Every year the same scene repeats: a thirty-minute storm knocks out power to entire neighborhoods, and the companies connected to that grid stop without warning, some for two hours, others for two days.
What separates one case from the other is what each operation prepared before the storm. Follow along to see why power outages due to storms happen so frequently and what your company can do to not rely on luck.
Why do storms cause power outages so frequently?
A large part of the power distribution in Brazil is done by overhead power lines, with cables supported on poles along the streets. This network is cheaper to build and maintain than underground ones, and also more fragile.
Four situations account for most power outage occurrences on stormy days:
- Power outage due to windstorm, when strong winds knock down a branch or tree onto the grid
- Lightning strike hitting the grid or distribution equipment
- Flooding of substation, underground chamber or power entrance
- Damaged structure, such as a fallen pole or broken cable
The first two account for most cases and require different protections. The windstorm acts through mechanical force, tearing down cables and poles, while the lightning strike acts through voltage and burns the equipment without touching the structure.
The reconnection time also depends on the cause: a trip due to protection returns quickly, while a broken cable requires a field team, and the service queue becomes long precisely when the storm hits many points at the same time.
What happens to the operation when the power goes out?
The power outage ends when the grid returns, but the damage to your operation continues afterward.
Unscheduled downtime
A process interrupted in the middle rarely restarts from where it left off, and the reconnection itself is the quick part. Depending on what your company produces, there is material that goes to waste, batches that need to be revalidated, and an entire shift to reschedule.
Damage from power surge
The outage is accompanied by voltage spikes, at the time of failure and again upon return. These spikes damage boards, inverters, motors, and control systems, and the defect usually appears only days later.
Loss of data and systems
Sudden shutdown can corrupt server data, management system, and process controller, and recovery usually takes longer than the power outage itself.
Safety risk
Emergency lighting, fire fighting, access control, and pumping depend on power, and with people circulating in the operation, the lack of it becomes a safety issue.
Slow recovery
To resume operation, the equipment needs to be checked, the process restarted in the correct order, and the environment stabilized. Those working with refrigeration also add the time it takes for the temperature to drop again.
How to protect the operation before the next occurrence?
No one can prevent a storm, but your company can prevent a power outage from turning into an operational shutdown.
Separate what is critical from what can wait
During a downturn, only part of the operation needs to keep running. When your company maps out what is essential, it often discovers that the load to cover is smaller than expected, and the solution is cheaper than maintaining the entire operation.
Having backup power ready to take over
The emergency generator kicks in when the grid goes down and supports the load until it returns, provided it is properly sized and maintained, or it becomes an expensive piece of equipment sitting idle.
Systems that combine generators with battery storage respond faster to short fluctuations, reduce fuel consumption, and make sense in operations that suffer more from instability than from long outages.
Also protect against power surges
What burns equipment is the voltage spike, and the generator doesn’t help against it, so surge protection adds an extra layer. If your company only installs the generator, you’ll keep replacing boards after every storm.
Write the plan before you need it
An energy contingency plan defines who activates what, in what order, with which contacts, and in what time frame, and without this on paper, every storm becomes an expensive improvisation.
A number sums up whether the plan works: how long it takes for your operation to return to normal pace after a downturn, because it is what makes operational continuity verifiable.
How does this show up in practice?
Tecnogera provided temporary power for the construction and testing of the Data Center SP 01, by Odata Colocation, and worked with parallel generators during the live broadcast of The Voice Brasil, where an on-air outage cannot be fixed afterward.
At the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, the service covered 25 competition venues, plus the opening and closing ceremonies, a context in which backup power needs to take over without anyone noticing.
Test with real load
Turning on the emergency equipment without load only shows that it starts. The test with load bank is what verifies if the set sustains the actual consumption of your operation for the necessary time.
Protecting your operation against power interruption due to storms starts by understanding the load it needs to keep running. Tecnogera sizes based on this number and works with emergency generators on standby, fast delivery and 24-hour service.
If your operation has already stopped due to a storm, talk to our technical team and receive an assessment so that the next event has a different outcome.
Frequently asked questions about power interruption due to storms
Why does the power go out so much during storms?
Because most of the distribution is done by overhead power lines, exposed to wind, falling trees, and lightning, and the flooding of substations and power entry is also a frequent cause.
How long does it take for power to return after a storm?
It depends on the cause, because a trip due to protection usually returns quickly, while a broken cable or damaged pole requires a field team, and service is slower when the storm hits many points.
Is a power outage due to wind different from one due to lightning?
Yes, and the protection also changes: the windstorm knocks down the grid by mechanical force and requires backup power, while lightning acts through voltage, burning equipment even without breaking cables and requires surge protection.
Does a UPS solve the problem?
It solves it for a few minutes, the time to safely shut down systems or for the generator to take over, but to keep the operation running for hours you need backup power with autonomy.
What damages equipment more: the lack of power or its return?
Often, the return, because the restoration comes with voltage spikes, and these are what compromise boards, inverters, and control systems.
Do I need a generator for the entire operation?
Not necessarily, because mapping critical loads usually significantly reduces the required power and, consequently, the cost of the solution.
What is an energy contingency plan?
It is the document that defines what happens when the power goes out, with the priority loads, who activates what, in what order, and with which contacts, to eliminate improvisation at the time of failure.
How often does the generator need to be tested?
The interval depends on the usage regime and the criticality of the operation, and it is the periodic test that ensures the equipment takes on the load when you need it.
Can you rent a generator during the rainy season?
Yes, renting covers the period of greatest risk without requiring investment in your own equipment, and it is a common choice for operations with defined seasonality.
Does Tecnogera handle emergencies?
Yes, Tecnogera offers generator rental with standby mode, fast delivery, and 24-hour service, with sizing based on the actual load of the operation.
How do I request an evaluation for my company?
Just contact us through the quote form, providing the type of operation, approximate load, and period of need, and our technical team will evaluate and present the appropriate solution for your company.
Read also: which sectors are most vulnerable to weather-related disruptions
