“This gives you the ability to control your own power.” The blackouts in California offer new challenges, he said, and people are looking for answers. He said energy storage technology in the United States is less developed than elsewhere, mainly because the electric grid is typically so reliable. Jakins is a 12th-generation South African who came to Utah in 1990. A basic unit can power a refrigerator for several days, and other units, which can be upgraded over time, can power an entire home in a seamless transition, he said. The Humless can take power from any source - wind, solar or the grid - and store it for future use. An online search for “solar generators” yields a variety of equipment, some powered with lithium batteries in units that include Wi-Fi and other bells and whistles.Ī Utah County businessman, Glenn Jakins, just inked a contract through his multimillion dollar company, Humless, for 600 homes in Oregon to go completely off grid using his technology. Natural disasters and the desire for sustainability are prompting some households to invest in battery technology that can store energy in times of emergency.

Lines in stores were long for supplies that had already gone off the shelf. With our shutoff measures, we are trying to avoid being the cause of these fires.”Ĭalifornia’s power outages were accompanied by chaos as residents scrambled to buy emergency supplies such generators and gasoline to fuel them, water bottles, batteries, flashlights, oil lamps and more. Two more will be installed by next summer, Erickson added. The utility company installed eight weather stations in the vulnerable power shutoff zones to measure wind, humidity and other conditions. The point is making sure everyone is informed and knows what to expect and that we are ready for it.” “We did not want to do anything in a vacuum. “Throughout the past couple of years we have seen wildfires that are devastating, especially in California, and we wanted to be sure we could avoid being the cause of that,” she said. The utility company has also surveyed its own equipment for any structural problems and made repairs where necessary.

Rocky Mountain Power spokeswoman Tiffany Erickson said Utah crews identified vulnerable areas in the Public Safety Power Shutoff Areas where vegetation could come in contact with transmission lines and cleared tree limbs and other hazards. Southern California Edison, which supplies power to 15 million people, has also come under criticism for its potential link to large wildfires that could have been caused by faulty equipment. Trying to avoid that risk of equipment failure or power lines sparking a blaze, the embattled utility company - which has come under harsh criticism from customers and the governor - instituted the power outages this fall. The power company’s equipment malfunctions have been linked to devastating and deadly wildfires in California, including the 2018 Camp Fire that razed the town of Paradise and killed 85 people. has been instituting massive power outages in the Bay Area and elsewhere because the combination of high winds, power lines and extreme fire danger pose catastrophic risk. Residents can go to a special page on Rocky Mountain Power’s website to learn more about the zones, how impacted customers would be notified, and what measures can be taken around individual properties to minimize wildfire risk.Ĭalifornia’s Pacific Gas & Electric Co.

Rocky mountain power fire