespread outages. While they’re important for the grid, rolling blackouts can still be incredibly inconvenient.
The good news is you’re not bound to be powerless when your utility sees the need to temporarily cut power on a regular basis. Backup power sources provide off-grid electricity and blackout protection. With solutions like solar and backup batteries, you can reclaim your energy independence and put the power back in your hands.
What Is a Rolling Blackout?
A rolling blackout is a planned and temporary blackout executed by the utility company to protect the grid and prevent widespread power loss. The “rolling” aspect of these blackouts refers to the unique timing that disconnects specific neighborhoods from the grid for a designated period, usually about 1-2 hours, before rotating to shut off electricity in a new area. This minimizes the time impact of the outages on any one area and instead spreads the reduction across the geographic area the utility serves.
They may seem unexpected and sudden if you’re unaware of your utility’s rotating blackout schedule. But in reality, they are planned to manage grid supply and demand and balance the entire grid’s load.
Utilities use this organized strategy to distribute load loss, prevent grid collapse, and prevent more extensive and uncontrolled grid failures.
Why Do Rolling Blackouts Happen?
Rolling power outages occur for several reasons:
High demand: Manage spikes in electricity demand during heat waves, storms, etc.
Weather-related: High temperatures or severe cold prompt increased demand
Infrastructure damage: Protect the grid during planned infrastructure repairs
Equipment failure: Balance the load on the grid when issues at power plants or with transmission lines occur
What’s Causing the Rise in Rolling Blackouts?
Scheduled temporary blackouts are becoming more common and frequent due to increased energy demand, aging equipment and infrastructure, rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and natural gas shortages.
How Long Do Rolling Blackouts Last?
Rolling blackouts typically only impact electricity access in one area for about 1-3 hours before restoring power and then rolling the blackout over to a new location.
How To Survive Rolling Blackouts: 6 Tips for Preparedness
Use these six tips to think ahead and stay empowered during a rolling blackout.
Have Backup Power
Having your own power source is your greatest defense against rolling blackouts. We recommend something robust, like the EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 Solar Generator (PV400W), which can run continuously while the sun’s out and is expandable if needed.
Prepare Emergency Supplies
Create a kit of emergency supplies such as non-perishable foods, water, medications, and other basics like flashlights, batteries, pet supplies, and a battery-powered or hand-crank radio.
Stay Informed
Watch the news, subscribe to local text alerts from your utility company, or check their website for the latest announcements on planned blackout schedules.
Preserve Food
When the grid is out, the countdown to spoiled food begins. Have coolers and ice ready, or invest in a portable, battery-powered refrigerator to keep your food and medications cold.
Reduce Power Load
You may reduce the load on the grid by switching to more energy-efficient appliances, unplugging electronics and devices when not in use, turning off lights when leaving a room, and using a smart thermostat to manage the temperature when you’re not home. If people collectively take these measures, rolling blackouts may become less necessary.
Essential Role of Portable Power Stations During a Rolling Blackout
Portable power stations (PPS) supply reliable energy during planned outages. PPS or solar generators like the EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus Solar Generator (PV220W) become your lifeline during a blackout. You can’t plug anything into a wall outlet to get power, but you can plug it directly into the power station and get the same result. The beauty of these options over traditional gas generators is that you can use them inside without any risk or noise. Solar generators can even refill the battery for continuous use during daylight hours.
How to Recover from a Rolling Blackout and Prepare for the Next One
The two key tactics for recovering from a rolling blackout you weren’t expecting and preparing for the next one are checking for and resolving damage, and improving your future energy resilience.
Restore Power and Check for Damage
First, restore power to all your appliances and devices. This means plugging things back in, turning things on to verify they still work correctly, and flipping your breakers back on if necessary. If you notice any damaged equipment, contact your utility company or hire a handyman to repair it.
Improve Your Energy Resilience
The best way to improve your energy resilience is to invest in a home solar system complete with solar panels like the EcoFlow 400W Rigid Solar Panel and some sort of backup battery. If you already have a backup system in place, you can upgrade it to support your entire home so you won’t even notice rolling blackouts. And if you don’t have one, now is the perfect time to invest in a solar generator.
EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 Solar Generator (PV400W)
Frequently Asked Questions
How To Have Power During a Blackout?
The best way to ensure power during a blackout is to invest in a backup power source, such as a solar generator or portable power station. Solar generators can produce electricity while the sun’s out and store it for you to use later when a rolling blackout impacts your home.
What States Are at Risk for Rolling Blackouts?
Texas, California, and Michigan are the states most at risk for rolling blackouts. They are often the most vulnerable during summer heat waves or winter snowstorms. Other states that may also experience many outages are Alabama, Florida, New York, Maryland, Louisiana, and Washington.
What’s the Best Backup Power Source for Rolling Blackouts?
The best backup power source for rolling blackouts is a robust solar generator, because it not only stores power but can continuously generate more energy as long as the sun is out. Choose a model that can run your whole home or support your essential appliances.
Rolling Blackouts Demand Preparedness and Power Independence
Preparation and intentional equipment investments are critical if you want your home to be resilient in the face of rolling blackouts. While you may not be able to access grid power during these times, you can still leverage your own power source, like a solar generator, if you have one. There are countless reasons investing in a generator like the EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus Solar Generator (PV220W) is a good idea, and rolling blackout protection is one of them. Don’t put your daily life on pause; keep powering through your activities with a solar generator.