Weather events, disasters and power outages in your state

The United States is the fourth largest country in the world. It spreads across more than three million square miles. Residents of U.S. experience a wide range of weather events and disasters. These natural disasters also cause power outages. Some of these power outages affect millions of Americans. 

Let’s look at what types of disasters are more likely to occur across the states. Moreover, how these disasters can cause power outages.

 

Hurricanes and power outages

Hurricanes occur most frequently in the states along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. These include Florida, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and New York. 

Hurricanes by state across the U.S.

The strong winds associated with hurricanes can bring down transmission or distribution lines and force power plant closures. These leave consumers without electricity for days, weeks, even months. For example, Tropical Storm Barry led to widespread flooding throughout Louisiana. It left 114,000 without power in July 2019. Most recently, Hurricane Zeta left over two million residents without power. 

Earthquakes and power outages

Earthquakes occur most frequently among the states in the Pacific states. These include Alaska, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon and Idaho. Meanwhile, they can happen anywhere, at any time. Earthquakes damage roadways and buildings. They can also cause a domino effect leading to fires, tsunamis, landslides, avalanches and power outages. 

Earthquakes by state across the U.S.

For example, earthquakes near Ridgecrest, CA left approximately 10,000 without power in recent years. The effects of the earthquake felt throughout California, west to Arizona and Nevada, and south into Baja Mexico. 

Tornadoes and power outages

Tornadoes occur most frequently in the states across the Great Plains. These include Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia. 

Tornadoes by state across the U.S.

Tornadoes can quickly escalate from threat to full-blown disaster. Tornadoes can threaten power plants and bring down transmission or distribution lines. These can cause power outages. In May, a tornado outbreak including two violent EF4 tornadoes devastated Ohio communities. It left thousands of residents without power, in some cases for days. 

Winter storms and power outages 

Winter storms occur most frequently across the northern states of the Great Plains and the Eastern seaboard. 

Heavy snow and ice bring down tree branches onto power lines, leaving consumers without power. In April 2019, a blizzard known as Winter Storm Wesley dropped up to 16 inches of snow in Wyoming. It also dropped up to 25 inches snow in southern Minnesota, 30 inches in eastern South Dakota and 30 inches of in the Colorado Rockies. It left over 89,000 across the Midwest without power.  

Wildfires and power outages

Wildfires occur most frequently across the Pacific states and Alaska. These include California, Nevada, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Montana and even Texas. 

Wildfires by state across the U.S.

Wildfires bring down transmission or distribution lines and force power plant closures. These leave consumers without electricity. In addition, planned power outages often accompany high wildfire risk. California experienced its deadliest and most destructive wildfire seasons in 2017 and 2018. Local utility company PG&E began preventative outages last year. The first planned power outage left 60,000 without power for four days. 

Heat waves and power outages

Heat waves occur most frequently across the Great Plains and the Eastern seaboard. Heat waves increase the usage of some power-hungry amenities including air conditioners. This increased electricity usage causes a surge in the demand for electricity. This surge in demand could result in blackouts, power outages. Temperatures topped 100 degrees in parts of the South and Midwest when a heat wave hit in early August 2019. In Texas, electric utility ERCOT saw record demand for electricity during this time. This resulted in requests that residents lessen usage in the late afternoon and early evening to prevent power outages. 

Preparation tips for power outages caused by weather events and disasters

  • Check your insurance policy. Some traditional homeowner policies don’t cover disasters like flooding and earthquakes. 
  • Find out if you're in a flood zone. If so, take immediate steps to get flood insurance. Some policies typically take 30 days to go into effect.
  • Prepare a disaster kit for each member of your household. This includes children and pets. A basic emergency prep kit should include bottled water, non-perishable food, batteries and a flashlight.  
  • Keep a mini prep kit in your child's backpack. 
  • Keep additional supplies in your car in case if you need to evacuate with short notice.
  • Severe weather and power outages often come together. In fact, severe weather is the leading-cause of power-outages in the U.S. Have a plan for backup power. This is to ensure vital medical equipment and appliances like sump pumps stay on during a power outage. 

If you are interested in a more detailed power outage preparation list, we have the answer too. Start now to prepare for a power outage and download the ultimate checklist.

Aytek Yuksel - Cummins Inc

Aytek Yuksel

Aytek Yuksel is the Content Marketing Leader for Cummins Inc., with a focus on Power Systems markets. Aytek joined the Company in 2008. Since then, he has worked in several marketing roles and now brings you the learnings from our key markets ranging from industrial to residential markets. Aytek lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota with his wife and two kids.

Cummins Custompaks are being used for water management as Thailand struggles with its water crisis

CustomPak on site

Water crisis

Sixty Cummins Inc. CustomPaks are in service in Thailand as part of a critical water management plan aimed at easing the country’s water crisis – a crisis that has caused enormous economic and social damage and stirred conflict among communities.

Over the past several decades, Thailand has continually faced water problems caused by severe drought. Water reserves in dams and reservoirs are insufficient while water resources are often contaminated with toxins caused by urban communities and the industrial and agricultural sectors.

Severe flooding is a threat, too, at a time when the realities of climate change are hanging over the country.

As a result, the allocation of precious water resources, which must be shared among various stakeholders including new and existing industry, large and small agriculture, and cities and villages has become a flashpoint.

Kittithanapat Engineering Co. (KTP), has been involved in the water management system since 1996, working closely with authorities such as the Royal Irrigation Department, Department of Water Resources, Bangkok Metropolitan Authority and others.

CustomPaks on site

600 hp CustomPaks

To help KTP meet its often urgent requirements, Cummins DKSH (Thailand) has recently supplied 60 Australian-built CustomPaks – 45 powered by Cummins’ X15 engine rated at 600 hp, and 15 powered by the QSL9 rated at 325 hp. These fully self-contained powerpacks are emissions certified to Tier 3.

The CustomPaks are coupled to hydraulically-driven, large-volume submersible water pumps sourced by KTP from US company Moving Water Industries (MWI); KTP is the exclusive distributor in Thailand for these MWI Hydroflo pumps.

Prior to Cummins’ involvement, KTP was using another diesel engine brand but service support wasn’t up to the standard required.

Long-serving KTP engineer Kittisak Thanasoot says Cummins DKSH’s reputation for technical and aftersales support along with the reliability of the Cummins product were a key reason behind KTP’s decision to specify the CustomPaks for the Royal Irrigation Department.

The ability of Cummins DKSH to respond to short delivery times was also important.

“Supplying large quantities of high horsepower diesel engines for emergency situations such as flash flooding can be a challenge for KTP,” says Kittisak Thanasoot.

“Responding to the needs of the government agencies to manage such problems in a timely manner and with least impact on communities, KTP has found the answer in our partnership with Cummins DKSH.”

Power, pride and passion

Parked semi truck

The switch back to Cummins power has been beneficial for iconic New Zealand company Uhlenberg Haulage. It's all about whole-of-life costs.

Uhlenberg Haulage is closing in on 60 years in business, having been founded in 1966 by Mike and Carol Uhlenberg.

Based in Eltham, Taranaki, in New Zealand’s North Island, the operation is today owned and operated by their sons Chris, Daryl and Tony Uhlenberg.

Describing the Uhlenbergs as “old school family truckies”, Daryl talks about the company’s time-honored journey with a definite tone of pride, especially the work of his parents in laying the foundations for what is today an iconic fleet in its own right.

Cummins Inc. made its debut in the Uhlenberg fleet in 1971 with an NH250 powering a second-hand Kenworth K923 used in logging. A second Kenworth, a new W924 with a Cummins NTC335, followed soon after hauling an LPG tanker.

The Uhlenberg operation today comprises 40 prime movers and a variety of trailing gear to cater for the myriad of a jobs the fleet is involved in.

A number of Peterbilts feature in the fleet although Kenworth is now the brand of choice with six new units to be delivered over the next 12 months to cater for business growth.

Cummins’ X15 Euro 5 engine rated at 550 or 600 hp is the preferred power specification, with 18 red engines currently in the fleet.

Uhlenberg family in front of truck

Whole-of-life support

“The switch to Cummins has been a very good experience for us. We have nothing but praise for the Cummins organization,” says Daryl.

“The whole-of-life picture is the key thing for us and we’ve got that nailed with the support we get from Cummins – parts availability, scheduled maintenance, life expectancy and in-frame rebuilds.

“So the red engines turn up, we run them to life, which is 900,000 to 1.2 million kilometers, and then Cummins does an in-frame overhaul in a timely manner. If there’s an issue, parts and support are close by.

“The support we get from Cummins Palmerston North is fantastic, second to none.”

Daryl recently looked under a Kenworth that was in the workshop for a service and was surprised to see no oil leaking from the one-million-kilometer X15. “I remember when I was a fitter we had to wear a raincoat when working under a truck,” he jokes.

Fuel agnostic

Acknowledging that the push to decarbonize is now “very real”, Daryl likes the idea of Cummins’ fuel agnostic concept where one base internal combustion engine, optimized to run on diesel, can also be customized to run on ultra-low and zero-carbon fuels like renewable natural gas and hydrogen.

“My father was a pioneer of linehaul trucking in New Zealand and he always embraced new technology. He was never scared of it,” he says.

“I tend to be a little more cautious but I can see where a 500 hp natural gas or hydrogen engine would work for us in short haul applications,” he admits. “We’re certainly willing to look closely at these alternative fuel technologies when suitable infrastructure is in place.”

Redirecting to
cummins.com

The information you are looking for is on
cummins.com

We are launching that site for you now.

Thank you.