Expect Blackouts. Here’s How to Prepare.
The Dept of Energy says it's not "if", but "when".
So, the U.S. Department of Energy has said pretty clearly already that blackouts are inevitable.
That may sound unsettling, but I don’t share it to spark fear. I share it because preparation brings peace of mind. When we know what to expect and we can prepare for it.
That’s why I’ve unlocked last month’s subscriber-only article for everyone. It explains what Congress itself just learned about the AI arms race and the power grid, and why it matters for everyday families like ours.
👉 Read the full piece here: Dark AI Developments: The AI Grid
What’s inside the full article
Here’s a quick look at what you’ll find in the longer piece:
The U.S. government now calls AI an arms race, on par with past national survival efforts.
Families in several states are already paying more—$10–$27 extra a month—because of AI data centers.
A single AI chatbot query can use 10x the electricity of a Google search. Training a large model can equal a year’s worth of power for hundreds of homes.
Tech giants are investing $350 billion in data centers this year, each one drawing enough power to run a mid-sized city.
The DOE warns demand could grow by another 50 gigawatts by 2030—enough to power every home in California. Their own words: “Status quo is unsustainable.”
Blackouts won’t only come from AI
AI is one piece of the puzzle, but nature can play a role too. A coronal mass ejection (CME)—a large solar flare—can disrupt the grid. And experts are on high alert.
The good news is that we usually get about 10 hours of advance notice before a CME reaches Earth. That’s valuable time to prepare.
If you know one is coming, unplug any non-essential or sensitive devices as a power surge from a CME can damage them, and power can be a bit sketchy for up to a week after one has landed on the earth.
To get notifications, I recommend following NOAA or Spaceweather.com.
UPDATE NOV. 5, 2025: Extreme solar activity has been happening for the past two weeks on the far side of the sun and causing deep earthquakes within the planet. That activity—major solar storms and flares—are now facing towards Earth and are likely to cause power outages, but to potentially damage electronics.
Weather services usually warn of “wind” and potential power outages, but they don’t specific when that “wind” danger is actually solar wind.
Why? Good question.
There answer goes deep and is a topic for another post.
Comment below if you want me to dig into that.
How my family is preparing
This is something we’ve talked about a lot as a family. My husband is a licensed electrician who has installed dozens of generators for people in New York. There are many options out there, and some people want to prepare for longer outages, others want a large generator that starts automatically and runs for days without charge.
For our home, we just want the essentials and systems we know we can rely upon and manage ourselves. So, here’s what he suggests:
Power: A propane or gas generator outside for the fridge, heating, and a few lights. A smaller solar-charged battery inside for phones, laptops, and small devices.
Essentials: A week’s worth of food and water. Some cash in case card readers or ATMs are down. Books and games for the kids. Candles, matches, flashlights, and other essentials stored in a place where you know you will find them easily.
Mindset: Expect the WiFi might not work. That’s okay. It’s a chance to slow down.
Community: Check on neighbors. Someone nearby will appreciate the help.
These are the two generators we chose out of many hours of research and searching through hundreds of options:
This particular dual-fuel model isn’t available anymore, so I’ve linked to the newer model, that is a bit more powerful but quieter and lighter.
This indoor battery has solar panels that fold down into an easy flat-pack zippered case for easy storage.
Decide what you want for your home and workplace. Know what essentials you would want to keep running in your home. Work out how much power they require and choose the best system for you.
Usually the grid doesn’t stay down for more than a few days. If it were to be down longer than a week or two, it would be extreme and dire circumstances and we would see major changes in society. The Department of Energy isn’t expecting that, but it doesn’t hurt to be a little over prepared than under prepared.
A hopeful sign
I’m encouraged to see more people paying attention to this topic now. It used to be considered territory only for “conspiracy theorists” or “preppers” but now it is finally being recognized as a very mainstream reality.
Here are more recent coverage worth looking at:
The Epoch Times ran my article, AI Isn’t Free. The First Costs Are on Your Bill, and More Are Coming.
Business Insider just released an excellent video expose on U.S. data centers and transparency. They uncovered details I haven’t seen anywhere else—it’s worth watching: Watch here.
The more we talk about this, the better prepared we’ll all be.
Final thought
Blackouts may be inevitable. But panic isn’t.
You can go further by learning more about the electric grid you are connected to; talking to your local representatives to find out what they know and what they can do to prevent blackouts in your area; research data centers existing or proposed near you and start asking questions to your local town.
Remember, there is much power in you and your community. You don’t need to leave it all to the federal government. Decide how you want to prepare for yourself, your family and your community. Talk about it, then make it happen.
Preparedness gives us confidence. It reminds us that even when the lights go out, we can still stay calm, take care of each other, and keep moving forward.
Till next week,
Stay calm. Stay strong. Stay human.
~ Kay
PS. I’ve made comments available for all subscribers, so feel free to post your comments to share with all and communicate with each other here on Substack. Substack had the default setting of comments being only for paid subscribers and I’ve opted out of that so that we don’t have to have one-sided communication. To my dear paying subscribers, I appreciate you so very much, and I’ll work out another perk beyond comment access for you. Thank you, as always.
PPS. This email includes affiliate links to some Amazon products, which I only recommend because I have personally tested and used them myself.
I’m not saying don’t prepare, but I’m saying don’t be a defeatist and fight back. The data centers are also hurting our environment and human rights.