Keeping your business running during a power outage requires backup power equipment, a secured fuel supply, and a documented activation process connected to your broader business continuity plan. Businesses with pre-contracted backup power solutions can typically restore critical operations within hours; those without one are competing for scarce equipment and fuel during the same regional emergency everyone else is dealing with.

Power outages used to be a regional inconvenience, just something that happened during hurricanes in the Gulf or ice storms in the Northeast. That’s not the case anymore. Outages are hitting harder, lasting longer, and spreading into parts of the country that haven’t historically had to deal with them. For businesses, the question is less if the power goes out and more how long can you afford to be down when it does.

Backup power for business continuity isn’t just a generator sitting in a parking lot. Done right, it’s a coordinated plan: the right equipment, the right fuel supply, and a deployment process that gets you operational before the losses start stacking up.

This article covers what’s driving the increase in outages, what a real backup power solution looks like, and how to make sure your business isn’t figuring it out for the first time during an actual emergency.

Why Power Outages Are Getting Worse

The grid was built for a different era. Most of the infrastructure in place today was designed in the 1950s and 60s before the current load demands of electric vehicles, data centers, and AI-powered systems that run 24/7. Meanwhile, the threats coming at it have grown more frequent and more severe.

Extreme weather is the headline driver.

Severe storms, hurricanes, and wildfires have always caused outages, but the scale has shifted. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, weather-related outages have more than doubled since 2003. What used to be a once-a-decade event for many regions is now an annual reality.

Heat is a growing factor.

Grid failures during extreme heat events happen for two reasons at once: Demand spikes as everyone runs their AC at full capacity, and transmission infrastructure operates less efficiently at high temperatures. The summers of 2023 and 2024 saw widespread stress events across the southern and western U.S. This is expected to worsen (IEA 2026 Energy Crisis Policy Response Tracker).

Fuel supply uncertainty adds another layer.

The energy mix powering the grid is shifting: more renewables, less coal, and more dependence on natural gas for peak demand, which introduces supply chain variables that don’t exist when infrastructure is simpler. During periods of high demand or supply disruption, that complexity shows up as outages (NERC/North American Electric Reliability Corporation, January 2026).

Non-weather causes are rising too.

According to J.D. Power, roughly 53% of power outages in 2025 were caused by non-weather events like aging equipment failures, animals, accidents, cyberattacks, and planned shutoffs like California’s Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPSs). These are harder to predict and just as damaging to operations.

The practical takeaway: Your business probably can’t rely on “it hasn’t happened here before” as a planning assumption anymore.

What Backup Power for Business Continuity Actually Means

There’s a common misconception that backup power just means having a generator. A generator is part of the answer, but it’s not the whole picture. For a generator to actually protect your business during an outage, you need three things to work together: the right equipment, a reliable fuel supply, and a deployment or activation process that doesn’t depend on everything going smoothly.

The Equipment Question

For most businesses, there are two paths: owning a generator or working with a provider who can deploy one on demand.

Owning sounds straightforward, but the costs and complexity add up quickly. A commercial generator requires regular maintenance, testing, fuel management, and service contracts, and even a well-maintained unit can fail when you need it most. The purchase price is just the start.

On-demand generator deployment, where a recovery provider has pre-staged, tested equipment ready to deploy to your location, offers a different tradeoff. You’re not carrying the capital expense or maintenance burden year-round, and you’re working with equipment that’s actively managed and serviced, not sitting idle between tests.

Fuel Supply

Fuel supply is where a lot of backup power plans break down. A generator is only as useful as the fuel supply behind it. During a regional outage like the kind caused by a major storm or extreme heat event, local fuel demand spikes fast. Suppliers get overwhelmed, delivery timelines stretch, and businesses that assumed fuel would be easy to get find out otherwise at the worst possible moment.

A solid backup power plan includes pre-arranged fuel delivery from a provider who can guarantee access even during high-demand periods, and a maintenance schedule for any on-site storage.

The Deployment and Activation Process

If your backup power plan only works when things go smoothly, it’s not really a plan; it’s a hope. The deployment process should be documented, tested, and connected to your broader business continuity plan. Who authorizes activation? How quickly can equipment be on-site? What loads are prioritized — IT systems, refrigeration, customer-facing operations?

These aren’t questions to answer during an outage.

How Long Can You Actually Afford to Be Down?

This is worth working through specifically, not just in general terms.

Research consistently shows that a single hour of downtime costs small and mid-sized businesses between $10,000 and $50,000 depending on the industry. For customer-facing operations like retail, healthcare, financial services, and food service the losses hit fast. Revenue stops and customers leave. In regulated industries, there may be compliance implications on top of the operational ones.

The other dimension is duration. Outages caused by major storms or grid failures increasingly stretch beyond a few hours. Businesses that planned for a 4-hour event find themselves at day two or three with no clear restoration timeline. Backup power that can only sustain operations for a few hours doesn’t solve the problem; it just delays it.

When evaluating backup power for business continuity, the right question is: How long does my backup solution need to run, and does my current plan actually cover that window?

Five Things Your Backup Power Plan Should Cover

Most business continuity plans have something in the “power outage” section. Not all of them cover these specifically:

1. Fuel guaranteed through a provider, not just “we’ll call when we need it.”

Pre-arranged supply agreements are the difference between getting fuel during a regional emergency and waiting in line behind a hundred other businesses who had the same idea.

2. Cabling and connection included, not assumed.

A generator on-site doesn’t help if it isn’t properly connected to the loads you need running. Make sure your plan includes who handles the connection and that they’ve done it at your facility before.

3. Critical load prioritization.

Not everything can run on backup power. Know in advance what stays on: your server room, POS systems, refrigeration units, phone system. The prioritization decision should be made now, not on the fly.

4. A tested deployment process.

If you’ve never actually run through activating your backup power setup, you don’t know if it works. Testing isn’t a nice-to-have; it’s the only way to find out whether the plan holds up under real conditions.

5. Coordination with your broader BCP.

Backup power doesn’t operate in isolation. It connects to your communication protocols, vendor contacts, and customer notification plan. Make sure your power continuity piece is woven into the larger plan, not sitting as a standalone document.

What Agility Recovery Provides

Agility deploys backup power including generators, fuel logistics, and cabling to businesses across the country, with 24/7 support and pre-contracted access for customers. That means when an outage hits, you’re not starting from scratch. You have an established relationship with a provider who knows your facility and has the equipment staged to move.

The difference between businesses that weather a multi-day outage and those that don’t is usually preparation, not the outage itself.

In the dynamic landscape of healthcare, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards is crucial. And for healthcare facilities in Florida, adherence to 58A-ER1-7, the emergency rule set by the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA), is paramount. This regulation mandates specific emergency preparedness measures, including a critical requirement for facilities to maintain power for at least 96 hours during natural disasters and other emergencies. Agility Recovery, a leader in business continuity and disaster recovery solutions, plays a pivotal role in helping healthcare facilities achieve and maintain compliance with this stringent power requirement.

How 58A-ER1-7 Protects Patients

The origins of 58A-ER1-7 can be traced back to the tragic events following Hurricane Irma in 2017. The storm, which caused widespread destruction across Florida, led to the deaths of several residents at a nursing home in Hollywood Hills due to power loss and subsequent heat exposure. This incident highlighted the critical need for robust emergency power systems in healthcare facilities. In response, the state of Florida implemented emergency rules to ensure that all healthcare facilities could maintain safe and continuous operations during and after such disasters. The 96-hour power requirement was designed to prevent a recurrence of such tragedies and to safeguard the well-being of vulnerable patients.

Agility Recovery: Your Partner in Power Compliance

Agility Recovery offers a suite of services designed to help healthcare facilities meet the stringent 96-hour power requirement of 58A-ER1-7. Here’s how:

1. Comprehensive Power Assessments

Agility Recovery begins by helping facilities assess their current power capabilities and identify any gaps in compliance. This includes analyzing existing backup power systems, fuel storage capacities, and power distribution infrastructure.

2. Provision of Backup Generators

To ensure compliance with the 96-hour power mandate, Agility Recovery delivers backup generators capable of sustaining critical operations, including life-support systems, medical equipment, and essential utilities, for the required duration. Having a reliable backup to your onsite backup generator ensures your facility’s resilience against major regional events and equipment failure.

3. Fuel Management Solutions

Maintaining a sufficient fuel supply is crucial for meeting the 96-hour requirement. Agility Recovery offers comprehensive fuel management solutions, including on-site fuel storage and regular refueling services. Our solutions not only ensure that healthcare facilities have a reliable and continuous fuel supply during emergencies, but also help save on recovery costs. While local suppliers suffer shortages and price surges, Agility assures access to the resources you need at a pre-negotiated rate.

4. Testing and Maintenance Services

Agility Recovery provides licensed maintenance services for backup power systems. This includes regular testing and servicing to ensure that all equipment is in optimal condition and ready to activate immediately in the event of a power outage.

Case Study: Agility Recovery in Action

A healthcare facility in Florida partnered with Agility Recovery to enhance their emergency power preparedness. Agility conducted a thorough assessment of the facility’s power systems and identified areas for improvement. We helped to expand their backup power resilience established a fuel management plan, and conducted power recovery testing exercises with their operations team to ensure employees had a clear understanding of the recovery process, as well as their individual roles in a power loss event. When Hurricane Ian struck, the facility was fully prepared to maintain operations and patient safety throughout the storm. The successful response not only ensured compliance with the 96-hour power requirement but also reinforced the facility's reputation for reliability and care.

The Agility Advantage

Choosing Agility Recovery as your partner in power compliance offers several advantages:

• Expertise and Experience: With decades of experience in disaster recovery, Agility brings unparalleled expertise to healthcare facilities.
• Tailored Solutions: Agility provides customized power solutions to meet the unique needs of each member facility.
• 24/7/365 Support: Your Agility Recovery team is standing by 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to provide support and execute your power recovery plan.
• Proven Track Record: Our 100% recovery success rate allows healthcare facilities to rest easy knowing that Agility is here to manage their end-to-end power recovery strategy.

Ready to Get Started?

Compliance with the 96-hour power requirement of 58A-ER1-7 is not just a regulatory necessity; it’s a commitment to the safety and well-being of patients and staff. Agility Recovery’s comprehensive power solutions and expertise make us the preferred recovery partner for healthcare facilities in Florida. As an Agility member, healthcare providers can achieve power compliance with confidence, ensuring they are prepared for any emergency that comes their way. For more information on how Agility Recovery can help your healthcare facility achieve compliance with the 96-hour power requirement of 58A-ER1-7, contact us today.

AB 2511 compliance is proving challenging for most skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) in California, with many receiving citations for non-compliance during life safety code surveys since the requirements went into effect on January 1, 2024.

Adherence to AB 2511 is critical, as SNFs are trusted with providing life-saving care around the clock. AB 2511 introduced new requirements for SNFs, including:

• – Increasing onsite fuel storage for emergency power systems from 6 to 96 hours
• – Expanding the requirement for emergency power to include heating and cooling systems and life-sustaining equipment

To address non-compliance, SNFs must submit a plan of correction (POC) that includes evidence of compliance, such as a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with a fuel delivery provider and documentation of assessment results reviewed by the Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI). The POC should also include:

• – A narrative and timeline for resolving non-compliance
• – Copies of contracts with relevant parties
• – Details of temporary measures to ensure safe temperatures and emergency power for life-sustaining equipment during construction

Temporary measures should align with the facility's emergency operations plan (EOP) for utility or power loss, and information about third-party support services should be provided if applicable.

How Agility Recovery Can Help

A membership with Agility can help skilled nursing facilities maintain compliance with AB 2511 by being your dedicated fuel provider , ensuring fuel is delivered in a timely manner, providing scalable power recovery solutions, and producing proof of compliance and documentation for your plan of correction (POC).

In an increasingly interconnected world, power outages can wreak havoc on businesses and households alike. This is why backup power solutions are a vital part of any business continuity plan.

Earlier this year, CNN reported a surge in gas prices, causing concern about the feasibility of storing fuel for generators. This situation begs the question: Is there a more efficient and cost-effective way to ensure power availability during emergencies? Enter Agility Recovery services – a comprehensive solution that surpasses the limitations of buying and storing fuel and generators.

Rising Gas Prices and the Dilemma of Storing Fuel

The CNN article highlights the persistent issue of rising gas prices. As fuel costs soar, purchasing and storing fuel for backup generators becomes a substantial financial burden. The uncertainty surrounding the stability of gas prices further complicates the decision-making process. Storing large quantities of fuel also poses safety risks and potential environmental hazards.

The Allure of Backup Generators

Backup generators have long been seen as a reliable solution to power outages. However, they come with their own set of challenges. Acquiring a generator involves substantial upfront costs , from the purchase of the equipment itself to installation expenses. Depending on your organization's needs, these costs can be tens of thousands of dollars to purchase and maintain. Furthermore, generators require regular maintenance and testing to ensure they function correctly during emergencies. Storing fuel in anticipation of power outages introduces the risk of fuel degradation over time, rendering the generator useless when needed most.

Agility Recovery Backup Power Solutions

Agility Recovery services offer a holistic and innovative approach to addressing power outage concerns. Unlike the traditional model of purchasing and maintaining generators, Agility focuses on providing comprehensive disaster recovery solutions. These services encompass not only power availability but also data recovery, workspace solutions, and communication strategies. Agility Recovery addresses the shortcomings of storing fuel and using generators. Mainly, they eliminate the need for organizations and businesses to invest heavily in generator equipment and fuel storage. Instead, subscribers to these services gain access to reliable power sources during emergencies without the hassle of equipment maintenance or fuel procurement.

Benefits that Transcend Fuel Costs

Cost Efficiency: While the article underscores the volatility of gas prices, Agility Recovery offers a predictable pricing model. Subscribers pay a consistent fee for the service, allowing for accurate budgeting without being at the mercy of fluctuating fuel costs when the need for backup power arises. Maintenance and Reliability: Generators often sit idle for extended periods, leading to mechanical issues and decreased reliability when needed. Agility regularly tests and maintains its power infrastructure, ensuring it is ready for operation at a moment's notice. Comprehensive Solutions: Unlike generators, Agility Recovery provides a holistic approach to disaster recovery. In addition to power availability, they offer workspace solutions, data recovery, and communication strategies, ensuring that businesses can continue to operate smoothly during emergencies. These options can cover a variety of potential disruptions, aside from just backup power and fuel. Environmental and Safety Concerns: Storing large quantities of fuel poses safety risks and can have detrimental effects on the environment. Agility eliminates these concerns by providing clean and sustainable power solutions that don't rely on fuel storage and generator maintenance. Depending on where you're located, there may be additional regulations regarding generator use and fuel storage. California, for example, has some of the strictest generator regulations in the country. These regulations even pertain to testing, emissions, how fuel can be stored, and how long a generator can be used.

Conclusion

In a world where energy reliability is essential for business continuity and daily life, opting for Agility Recovery services over purchasing generators and storing fuel becomes clear. Rising gas prices, safety risks, and the limitations of generator reliability make Agility an innovative and practical choice. By embracing this modern approach to disaster recovery, organizations can ensure uninterrupted operations and peace of mind, regardless of the challenges posed by power outages and fluctuating fuel costs.

In honor of National Preparedness Month, I want to thank you for your dedication to our mission of preparedness and resilience. Last year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported 20 weather/climate-related events with losses surpassing $1 billion each, and in 2023, we’ve already seen 23 events this year. These figures highlight the ongoing need for our services, especially as we enter the peak season for severe weather now through November.

The events of Hurricane Idalia served as a reminder that preparedness is not merely seasonal, but a year-round commitment. Our response to this natural disaster exemplifies our core values and the agility we bring to the table when our customers and communities need it most. We worked with nearly 100 customers in the path of Hurricane Idalia, who put our resources on alert for their recovery strategy. During our recovery efforts, we provided resources like fuel and generators to help businesses impacted by the storm. Hurricane Idalia touched the lives of individuals and businesses across a diverse spectrum of industries. Our preparation and response extended into sectors such as:

• – Transportation/infrastructure
• – Healthcare
• – Food and beverage distributors
• – Retail and convenience stores
• – Oil and gas

This breadth of impact emphasizes our role in supporting various organizations during times of need. We learn from these events, adapting our offerings as new threats arise, and are currently working with customers to update their BC/DR programs to make sure they’re prepared for the next inevitable business interruption. Remember, business continuity isn’t limited to natural disasters and physical recovery services. While weather-related occurrences are currently top of mind, business interruptions can take on many forms that may prevent your ability to operate your business effectively. Our Preparis software helps your organization prepare for unexpected interruptions, including cyberattacks, ransomware, active shooter incidents, as well as severe weather. Preparis helps you create, assess, test, and adjust your continuity plan in real-time, making sure everyone in your organization has access to the latest plan. Plus, bi-directional messaging ensures timely communication during critical situations. Having the right continuity software, all in one central console, is essential for a robust preparedness plan. During National Preparedness Month and beyond, I urge you to maintain a constant focus on readiness. Now is the time to review and update your preparedness efforts and recovery plan. Resilience begins with proactive planning. Let us know if you’d like to discuss your preparedness efforts. We are here to support you. Please send us a message if we can be of assistance. Sincerely, Jon Bahl CEO, Agility Recovery & Preparis

As a business professional, it’s important to understand the value of investments and how they can lead to positive returns. Having a plan for backup power is essential in ensuring that your business can withstand any unexpected interruption. Depending on your specific industry, it may also be required by law. This article looks at the research from Hobson & Company and Agility Recovery in order to understand the return on investment, or (ROI), with an investment in backup power solutions.

When it comes to reliable backup power , traditional solutions can be expensive, and difficult to predict when they may be needed. The Department of Energy reports that power outages can have high costs associated with them and can cause waste if they occur in the middle of production. The Department of Energy estimates that outages cost the U.S. economy upwards of $150B annually . Agility Recovery provides a range of flexible deployment options that reduce costs, save time, and provide a tangible ROI. The research from Hobson & Company looks at the costs and risks of traditional solutions, the benefits of Agility Recovery, and how Agility’s solutions can help mitigate risk and control costs. Hobson and Agility have created a simple ROI calculator to see how your specific business can benefit from using Agility Recovery’s suite of continuity solutions.

Cost Savings

Agility Recovery provides a range of cost savings for businesses. This includes capital expenditure on generators, maintenance and testing expenses, and time spent responding to power outages. Customer research conducted by Hobson & Company indicates an 80% reduction in time spent responding to power outages while also avoiding maintenance and testing expenses. A participant in the Hobson report mentioned, “We were looking at buying a generator set to protect us from rolling blackouts due to weather events. They were not only prohibitively expensive at $2.5 – $4M per install but also had excessively long lead times of 1.5 – 2 yrs. We still have to run our business in that time and ensure we are protected from a business continuity perspective, and Agility provided a great solution for us, and we have coverage for all of North America without spending more than $100K/yr.”

Time Savings

Agility provides power, fuel, testing, and electrical connections to businesses in order to reduce costs and mitigate risks. This leads to time savings as businesses are able to respond to power outages more quickly, thereby avoiding costly losses associated with power outages. What does an 80% reduction in time spent look like? In the report, one senior buyer explained in detail. “I learned of a power interruption at one of our facilities in Texas while I was on the safari ride at Disney with my kids. I was literally on the safari ride ordering a generator, and it was so easy to get what I needed, even though I was on vacation. The whole process was very easy and only took about 10 minutes. Without Agility, I would have had to stop what I was doing, figure out who I would get the generator from, and what the cost was going to be. It would have taken me at least 2 hours.” Partnering with Agility will leave the guesswork out of business disruptions and let you do what you do best, serve your clients and your community.

ROI (Return on Investment)

The research conducted by Hobson & Company and Agility Recovery shows that an organization with given specifications could generate a 949% ROI after three years. For a medical device manufacturer with an annual revenue of $1.8B, an investment of $77,000 generated a positive return in less than one month. Depending on your business model and annual revenue, the ROI of Agility’s solutions can be seen almost immediately. Hobson’s research also signaled a 2% reduction in annual insurance premiums. With insurance rates continuing to rise, 2% can mean thousands of dollars saved each month. Partnering with Agility will not only improve your reaction time to a business interruption, but it will also reduce your costs year over year in ways you may not be able to predict.

Mitigating Risk

Agility's backup power solutions can help organizations protect against revenue loss, inventory spoilage, and idle employees. This is because Agility provides power, fuel, testing, and electrical connections to businesses in order to reduce costs and mitigate risks. Agility's solutions can help organizations avoid reputational damage due to late deliveries, canceled orders, and other hiccups that occur with unexpected downtime. In the report, a senior VP of operations stated, “Customer satisfaction and reputational risk are the biggest issues with late deliveries. People want their stuff when they want it. We operate 24 hrs/day, and if we experienced a prolonged outage, it would cost us $2.25M per day.”

Conclusion

This article is just an overview of the research conducted by Hobson & Company and Agility Recovery, focusing on the need for reliable and affordable backup power sources and the impact of Agility's backup power solutions. We’ve looked at the costs and risks of traditional solutions, the benefits of the Agility solution, and how Agility can help mitigate risk and control costs. Can you really put a price on the importance of customer satisfaction and avoiding reputational damage? Ultimately, it is clear that investing in Agility Recovery can help businesses reduce costs, save time, and generate a positive ROI. For more information, or for a breakdown of your organization's potential ROI, click here .

Whether or not your business has been impacted by power loss in the past, preparing for fast power restoration is an absolute foundation in business sustainability. On average, losing power for just four hours costs an organization between $10,000 to $20,000 , so the question is no longer whether companies can afford planning and recovery, but instead, how much will a business save by investing in a comprehensive business continuity plan that includes power restoration support? Your company’s safety, productivity, and revenue should never be left vulnerable to power loss. An effective power recovery plan includes strategies to address many contingencies. To do this, planners must avoid outdated power recovery myths and consider these critical facts:

Myth #1: Local vendors will be able to assist in the event of a major outage.

Fact: Without a formal agreement that includes guaranteed access to generators, fuel, and connection services, local vendors may allocate their inventory to larger organizations. We recently supported a small business that believed their agreement with a local provider was all they needed to secure a backup power solution. Unfortunately, as storms took out critical lines throughout their community, the provider was approached by a larger corporation that needed all available generator inventory to support its various locations. Because the small business lacked buying power compared to their enterprise-sized competition, the vendor canceled their agreement with the small business to serve a larger customer with a bigger budget. Fortunately, Agility was able to step in and quickly source, service, and connect a generator for this small business. Otherwise, the vendor’s questionable business practices could have meant a critical loss of revenue and reputation for the small business. While it may seem safe to assume that what you need will be available when you need it, unpredictable storm seasons, supply chain issues, and inflated demand lead to severe resource scarcity and price gouging. When local availability is compromised, this could cost you days, weeks – or even longer – of downtime. If we’ve learned anything from disasters like Hurricanes Harvey and Ida, 9/11, and the initial panic of the COVID pandemic, local fuel scarcity can cause incredible delays and increases in the cost of recovery. Unless you manage a large fuel storage unit on site, your power recovery plan must include quick access to the kind of fuel you need to operate your business’s gasoline- and diesel-dependent equipment. Lesson: While Agility guarantees rapid deployment of power recovery assets to all contracted customers, many providers do not offer this promise. Be sure to get your power recovery agreement in writing and review contracts for clauses that allow vendors to prioritize larger customers. When securing power recovery assets, be sure to include a plan for quick delivery of fuel to keep your generators , vehicles, and other equipment operational.

Myth: Buying our own generator will provide our company with the best value and fastest power recovery.

Fact: The initial investment you make in a generator is just that – initial. Cost over time will only increase as the reliability of your unit inevitably decreases. The investment made when a generator is purchased is only the beginning. Several factors significantly increase the total cost of a backup generator over time, including:

• Delivery and connection fees
• Ongoing maintenance
• Storage
• Training and testing
• Fuel
• Repairs

Even regularly serviced generators and other power recovery resources are vulnerable to damage caused by severe storms and other natural disasters. If your power restoration plan is entirely dependent on an on-site generator, you need to ensure that you have a reliable backup plan for your backup plan. Lesson: Purchasing one or more backup generators may seem like an easy, cost-effective solution, but power equipment requires regular maintenance, servicing, and fuel, which could drive costs up year-over-year compared to securing power recovery services with fixed, pre-negotiated rates. And when an unexpected storm or disaster causes a major outage, there’s no guarantee that on-site generators and fuel won’t be impacted, too. An effective power restoration plan accounts for these contingencies and includes assured alternative access to generators, fuel, and licensed electrical support.

Myth: Storm-related outages haven’t impacted our business before, so we don’t need to invest in a power recovery plan.

Fact: Historically, storm-prone regions are no longer the only parts of North America where storms cause significant power outages. In addition to storm-related outages, non-weather-related power loss is also rising. In recent years, some of the most damaging storms have been completely unseasonable and largely unpredictable. Lack of preparedness for these events – including the 2021 Texas ice storm – has resulted in critical community damage, economic loss, and permanent business closures. The United States’ aging power grid means that storm-related power outages are more of a threat to all regions and that non-weather-related outages are a growing threat every business should be prepared for. Common non-weather power outages are caused by various disruptions, including vehicles/accidents, animals, vandalism, trees, cyberattacks , and planned outages . Combined with a power grid in desperate need of an overhaul, these events are linked to more frequent, longer-lasting outages . Lesson: Unseasonable and unpredictable storms will increase in regions not traditionally impacted by severe weather. As the threat of non-weather-related outages grows across North America, businesses everywhere are vulnerable to revenue and productivity impacts caused by power loss. An effective recovery plan with services that include access to generators, fuel, connection, and testing will return thousands over the program’s cost after only one power-loss event.

While most of us are used to the idea of reliable constant electrical energy, the reality is that it can be one tenuous string. In many parts of the country, storms, deep freezes, snow, and other natural disasters can rapidly cut regional electricity for hours or even days. Furthermore, even if your business is located in a reasonably weather-stable area, there’s always the possibility of freak accidents, human error, or planned outages. The reality is that there’s no way to be sure about the constant reliability of any externally derived electrical source. For businesses and organizations of many kinds, a loss of electricity can be catastrophic, even if it lasts for just a few minutes; a multi-day electrical shortage can cause financial, data, and logistical effects on any organization. Just how costly can these events be? Research estimates indicate that power outages cost U.S businesses more than $27 billion per year, and the cost trend is growing upwards, not downwards. You need to protect yourself and maintain business continuity, and the one surefire way to do that is by maintaining your own internal backup power supply, ideally, one that’s capable of keeping the lights on and your systems running for several days or longer if needed. This guide explains the five crucial things you need to consider for achieving just this sort of secure redundancy.

Maintain a Robust Portable Generator

Depending on the size of your business installations and power needs, your quickest, best, and most useful source of emergency electrical power will be a compact portable generator that you keep on standby. These can be bought in almost any hardware store, and larger, truck-mounted models are capable of supplying electricity for days. The critical thing to keep in mind for these generators is to buy and have them ready before the next power outage occurs. Once disaster strikes, retailers tend to run out of items like generators of any kind rapidly (as we saw during recent hurricanes and wildfires), and even fuel can rapidly become scarce. For these reasons, you should have your portable generator ready well in advance, have it inspected regularly, and always keep it fully fueled, or contract with a company that guarantees this preparation.

Maintain Long-Term Standby Generators

While portable generators are a rapid and often highly affordable solution to power outages, they’re far from appropriate for all situations or power needs. Furthermore, many of them require you to plug equipment directly into them and turn them on manually. All of these measures will take time and can cause unexpected problems. A standby generator is an even more robust solution for emergency power. These power systems work much like portable generators but do so on a larger scale. They’re also crucially different in that they’re installed directly into your organization’s internal electrical system so that they can kick into gear as soon as the power goes out. Standby generators tend to be much costlier to buy, install, maintain and often require permits for their specialized installation, which is why we recommend partnering with a company that takes care of this for you and minimizes the chances of a supply shortage. With all that in mind, if your business needs genuinely robust, long-lasting emergency electricity, these devices are an extremely effective option.

Ensure Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS)

Even with the best standby generators waiting to kick into gear automatically, most grid power failures will mean at least a few seconds or minutes of zero electricity for your facilities and equipment. This isn’t a problem for many businesses, but if you have time-critical computer systems running, even a single moment of electrical loss can mean enormously costly data losses. There are also susceptible electronic devices running in some facilities, which cannot be suddenly shut down without the risk of damage. For these contexts, you should also invest in what are called Uninterruptible Power Supplies, or UPS devices. These are generally inexpensive and can integrate with your existing emergency power systems to provide those few crucial minutes of continuous electricity when the power grid dies and your alternative power system kicks into life.

Work Towards Long-Term Alternative Power Sources

While generators and continuous power supply systems are superbly helpful for most business needs, your best bet for secure long-term electrical power will be to switch over to alternative renewable electrical sources if at all possible. By these, we’re referring to systems such as roof-top solar power arrays, wind energy devices on your property, or possibly even other sources of ultra-localized, consistent, and renewable electricity. Your transition to your own renewables doesn’t need to be total. As a middle choice, it’s possible to invest in them for the sake of crucial systems power provision. This way, you’ll have peace of mind knowing that even if the general grid goes down, the most critical part of your electrical needs was never relying on it in the first place. Your own renewable power sources, combined with emergency generators in the case of extreme emergencies, should make your organization all but impervious to even the worst power cuts.

Further Solutions for Reducing the Effects of Power Outages

Ensuring a robust and continuous supply of emergency energy is a powerful tool against disaster in almost any context. Still, there are also ways to lighten your possible harm if your electrical systems fail. Keep some of these tips in mind for achieving this: Minimal perishable inventory: If you’re in a business that involves highly perishable products that are only kept fresh with constant electrical resources, work to keep a reduced inventory that will minimize your losses in the event of an energy cut. External cloud solutions: If your company depends on a heavy dose of software and data storage to function, one solution is to invest heavily in cloud-based data backup and business-data management systems. By having these active in the background at all times, power losses don’t need to become data losses, and you might even be able to rapidly relocate your business functions to a place where electricity still works. You can then reconnect with your cloud provider accounts. Emergency response exercises: When the power goes out, and especially if it does so in the middle of a general emergency, you should have your staff trained on handling all the needed tasks for activating generators, saving data, and saving crucial capital assets or inventory. This means training them beforehand and ensuring that the training has been internalized.

Seek Professional Help and Installation

Setting up a truly robust, professionally installed recovery protocol for power outages can be a complicated task, and choosing to do so yourself can open your organization up to vulnerabilities and high costs. This applies especially if your business is more complex or has unique needs. For these situations and in any context in which you need emergency power sources, calling in professional assistance for your power backup needs is an ideal choice that will save you time, money, and stress. Agility experts can help and have the tools for a robust backup energy system for your business.