How Investing in Grid Resilience Helps Our Economy
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While data center growth and AI headlines dominate today’s energy conversation, reliability impacts everyone—from families and hospitals to businesses fueling the economy. When power goes out, productivity stalls and costs soar. Behind that invisible current lies a grid under pressure, and the most vulnerable segment, the distribution grid, is often overlooked. About 90 percent of outages occur here, and 80 percent are temporary, caused by tree limbs, wildlife, or weather.
These interruptions have a negative impact on the economy. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) reports outages cost American businesses $150 billion annually, with weather-related outages accounting for $20 billion–$55 billion.
Every dollar spent on grid resilience saves $13 in recovery costs, helping businesses stay open, hospitals operate safely, and communities rebound faster. In his recent article in EEI Electric Perspectives, S&C Electric Company President & CEO Anders Sjoelin explains why smarter grid investment is the key to a resilient, reliable energy future.