In a previous post, we discussed the growing prevalence of blackouts in California. Not only are blackouts being caused by aging equipment and wild weather, but utilities now feel emboldened to cut power to businesses and homes at any time with impunity.

Power analysis experts note that millions of people have been affected by planned shutoffs. These shutoffs are often intended to reduce wildfire risk during periods of combined heat and high wind. Unfortunately, they have been marked by carelessness:

• The public often hears about Public Safety Power Shutoffs only 24 hours in advance or less

• Utilities fail to communicate clearly about who will be affected by shutoffs and for how long

• Businesses catering to at-risk individuals, such as hospitals, are disproportionately impacted

Planned utility shutdowns are a symptom of aging, unreliable equipment – but they can also compound that very same problem. Every time the power is cut or restored to your California business, it can damage your building systems – causing circuit breakers, wiring, and other elements to overload.

A Power Analysis Protects Your California Business from the Knock-on Effects of Blackouts

Power outages are no longer just a rural problem – ask anyone in the San Francisco Bay Area!

Spikes, surges, brownouts, and blackouts all have one thing in common: They were once looked at as telltale signs of aging, poorly maintained equipment. For the most part, a power analysis would show that the worst utility performance was centered on areas 50 or more miles from a city.

The last three years have seen hundreds of blackouts centered on major cities.

The Bay Area is at particular risk of blackouts. A recent study by power analysis experts uncovered that San Jose, San Francisco, and Oakland have been struck by a combined total of over 3,200 blackouts in the period between October 2017 and December 2019.

Power from an electric utility is intended to be reliable. But as soon as you step off the beaten path, you need battery backup power. Nowhere is this more obvious than today’s onsite coronavirus testing labs.

Battey Backup Power is Critical to Safety, Efficiency, and Accuracy in Coronavirus Testing

In many cases, new mobile facilities were planned from the ground up to give medical professionals the resources to travel where testing capacity is most needed. Onsite coronavirus testing makes it easier to keep everyone safe when conducted at large parking lots and other open spaces.

There are significant use cases for battery backup power in coronavirus testing:

1. Modular Coronavirus Testing at Existing Facilities

Coronavirus testing facilities can be made modular and moved into existing spaces. In situations like this, battery backup power serves as an additional layer of protection. It can ensure the voltage received by sensitive testing equipment is clean, enabling tests to execute as expected.