Make hurricane season resiliency season

The thought of another hurricane season and the severe storms it brings can cause anxiety for any home — or business owner — especially in an era of more frequent and extreme storms. However, preparation, flexibility, and a proactive approach can reduce uncertainty and enhance resiliency, both for this hurricane season and for other potential disruptions to electricity supply down the road.

Hurricanes and other forms of severe weather can wreak havoc on electricity supplies, house integrity, and feelings of safety — high winds, tidal surges, and heavy rains are no friend to homeowners or the traditional grid. Here is a list of options for homeowners who want to face this season’s extreme weather while being ready for whatever it brings.

1. Get a generator. One of the primary ways you can get summer storm season-ready is to prepare for power outages with onsite, home-based backup generators. When the electrical grid goes down, home generators are there to ramp up. Whether during a storm, or in its aftermath, keeping the power on in a home is reassuring, comforting, and, potentially, lifesaving. As the range of generators increases and prices decrease, finding an option that also fits a budget is more likely than ever.
2. Check your homeowners insurance. Does your home insurance provide you with the coverage you need to repair or replace your home should a storm damage it? If you aren't sure of exactly what your policy does and doesn't cover, make an appointment with your insurance agent. You don't want to wait for when the storm hits to consider property damage and its cost.
3. Have an emergency kit. If you don't yet have an emergency kit for extreme weather, it's time to build one. Important items to include? A first aid kit, potable water, non-perishable food for all your family members for at least a few days, a flashlight with fresh batteries, a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert, or a battery-powered or hand-crank radio, extra batteries, a charged cell phone and more.
4. Ready your house ahead of time. One of the best ways to prepare for the summer months when storms become more commonplace is to make sure your house is ready. Have a technician look over your sump pump. Repair any loose shingles or downspouts. If stormwater tends to gather in certain parts of your yard or driveway during thunderstorms, hire a professional to address the problem before it causes water damage somewhere on your property.

For more resources and ideas, check out our storm preparedness checklist.

The impact of a hurricane on any organization can be devastating. Downtime alone is costly. “Closed temporarily” is an inconvenience for customers and a financial hit for businesses, whether from lost revenue, lost inventory, or both.

1. Ensure you'll have power. Besides a backup generator, businesses can also tap into a larger distributed energy system. In simple terms, this includes a high-capacity backup generator coupled with an integrated set of components known as distributed energy resources (DERs). The result is a customized, dynamic system that can provide ready access to onsite power while granting the ability to be energy independent when the grid goes down. The advanced nature of DERs brings other benefits, too, such as the possibility to tap into renewable power sources, immediate and seamless start-up times, advanced monitoring, and the ability to interact with the grid and even sell power back to it in certain situations. It's a solution that can pay for itself over time, even if a catastrophic weather event never comes near. 
2. Contact your insurance company. Just like a homeowner, a business needs to know exactly what protection their insurance policy does and doesn't provide. Make sure that if the worst happens, there will be no surprises in the aftermath.
3. Purchase storm-ready equipment and furniture. While it won't work in every instance, there are some ways business owners can outfit their company with supplies, equipment, and furniture that’s able to withstand extreme storms. From heavy-duty patio furniture to siding, windows, and doors rated for high winds, spend the extra money to give yourself greater protection.
4. Have an emergency kit. While the odds are good that you'll have enough warning to head home before a major weather event, you should still make sure your business location is equipped with an emergency kit like the one described above.

Moving forward on preparation measures, businesses can get immediate information and resources from our NRG Storm Center. Longer-term, they can tap into the expertise and experience of our energy team through a resiliency-based energy strategy that could incorporate many tailored components.