California Power Outage Preparedness

California Power Outage Preparedness: What Every Business Owner Should Know

California leads the nation in the number of power outages every year. As a business owner, it’s crucial that you are prepared for these often-unexpected events. A power disruption can have a detrimental effect on your operations by halting production and losing your communication systems. Without the right protections in place, this could have a significant impact on your bottom line.

Here’s what every business owner should know to be prepared for a sudden power outage.

The Top Causes of California Power Outages

The state of California is subject to thousands of power outages every year. While many of these are short-term, some have been known to last for several days, if not more. In fact, in October 2019, over 2 million people were left without power during an extended planned shutoff to prevent more wildfires, which had been raging uncontrollably in some regions. This resulted in many residents scrambling for alternative power sources for weeks.

However, not all power outages are planned. Other top causes include:

  • Extreme weather conditions: Severely hot or cold weather can lead to power outages. Heatwaves increase the demand on the electrical grid, and some customers may experience rolling blackouts to prevent grid overload. High winds or heavy snow or hail can also knock down trees and power lines, causingoutages.
  • Equipment failure: California has an aging electrical infrastructure, increasing the risk of malfunctions of local equipment. When regional substations fail, the affected area will be without power until equipment can be repaired or upgraded.
  • Earthquakes: A natural disaster like an earthquake can cause significant damage to California’s electrical infrastructure, leading to power outages.
  • Wildfires: These are a top contributor to power outages in California. WildfiresCalifornia Power Outage Preparedness can be extremely destructive, destroying power lines and causing widespread outages.
  • Accidents: Power outages can also be caused by human error. Car accidents, construction events, and mistakes made by utility workers can all result in a temporary blackout. In these cases, power is generally restored to affected areas in a short time.

How to Prepare for an Outage

There are some things you can do to mitigate the impact that a power outage could have on your business operations.

Have an Emergency Kit Available

Every business should have an emergency plan that includes points of contact and evacuation procedures. However, there may be times when you and your employees are unable to leave the facility, such as during an adverse weather event. To prepare for a blackout during these situations, it’s crucial to put together an emergency kit. This kit should be easily accessible by anyone on your property. Be sure to include:

  • Batteries
  • Flashlights
  • Water bottles
  • Non-perishable food items
  • Manual can opener
  • Thermal blankets
  • Portable phone charger
  • First aid kit
  • Battery-powered radio

These items can help keep you and your employees safe and comfortable until power is restored. You should check the kit for expired products regularly and restock as necessary.

Invest in Surge Protectors

Surge protectors are key to safeguarding electronic equipment and devices from power surges. Without a surge protector, your equipment would be hit with a sudden increase in electrical voltage when the power returns. Power surges can cause extreme damage to electrical parts and components, possibly resulting in data loss. They also present a fire hazard as unprotected devices are overheated upon electrical return. It’s best to secure your critical business systems with adequate surge protection to avoid dangerous voltage spikes.

Be Ready With a Backup Generator

The best way to be prepared for a power outage is to invest in a backup power solution like a diesel or natural gas-powered generator. These heavy-duty machines will be able to keep your business running even when everyone else is dark.

Benefits of having a standby generator during an outage include:

  • Maintains Communications

You’ve worked hard to build up your brand, so you want to ensure that customers can contact you even during a power outage. It will provide them with a source of comfort knowing that you’re available even when others aren’t. A standby generator can keep your communication systems up and running, ensuring that you’re reachable during normal business hours.

  • Keeps Employees Comfortable

A backup generator system can keep HVAC and refrigeration systems running, ensuring employee comfort until power is restored. This will also help to keep employees calm while you wait, minimizing the impact a power outage has on productivity and morale.

  • Secures Your Business

A great benefit to having a standby generator is the security it provides for your business. It can keep lights and camera systems on, reducing the risk of unwanted perpetrators on your property.

  • Provides a Continuous Power Supply

The right size generator will be able to manage your power load until the main electrical grid is restored. This will keep equipment, machinery tools, computer and network systems, security systems, and lighting operating properly. Having a continuous power supply will greatly reduce downtime and minimize the financial impact of an outage.

Keep Generator Maintained

Generator maintenance should be part of any power outage preparedness plan. At Valley Power Systems, we offer customized maintenance contracts to keep your system in peak condition. Whether you have a brand-new generator or one that’s provided a decade of reliable service, you can count on us to provide the personalized maintenance it requires. Our generator technicians are highly trained and certified to address everything from oil and filter changes to engine repair work.

At Valley Power Systems, we consider ourselves your partner in power. We understand how important it is to have a backup power supply in the event an outage, and we want to make sure that your system will work when you need it most. When we come for your maintenance service, we will also conduct a comprehensive assessment to determine overall generator functionality. Our team will check the battery voltage, oil and coolant levels, signs of wear and tear on hoses and belts, and much more. Our goal is to identify small problems that are easy and inexpensive to fix before they have an opportunity to progress into larger, more expensive problems. Our maintenance services will also help extend engine longevity while improving efficiency and fuel efficacy.

To reduce the risk of a breakdown during a blackout, it is essential to have your generator unit serviced regularly. The exact interval depends on your generator make, model, age, and overall condition. For an accurate recommendation, contact our pros at Valley Power Systems.

Get the Power Solution You Need

Valley Power Systems has proudly served California businesses since 1949. Our goal is to ensure that you always have access to dependable power solutions to minimize the impact an outage has on your operations. We’re an authorized distributor for today’s state-of-the-art industrial and commercial power systems, and our knowledgeable team can match you with the right generator for your needs. We partner with top brands like Atlas Copco, Blue Star Power Systems, and Waukesha. You can count on Valley Power Systems for all of your generator service needs.

Don’t be left in the dark. Contact Valley Power Systems today!

Follow us on Facebook and Linkedin for more updates!

Related Posts