What A Grid Crisis In The U.S. Looks Like

 

We don’t need a dramatic movie to give us a sense of what things would look like if we had a grid crash.  Facebook is showing us in real time.

As of this post, Power Outage reports almost 14% of electricity customers in Dallas are without power at the moment with temperatures in the 90s.

Oncor, the large electric utility in Dallas, announced this (as reported by WFAA):

“Complete reconstruction” of sections of power lines due to a storm.  That doesn’t sound like something that’s just gonna buff out.

Dallas residents predictably took to social media to lament the conditions.

Their complaints provide keen insights into what we should expect during future disruptions.

 Here are some Facebook posts, provided by a friend who shall remain anonymous, to give you a flavor of what’s upsetting people right now:

Has anyone seen an Oncor truck anywhere in the neighborhood?  Trying to get someone to come out because we have a tree leaning on a powerline.”

“This time there is no estimated time [until power is restored] they are giving either.  It’s frustrating because one can’t plan to leave or stay for the night!”

“Anyone else experiencing cell phone service issues?  I have Verizon and my phone says SOS.”

“Generator recommendations”

“Any tips on opening the back electric gates without power?  My husband is needing to get to the office but we’re without power and doesn’t appear we can open it.  Figured someone might know a trick?”

“For anyone who has power back, do you have Spectrum [internet service provider] back as well?  We got our electricity back this morning but still no wifi.”

“Anyone know how to troubleshoot a portable generator….First time we’ve used this generator.  Ideas?”

“Is there anything more annoying than the sound of the neighbor’s generator when you don’t have one?”

“As we move into the 9th hour without power I’m growing increasingly concerned about the food in my fridge, especially the whole milk my 20 month old demands all day long.”

“Are crews still working tonight or should I quit hoping my power is going to come on in the middle of the night?”

“While it’s fresh on our minds, what things should we have on hand for storms/power outages?”

“Does anyone else not have water?  Power came back on at 12:45 AM but still no water.”

Here are my observations based on these posts.

The reliance on “The Nebulous They” to fix things will not be overcome by the general population anytime soon.  Note how it’s up to other people to save them.  Yes, I like electricity, too.  But I also know the utility crews have difficult jobs – working long hours in adverse conditions – to restore power to your house so you can get your precious WiFi back.  It’s not a fast process.  Which is why I have methods to provide emergency power which I recommend to you.

Just because you have gear doesn’t mean it works.  Owning a generator isn’t a solution by itself.  It must be tested and maintained regularly.  You need to know how it works – what can it do and not do?  Do you have fresh fuel for it?  Do you have sufficient extension cords and power strips?  I did a short video about this yesterday on my Telegram channel, which you can join for free.

And if you own a functional generator, your neighbors may hate you.  That’s why it’s imperative you have a plan to assist others with their problems in times of crisis.  Offering to put power into people’s phones and laptops is a critical service you can provide as the neighborhood warlord.  Or putting their food in your fridge or freezer until their power comes back on.  Noise discipline is a real thing if you don’t want to draw attention to yourself.  At a minimum, those with generators need to think through how they’d go about using it so as to minimize upset neighbors.  Part of that may be purchasing a few extension cords and offering to run one into their home for their critical loads for a few hours.  They are less likely to complain if they are benefitting from the noise.

For those caring for people with unique needs, a utility outage compounds the challenge.  Mothers of infants need to protect the babies’ food, which can include breast milk.  People who need refrigerated medications need power to keep those medications effective.  Losing power for a few hours can have life-altering effects on these individuals.

Bear in mind Dallas is a wealthy, vibrant city with lots of resources.  And yet many are struggling to manage this situation, even though most of the city still has power and functions normally.  But what if it were the entire county?  And surrounding counties?  And with a power outage measured in terms of three weeks and not three days?  What then?

The veneer of society is quite thin.  When it peels off, we will see otherwise delightful people become very stressed in a short period of time.  They will blame The Nebulous They for their problems, along with those neighbors who are equipped and capable of managing the situation better than they are.  Their own failures of imagination preventing them from contemplating the ramifications of an extended power loss will become evident.

It’s imperative for prepared citizens to understand how non-prepared citizens will respond to extended grid down conditions.

Plan accordingly.