By Nicole Nguyen
A massive multiday power outage hit my San Francisco neighborhood in December. There were dark streets, stalled robotaxis, even discarded dough from local bakeries bursting from trash bins. My family coped fine, but I know we need to be more prepared for next time.
The number of Californians affected by planned power shut-offs due to wildfire risk and other events jumped 145% last year, compared with 2024, according to data from the California Public Utilities Commission. Meanwhile, the winter storms raging through the Eastern U.S. have left people without power for days in freezing temperatures.
Everyone can benefit from backup power in the event of an outage. But just 14% of American households own a generator, according to 2024 research from Oberlin College.
"The question is: Do you need a larger backup because you have more vulnerabilities?" said Marriele Mango, a senior project director at Clean Energy Group. If you have medical needs, such as a CPAP machine or refrigerated insulin, it's an easy decision.
Gas generators, the traditional option, are noisy, high maintenance and smelly. They also emit toxic fumes, so they aren't an option for apartment dwellers like me. Batteries, which are now gaining in size and dropping in price, are quiet and don't require upkeep. You can bring the smallest power stations where you need them, while larger ones live next to your main electrical panel and take over the whole house when needed.
You might not be able to set up your ideal backup power system before the next storm, but this guide will help you plan for the long term.
Essentials only
Think of a portable power station as a huge phone brick, one big enough to keep your milk from spoiling. You charge it when you have power, then when there's an outage, you can plug in essential appliances. They're also useful for camping or running a projector in the backyard. Heavier, higher-capacity batteries have wheels and can weigh upward of 25 pounds.
Depending on how much power you need and for how long, you could spend as little as a hundred dollars -- or well into the thousands.
In this category, reputable brands include EcoFlow, Anker and Jackery. When shopping, pay attention to these three specs:
-- Capacity: Watt-hour (Wh) refers to the battery's size, or how long it will last. They go from a few hundred Wh for a few appliances to several thousand Wh to cover a whole home. (Remember, 1,000 Wh = 1 kWh.)
-- Output: The watts $(W)$ tell you what kind of appliances you can run. If your water kettle is 1,500 watts, you would need a battery that's rated for at least 1,500-watt output.
-- 'Peak,' 'surge' or 'boost' wattage: This is the max output a battery can temporarily reach. Certain appliances, like your fridge, need more power to start up. A 2,000-watt battery might be capable of a 3,000-watt peak.
Battery chemistry is also important. If you want a battery that won't wear down as quickly over time, look for lithium-iron-phosphate batteries (also called LFP or LiFePO4). These are the same types found in electric vehicles. Cheaper batteries tend to be made using the more standard lithium-ion.
You'll also need to estimate your power needs. Jackery has a handy wattage calculator tool. EcoFlow's 256Wh River 2 ($189) can cover laptops and mini fridges. Larger appliances demand more expensive batteries.
As I tallied up my in-case-of-emergency list, the watts -- and cost -- added up quickly.
-- Wi-Fi router: 15W
-- Fridge: 100-200W, with an initial 1,000W surge
-- Space heater: 750W
-- Water kettle: up to 1,500W
The total? At least 2,500 watts. Anker's C2000 ($799) would power those essential electronics for a couple of hours. By adding an expansion battery ($599), I could comfortably eke out a few more.
I pondered ways to scale back on energy usage, by swapping the space heater for 60-watt electric blankets, for instance. I could also skip the kettle for ramen and tea, but that's a lot to ask.
Also, it's easy to forget that your Wi-Fi router is plugged into a modem, usually in some far corner of the house. Rather than use your portable power station, try an uninterruptible power supply $(UPS)$ box. Designed to keep desktop PCs going briefly after an outage occurs, these extra-chunky power strips can keep a modem running for hours.
The whole house
Portable power stations are easy, but you need to plug everything into them yourself. A whole-home battery can simplify a backup, automatically providing juice to all of your outlets during an outage. It also might be the key to keeping your heat on: A gas heating system often has electrical controls wired into your home's main circuitry.
Whole-home backups require professional installation and can be a multi-thousand-dollar investment . A popular go-to model, Tesla's 13.5 kWh Powerwall, can cost over $15,000 including labor and last over a decade.
But you can save thousands by opting for a manual (rather than automatic) switch and stacking several batteries that you then plug into your electrical panel, said Pete Tims, owner of Quantice Solar, an alternative-energy electrical services provider in Virginia.
For a recent client, Tims installed an EcoFlow Delta Pro Ultra plus expansion battery (12.2 kWh) for $7,500 total. Scaled-down options cost even less.
To decide your budget, assess how long your region's outages typically last. "Do you want to spend tens of thousands for a single dayslong outlier? Or have a system to get you through 8 hours, and that's good enough?" Tims said.
Then, check your utility bill for your typical needs. My household's daily usage ranges from 5 to 12 kWh. An average three-bedroom, two-bathroom home with a two-car garage typically needs an 8 kWh system, Tims said.
What about cooling? Air conditioners need a huge burst of power to turn on. Only the highest-end batteries or portable systems are equipped to handle the load. Even still, during an outage, you'll want to use AC sparingly, as it can drain batteries quickly.
You might already own a massive battery that can power your home: an EV. You can reverse the power flow in some models, including the Ford F-150 Lightning, Chevy Silverado EV, Tesla Cybertruck and upcoming Rivian R2.
Last month, Tims installed a transfer switch and a bidirectional EV charger for a customer to use a Cybertruck, equivalent to more than six Powerwalls. It cost $7,000, not including the price of the vehicle.
For my own apartment, I'm starting with a 2 kWh portable battery for $800. There's no installation required, and I can add expansion packs over time if needed.
During the next outage, you'll find me with my family, under an electric blanket, sipping piping hot tea.
Write to Nicole Nguyen at nicole.nguyen@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
February 01, 2026 09:00 ET (14:00 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Comments