Power outages linked to heat and storms are rising, and low-income communities are most at risk, as a new NYC study shows

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Power outages linked to heat and storms are rising, and low-income communities are most at risk, as a new NYC study shows

People line up for ice provided by a utility company during a 2019 power outage in Brooklyn. AP Photo/Seth WenigMany Americans think of power outages as infrequent inconveniences, but that’s quickly changing. Nationwide, major power outages have increased tenfold since 1980, largely because of an aging electrical grid and damage sustained from severe storms as the planet warms. At the same time, electricity demand is rising as the population gr…