Extreme weather events, including hurricanes, heatwaves, earthquakes, floods and powerful storms, can wreak havoc on power networks, leading to significant outages with little to no warning. In an age of climate uncertainty, these disruptive incidents are becoming increasingly frequent and severe.

Research by Climate Central, an independent group of scientists and researchers, shows that 80% of all major U.S. power outages reported from 2000 to 2023 (1,755 incidents) were due to weather. The study also reveals that weather-related power outages are on the rise, with the U.S. experiencing about twice as many weather-related outages during the last ten years (2014-2023) than during the first ten years analyzed (2000-2009).

These incidents were recorded across the U.S., with the highest prevalence in Texas, Michigan, California, North Carolina, and Ohio. Climate Central says the nation’s electrical grid was not built for the present-day demand, with above-ground transformers, transmission wires, and utility poles all susceptible to damage from extreme weather events.

For healthcare facilities in particular, these power outages can be disruptive at best and potentially life-threatening at worst. They can lead to a loss of lighting for surgical procedures, the failure of critical equipment such as respiratory devices, and the loss of heating, ventilation, air conditioning and IT/computer systems. Each outcome can have a dramatic effect on patient comfort, care, and life.