Preparing for Power Outages in Illinois: Tips and Resources

The Real Cost of Downtime: How Power Outages Impact Your Illinois Business's Bottom Line

For businesses, power outages mean more than inconvenience—they translate directly to lost revenue, damaged inventory, and potentially lasting customer relationships damage.

Quantifying Business Outage Costs

Direct costs:

• Lost sales: Retail, restaurants, and service businesses lose revenue for every hour closed
• Spoiled inventory: Food service, pharmaceuticals, and temperature-sensitive goods at risk
• Equipment damage: Sudden shutdowns can damage machinery and electronics
• Data loss: Systems without proper backup may lose critical data

Indirect costs:

• Employee wages: Paying staff who can't work
• Overtime recovery: Catching up after power returns
• Customer loss: Customers who go elsewhere may not return
• Reputation damage: Perception of unreliability

Industry-Specific Impacts

Restaurants/Food service: USDA guidelines require discarding refrigerated food after 4 hours without power. A single extended outage can mean thousands in spoiled inventory.

Retail: Point-of-sale systems down means no sales. E-commerce businesses may lose orders if servers/connectivity fail.

Manufacturing: Production line shutdowns can damage in-process goods and require lengthy restart procedures.

Healthcare: Life-safety equipment requires backup power. Regulatory requirements mandate emergency power systems.

Data centers/IT: Even brief outages can corrupt data and damage equipment. Uptime requirements often mandate extensive backup systems.

Illinois Outage Statistics

Illinois experiences outages from multiple causes:

• Summer storms: Thunderstorms, tornadoes, and high winds cause most outages
• Winter weather: Ice storms can down trees and power lines for days
• Extreme temperatures: Peak demand during heat waves or cold snaps can strain the grid
• Equipment failures: Aging infrastructure occasionally fails

ComEd and Ameren have invested heavily in grid hardening, but outages remain inevitable. The question isn't if you'll experience an outage, but when—and whether you're prepared.

Your Ultimate Pre-Outage Action Plan: A Step-by-Step Checklist for Illinois

Preparation before an outage determines how well you weather it. Use this checklist to get ready.

Home Preparedness Checklist

Emergency supplies:

• ☐ Flashlights with fresh batteries (multiple)
• ☐ Battery-powered or hand-crank radio
• ☐ First aid kit
• ☐ 3-day supply of non-perishable food
• ☐ Bottled water (1 gallon per person per day)
• ☐ Manual can opener
• ☐ Portable phone chargers (charged)
• ☐ Cash (ATMs may not work)

Comfort and safety:

• ☐ Warm blankets (winter)
• ☐ Portable fans or cooling towels (summer)
• ☐ Medications (adequate supply)
• ☐ Pet food and supplies
• ☐ Fuel for vehicles (keep tanks at least half full)

Home preparation:

• ☐ Know location of main electrical panel
• ☐ Identify critical circuits (sump pump, refrigerator)
• ☐ Test smoke and CO detectors
• ☐ Ensure sump pump has battery backup (if applicable)
• ☐ Trim trees near power lines (report to utility if on their side)

Business Preparedness Checklist

Critical systems inventory:

• ☐ List all equipment requiring continuous power
• ☐ Identify systems with battery backup (UPS)
• ☐ Document startup/shutdown procedures
• ☐ Know which systems can be safely shut down vs. require careful shutdown

Data protection:

• ☐ Ensure automatic backups are functioning
• ☐ Verify offsite/cloud backup accessibility
• ☐ UPS systems on servers and critical workstations
• ☐ Surge protection on all electronics

Communication plan:

• ☐ Employee contact list (phone numbers that work without internet)
• ☐ Customer notification procedures
• ☐ Vendor/supplier contact information
• ☐ Insurance agent contact information

Financial protection:

• ☐ Review insurance coverage for business interruption
• ☐ Document inventory and equipment (photos/video)
• ☐ Have cash on hand for emergency purchases

Sign Up for Outage Alerts

Both ComEd and Ameren offer outage notification services:

ComEd:

• Sign up for outage alerts at comed.com
• Text OUT to 26633 to report outages
• Download the ComEd mobile app for real-time updates
• Check outage map at comed.com/outage

Ameren Illinois:

• Register for outage alerts at ameren.com
• Report outages via app or phone
• View outage map for restoration estimates

Lights Out? Your Business Continuity Guide for During & After an Illinois Power Failure

When the power goes out, quick action can minimize damage and speed recovery.

Immediate Actions (First 5 Minutes)

Safety first:

• Check if outage is just your property or widespread
• If you smell gas, leave immediately and call 911
• Use flashlights, not candles (fire risk)
• Unplug sensitive electronics to prevent surge damage when power returns

Report the outage:

• Report to your utility (ComEd or Ameren)
• Note the time the outage began
• Check utility outage map for scope and estimated restoration

Short-Term Outage (Under 4 Hours)

Food safety:

• Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed
• Refrigerator stays cold ~4 hours if unopened
• Full freezer holds temperature ~48 hours (24 hours if half full)

Business operations:

• Activate battery backup systems
• Gracefully shut down systems that can't run on backup
• Notify customers if affecting service
• Document start time for insurance purposes

Extended Outage (4+ Hours)

Home:

• Move to one room for heating/cooling efficiency if using portable equipment
• In winter: Insulate pipes if temperatures drop significantly
• In summer: Seek cooling centers if heat becomes dangerous
• Check on elderly or vulnerable neighbors

Business:

• Evaluate whether to send employees home
• Activate backup power if available
• Relocate critical operations if possible
• Begin documenting losses for insurance

When Power Returns

Safety checks:

• Wait a few minutes before turning on equipment (grid stabilizing)
• Turn on equipment gradually, not all at once
• Check for any damage from the outage
• Inspect refrigerated/frozen items for safety

Business recovery:

• Systematically restart systems per your documented procedures
• Check that all backups completed properly
• Document total outage duration
• Assess and document any losses
• File insurance claims if applicable

Beyond the Grid: Illinois Resources and Backup Power Solutions for Uninterrupted Operations

For homes and businesses where outages are unacceptable, backup power provides insurance against grid failures.

Portable Generators

Best for: Homes and small businesses needing basic backup for essentials.

Considerations:

• Cost: $500-$2,000 for quality units
• Fuel: Gasoline, propane, or dual-fuel
• Capacity: Typically 3,000-10,000 watts
• Safety: NEVER run indoors—carbon monoxide kills
• Extension cords to specific devices (not whole-house)

Standby Generators

Best for: Homes and businesses requiring automatic, whole-facility backup.

Considerations:

• Cost: $5,000-$25,000+ installed
• Fuel: Natural gas or propane (continuous supply)
• Automatic transfer: Starts within seconds of outage
• Whole-building power or selected circuits
• Professional installation and permitting required
• Regular maintenance needed

Battery Backup Systems

Best for: Homes with solar, businesses needing clean/quiet backup, shorter outages.

Considerations:

• Cost: $10,000-$20,000+ for whole-home systems
• Silent operation
• No fuel needed (especially with solar charging)
• Limited duration depending on battery size and load
• Can also provide demand charge management and TOU optimization
• Popular options: Tesla Powerwall, Generac PWRcell, Enphase

UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply)

Best for: Protecting specific equipment (computers, servers, medical devices).

Considerations:

• Cost: $100-$2,000+ depending on capacity
• Provides minutes to hours of backup depending on load
• Instant switchover protects against even momentary outages
• Essential for servers and critical electronics
• Replace batteries every 3-5 years

Choosing the Right Solution

Illinois Resources

Emergency information:

• Ready.gov Power Outage Guide
• Illinois Emergency Management Agency: ready.illinois.gov
• Local emergency management offices

Utility resources:

• ComEd outage map and alerts: comed.com
• Ameren outage map and alerts: ameren.com
• Both utilities offer programs for customers with medical equipment needs

Being prepared for power outages protects your family, your business, and your peace of mind. Take time now to assess your risks and implement appropriate solutions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Power outages are an inevitable part of life in Illinois. Summer storms, winter ice, and extreme temperatures all threaten grid reliability. But with proper preparation, the impact on your home or business can be minimized.

Start with basic preparedness supplies and a plan. Sign up for utility outage alerts. For businesses and homes where outages are unacceptable, invest in appropriate backup power solutions. The time to prepare is now—not when the lights go out.