The Power of Electricity - What to do in a Power Outage - What Happens When the Lights go Out?
Power Failure - If it Happened There and it Can Happen Here
Northwest US and Canada -
August 14, 2003
On August 14, 2003, the electricity went out in a large swath of the Northeastern United States and Southeastern Canada.
The blackout affected the states of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Vermont, Michigan, Ohio and Massachusetts. About 50 million people were without electricity, some for as long as two days. 11 deaths are attributed to the outage, and it is estimated to have cost 6 million dollars.
Federal authorities ruled terrorism out almost immediately. But took longer to figure out what had caused the problem. The verdict - hot power lines sagged into trees and switched off, causing other lines to carry the extra burden. They couldn't handle the load and tripped a cascade of failures. Systems that should have given an earlier warning of the growing problem failed. The US – Canada Power System Outage Task Force concluded after a 3-month investigation that a combination of equipment failure and human error was to blame.
San Diego - Sept 8, 2011
A major power outage on September 8, 2011 left 5 million people without electricity from Arizona, to Mexico to Orange County, California for up to 15 hours. The National University System Institute for Policy Research estimated the economic impact of the power outage to be between $97 million and $118 million.
Although the Arizona power company said the outage appeared to have been associated with an employee replacing a capacitor at the North Gila substation near Yuma, why this routine task would cause a failure was unknown. Whatever the reason, had the system performed as it should have, the outage would have been confined to the Yuma area. So it appears in this case also, that it was possible a combination of human and equipment failure.
Lights Aren't the only Things that Go Out
When people think of the power going out the first things that usually come to mind are TV, lights, computer and internet. A typical response is "I can read a book, play board games, it would not bother me too much." But the truth is we are much more dependent on electricity than we realize. Even if you live "off the grid" as I did for years, you are still living in a world and a society that is deeply dependent on electricity. If the power is out for a few hours, we've all experienced that, of course you'll be fine. Maybe you'll be a little bored, inconvenienced, but if the outage is lengthy and widespread the consequences can be much more severe, even deadly. What if the electricity was out for a week?
Here in my little foothills town, we had unusually heavy snowfall and, over the course of the winter, the total days without power came to more than 20, with one outage lasting for 8 days. Since we are on a well, with an electric pump, if the power is out, the water is out. People who live in town and are on city water didn't have that problem, but many municipal water systems are automated, and if the power is out long enough even the city folks will run out of water. Many homes are all electric, so as soon at the lights are out they have no heat, no hot water and they can't cook.
Some well prepared people, who live in areas where there are frequent power outages, have generators. But most generators run on diesel fuel or gasoline. If the power is out, gas stations can't pump gas. Once you run out of gas, you're in the dark too. If you have a battery operated radio you might be able to get some news, but with an outage that widespread you probably won't be able to get a station.
Your land line phone might work, but your cordless won't. If you don't have an old fashioned phone to plug into the wall you're out of luck. And while your cell phone will not go out immediately, the circuits will soon be overloaded with panicked callers, service will get more and more spotty, till the central switching facility finally runs out of power backup and it goes completely dead.
Refrigeration is the next problem.
It's bad enough when all the food in your refrigerator and freezer have spoiled, what about when the same thing happens at the local Safeway? The store has probably been closed the whole time anyway, because their scanners don't work. Even if you could find a store open, if you don't have cash what are you going to do for money? ATM machines won't be working, maybe they'll take a check.
Traffic lights will go out too. That's not too much of a problem in a small town, but in a big city it could be a major calamity.
Communications for police and fire departments can be compromised.
Without their phones and internet they are forced to rely on their car radios. When a whole city loses power authorities usually close the airport. If your city has electric trollies and trains those will not be running.
In modern highrise buildings, electricity is essential to keep them habitable.
Many don't even have windows that open, so without mechanical ventilation and air conditioning they will soon become unbearable. Then there's that classic situation of people being stuck in elevators. Another problem in large cities is looting, it is almost inevitable in these situations. A lengthy power outage can have a huge economic impact too. It is impossible for modern commerce to continue without their computers and phones.
Nuclear Power Plants Need Electricity for Cooling
All of these are bad things, but it could get much worse. There are 104 nuclear power plants in the US. In the event of a power outage nuclear power plants automatically shut down, and the backup generators kick on. In the US nuclear power plants are required by federal law to have redundant safety systems. They have at least two gigantic generators to take over the job of cooling the reactor. Spent rods also need to be kept cool and contained. But here again, the generators require fuel, it will have to be trucked in to keep the cooling system going. If the core is allow to overheat it could cause an nuclear meltdown. The spent rods can cause explosions and fires. If the containment structure of the plant is damaged radiation will leak out into the environment. The lack of electricity is what caused the problems at the Fukushima Daichii nuclear complex after the 9.0 earthquake and tsunami in Japan on March 11, 2011. The long term effects of that disaster are still not fully understood. These systems in the US, and most of the world, have usually functioned extremely well so far. But in a situation where the generators are damaged, and the roads impassible, the results can be devastating. I don't want to be too much of an alarmist, these plants are designed to be very safe, but they are also designed to function in a world that has electricity.
If you have snow or rain you can catch the run off for washing or flushing toilets
In any emergency make the most of what you have
Keeping food cold
When we were out of power for up to 8 days at a time, I took all the dairy products and meat out of the refrigerator and put them in a big plastic tub with a lid and set it outside in the snow. That kept it very cold. I also filled 2 big stock pots with snow, packed in as tight as I could get it and put them in the refrigerator to keep vegetables and other things cold. It worked pretty well.
Keeping things clean
We have propane for heat and cooking, I kept some big pots of water warming on the stove for dishes and washing up. It's easier if you don't let it pile up. We even filled the bathtub with water heated on the stove for baths.
My candle powered fish tank heater
You'll see why the pioneers didn't get bored
When you have no TV or internet you find other things to occupy yourself. Keeping my 55 gallon fish tank was a concern for me. It made it easier that it was in the same room as our back up propane wall heater. Each day I took about a couple of gallons of water out of the aquarium and warmed it on the stove, then put it back in. But still, they are tropical fish and they needed extra heat, so I wrapped a wire around the top of an emergency candle (it's in a glass with a raised rim at the top) and duct taped the wire to the side of the aquarium to keep the candle from floating away. The fish seemed to enjoy the light and it slowed the cooling some. Anyone who tries this it's very important that the candle does not get under the hood of the aquarium or it could start a fire, and wait until you have the candle in place before you light it or the hot glass will break when it hits the colder water. In fact,
disclaimer here, use at your own risk!
Some Emergency Supplies
Liquid Emergency Candle
 | Amazon Price: $8.25 List Price: $10.79 |
Be Prepared for a Blackout
Keep some emergency supplies around, you never know when you'll be left in the dark. Here are a few ideas.
- Flashlights
- A good supply of fresh batteries
- Candles
- Lighters and/or matches
- Propane or kerosene lanterns
- Car charger for your phones and mobile devices
- Water - I keep at least 5 gallons in an igloo in the garage
- Battery powered radio
- Canned and dry food enough for
several days at least (that's bare
minimum really, the more you
have the longer you can hole up
at home)
If you put your candle or lantern in front of a mirror you can almost double the amount of light you get from it.
- During a Winter Power Outage: Tips for Cooking, Heating, and Lighting
A snowy winter may bring power outages. Having a few simple supplies at home can keep you comfortable even if the electricity is off for a few days.
conspiracy theories, paranoid rants or logical comments
Aww shucks, thanks Dee
Wise woman!! Now we know who to call when the lights go out. But wait, the telephone may not work...eeks! Better to have this info printed out before I go into a panic. Brian is one lucky husband!
Thanks for reading and commenting Roberta. He is lucky in more ways than one.
I love the idea of the candle powered fish tank heater! That's a very resourceful method of keeping an aquarium warm.
Thanks jesimpki, I appreciate your comment. I was really stressed about my fish getting cold, and I didn't lose any of them in spite of the long power outage. Between that and keeping up with dealing with the food and water situation I was kept pretty busy.
Well, I read this whole article without having the slightest clue that you wrote this. Important takeaways:
--I read the entire article
--I didn't know you wrote it while reading the entire article
Very enjoyable. Awesome stuff, Aunt Sherry.
You're too funny Aaron, well I'm glad you got all the way through it. So did you just see it on Facebook or what? That was the Thanksgiving you didn't make it too or you could have seen it first hand.
Interesting hub. Good ideas. The fish tank warmer was brilliant. When traveling I always take a wind-up flash light. It has a charger for a cell phone, but I don't have an adapter.
A wind-up flashlight is a good start. I've seen wind-up ones with the flashlight, radio and cell phone charger all in one. Let's face it, once the power comes back on most of us forget about getting prepared for next time. Thanks for reading and commenting tirelesstraveler.
Power was out for a five days here in Maryland a while back, read and read some more, talked and talked some more.
It was a great opportunity to interact with each other more frequently. I say kill the power again at least once per year save $ and save a family at the same time!
Thanks for the thought. ?
Thanks for the comment noturningback. You could always trip the breaker.
My power was out a lot last year too. It was an adventure the first time it was out for a week, but by the third time it was getting pretty old.
Thanks Sherry, you are so kind to share this with us especially the preparation for a blackout. Yesterday, my area did have a blackout for about 5 hours long, and you know the rest...luckily, I did keep the birthday used candles...yes, one of the ideas you shared...voted this useful! Cheers!
Thanks for the comment. I'm glad your lights are back on, I hope they stay that way. So far this winter we haven't had any power outages. It was bad enough my internet went out for 12 hours.
So many people would curl up and resign to the fact the umbilical cord to the power company was severed. Great hub!
I agree, my mom was a great example. She went to bed and waited for "life to resume." Thanks for the comment.
Here in New England, we constantly get power outages, especially since we seem to experience every type of weather possible. This past Halloween, we were out for about 3 days due to a freak snow storm, which is nothing compared to many being out for a week or two. Back in 2009, my family and I were out for over a week after the "ice storm" hit us.
Living in New England your whole life certainly gives you experience, so of course we had a generator, and have had it for at least 15 years. It's enough to keep the fridge cold, the microwave going (we cooked a turkey in it, once!) and the toilet flushing (though, no lights in the bathroom!) We have the tv hooked up as well, and a light in the living room - just enough for the necessities. And it's done wonders for us. It's hard to believe there are New Englanders without a generator! It just seems as natural as having a toilet in your house! I guess you can say my family and I are always prepared for anything!
I saw this hub advertised on Facebook, and I was certainly relating to it! I may just have to post one myself about my own power outage experiences. Great article, thanks for sharing!
Very well written!
Here in Georgia we usually lose power about twice a year,we have a lot of freezing rain in winter,and the heavy thunderstorms in the spring.All of my life.that I can remember,we have kept oil lamps and propane for back-up heat along with wood for the fire place.Country folk can survive and all.
As you stated in your excellent hub the economic loss and public services are at the most risk.The infra-structure of the U.S.is sagging from age and is working above the capacities it was design to handle.Scientists have warned the federal government that everything from satellites to the power grid should be re-enforced and backed up with fail safes due to solar flares and storms.
I enjoyed your hub,it is very informative and inspires thought.
Thank you MissKatieLynn, it sounds like you are well prepared. I really appreciate you reading and commenting.
mrshadyside1, you're right, country folks seem to weather these things better, I know San Diego had a really hard time being without power for just 12 hours. Thanks so much for your comment.
Sherry
Interest subject and interesting hub.
Here in Southern California we have been pretty lucky on not having any real blackouts. But when Grey Davis was Governor we had a real problem.
I do believe that with ten million electricity hungry people here we need to have a better plan.
For here solar panels are a good deal because of the amount of sunlight that we get here. It is not a nationwide solution, but it helps.
The country is not being proactive with energy and water.
They could do better but they say it is too expensive, well it won't be any cheaper tomorrow.
Thanks
Thanks for commenting ib radmasters I suspect your are right about needing a better plan, that power outage San Diego had last year was a good example of how the system can fail.
Sherry, I felt that at least some awareness came to the mind of people about the power of electricity. In modern days, our entire activity from toilet to bed is surrounded by electricity only, when there is now power, everything will be hampered. But in India, most of the states suffering from acute power, and daily compulsorily 5-6 hours power cut announced, they have accustomed to live with proper planning. Thanks for sharing:)
I know what you mean Trsmd. As I briefly mentioned in my hub, I lived "off the grid" meaning no electricity at all for 10 years. It can be quite easily done when you have things set up that way.
Here in Ontario, we lost power for 2 weeks during the ice storm of '98/ My family and I lived in Kingston at that time and authorities were shipping people to the schools to stay during the power outage. We, on the other could not go because that very morning our dog had her first litter of puppies. We could not move them that soon and especially to a crowded auditorium.
So, we grabbed as many quilts as we could and covered the windows. We brought in our kerosene heater and camping equipment. We used emergency candles for light. Neighbours came with supplies, and stayed with us. With everyone banding together to live in one unit like we did, we were never in short supply of food, water, or heat. We kept out of our fridges and freezers as much as we could, which allowed the food to stay colder longer. When someones food started to thaw out, we put it all together in a stew. It fed everyone on our block. The total of people that remained in their home on our block was about 20 to 25.
It is easy to live that way.
When we were kids, my mom would carry pails of water from a nearby stream to our home everyday for 4 years straight. We had no running water, no facilities, and only a wood stove to heat the house. She chopped wood every day to keep us warm and dry.
ours went out for only 22 hours, but it was a change, to say the least. Thankfully, we heat with wood, but my outside unit has a blower, so I got a power inverter and hooked it up to the pickup to get us by, and we didn't freeze.
Wow landscapeartist, that is quite a story. What an amazing experience. Thank you so much for sharing it here.
Yeah, useful hub there; great work. But I think erratic power supply or outright outage is no new thing to us in Nigeria (Africa); it's been here before I can call "Papa", we have most of these measures in your article in place and we're coping.
But truly a community without power is liken to lifeless. Maybe I'll come up with a hub to help and fit into my own environment and situation too someday.
All the same; good work Hewiin.
The national power grid is dotted with concerns for "life expectancy" issues and the promised energy changes haven't scratched the surface of this immediate concern. Another source of jobs for the unemployed ignored by those who make politics rather than leadership their life's "work."
DA STRANJA, I would be looking forward to reading your hub on the subjects. I'm sure you have a whole different perspective on things. We Americans are so spoiled and take things like electricity for granted.
Thank you for reading and commenting Perespycacious.You make some good points.
Never thought about the candle in the fish tank idea. I like it. I don't know how it would work for a long term power outage (say massive solar flare), but I think after a few months saving your fish would be the least of your worries! AGH! Still, very creative... like it!
Thanks for the comment whatmattersmost, In a survival situation I'm sure I would give up on the fish.
very interesting and educational.
I appreciate your interest movinglitecrntral
I lived without electric for 3 weeks when Hurricane Wilma hit Fort Lauderdale. You become very creative for sure. Thank God for our gas grill so at least we could cook.
Thanks for commenting Author Cheryl, it's a real wake up call when you have a long power outage like that. I'm so glad you got through it, I bet you're prepared now!
Yes we are but I moved to Jacksonville so not to many storms come our way. However if they did I would know how to survive very well with no lights
Now I know you are a real foothill dweller. I've written a couple of hubs on the same subject with similar experiences. I'd like to put in link to this.
Absolutely Rochelle, I'll check you out so the links can go both ways.
Power failures were part of normal life in India, in our small town. It was the fun hour or two we had as children, playing darkroom or giving our homework a miss. I don't remember if we ever panicked or planned ahead, mom was always prepared for it. We could sit outside and gaze at stars or share ghost stories, in summer times.In winters, we huddled around grandma and listened to stories from Indian mythology. Your topic made me wee bit nostalgic...I miss those days , when life was simple, friends were many and stress was unheard of.
Thanks for sharing your memories aditip.
Power failures...well it has become a part of our life in Pakistan....as "aditip" has narrated his/her childhood experience i remembered mine...i use to catch fireflies during the power failures which lasted for 1 hour daily and in winter we all sit together listening to stories and solving riddles and that hour passed easily.......
but these days....i wish i could bring back the past and those good old days....
due to our current political situation...power failure duration is 18 to 20 hours...i parade all day and night towards the generator..so my family and kids can have a good night's sleep and a comfortable day...i wish and can only pray for the betterment of my country...
their are many things and experiences which i want to share but due to lack of time...may be some other time...
Thanks for your comment Saba82. You remind us of how lucky we are in the US to take things like electricity for granted. I hope things get better in Pakistan. I would love it if you would write a hub about your experiences. I'm sure lots of people here would be interested.
Dion Dossman 3 months ago
Great page Sherry you are so creative I'm very proud to be your sister.