Residents seek backup power as storms, fires cause blackouts

NEW YORK (AP) >> Climate change has led to deadlier wildfire seasons in the American West and more severe hurricanes and storms barreling up the Southern and Eastern coasts. The dramatic weather frequently knocks out power, leading some residents of storm-ridden or fire-prone areas to seek backup power options for their homes.

In California, utilities are shutting off power proactively to help prevent forest fires on days when the risk is high, impacting millions of customers.

“The electric system in the U.S. is 100 years old, so that system is struggling in light of extreme weather,” said Audrey Lee, vice president of energy services at Sunrun, which leases and sells solar energy systems.

Backup power options range from gasoline-powered portable generators, which can cost $1,000 or more, to solar panels plus batteries, which cost tens of thousands of dollars to purchase and install. Prices of solar panels and batteries have been coming down, making solar-plus-storage more attractive.

After Hurricane Maria, which destroyed much of Puerto Rico’s electric grid in 2017 and left millions of residents of the island territory without power for months, many critical buildings such as hospitals and fire stations were outfitted with solar panels and batteries to better withstand the next major storm.

One resident in California’s wine country, which has been scorched by deadly forest fires over the past few years, installed solar panels and two Tesla Powerwall batteries after a forest fire knocked out power to his new home for two days.

“I told my wife, ‘We can’t do this,’” said Justin Montague, 38, a sales professional. “I wanted to make sure that when I’m at work my kids and my wife are safe.” PORTABLE GENERATORS There are two types of generators: por

KEN BLEVINS - THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO Delma Hewitt checks out Al Lombardi as he purchases a new generator and other supplies at the Home Depot in Monkey Junction, N.C.