Two-Thirds of American Homeowners Have Experienced a Power Outage This Year, Majority Worry Power Outages Will Become More Common

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nearly three in five (59%) Americans are concerned about power outages becoming more common where they live, according to a new survey of 2,000 American homeowners conducted by Talker Research on behalf of Sunrun (Nasdaq: RUN), America’s largest provider of home battery storage, solar, and home-to-grid power plants.

The survey results are being released to coincide with National Preparedness Month, reinforcing this year’s theme of “Americans Stand Ready.” Two-thirds of American homeowners reported already experiencing a power outage in 2026, and nearly three-quarters of those affected said they are worried they’ll experience another within the next year.

“Power outages are no longer something homeowners only think about when a major storm is approaching,” said Sunrun CEO Mary Powell. “Americans are concerned about the availability and reliability of their power supply and are seeking the peace of mind that comes from being prepared with home backup power for when the grid goes down.”

For homeowners who have already experienced an outage this year, their households experienced an average of three outages. And their most recent outage lasted an average of 5.5 hours, although some homeowners reported going without power for days.

Power Outage Reality Check

65% of homeowners surveyed believe power outages will occur the same as they do now or more frequently in the future, compared to just 16% who think they’ll become less frequent. Despite expecting an increased frequency of outages, many Americans are ready to admit just how not ready they are for when the lights go out.

Homeowners rated their “household preparedness” for a power outage at 6.6 out of 10 on average, and nearly half (47%) of homeowners said they have experienced a “power outage reality check” that made them realize they weren’t even close to being prepared.

Skepticism About Grid’s Ability To Meet Demand

Homeowners aren’t necessarily confident the power grid can keep pace with changing electricity demands. 75% are concerned that the growing number of data centers in the U.S. could play a role in future outages.

Adding to their fears about potential future outages, only a third (38%) are confident their local grid can reliably meet increased electricity demand from data centers.

When asked what poses the biggest threat to their area’s power reliability, homeowners overwhelmingly view severe storms as the primary threat. In fact, when combined with winter weather and extreme heat, weather-related events captured more than half of all respondents’ concerns.

48% of those who lost power at their home said they made a change to prepare for the next blackout. In terms of which improvement would make them feel most prepared for the next outage, 47% said a backup power source — the top answer by 18 points.

Power Outage Disruptions

The consequences of power outages go well beyond sitting in the dark. Among those who said they experienced an outage, the greatest disruptions included losing heating or cooling (57%), food spoilage (48%), and losing internet or cell service (44%).

Nearly one-third of homeowners (32%) have even sought shelter at the home of a family member, friend, or neighbor during an outage because that household still had electricity from the grid or a source of backup power.

The stakes were even higher for the 28% of homeowners who said someone in their household relies on electricity for a health-related need.

Among those households, electrically dependent needs included refrigerated prescription medications such as insulin (39%), CPAP machines (36%), oxygen equipment (30%), and medical monitoring devices such as glucose monitors (29%).

“A power outage can quickly become more than an inconvenience when it affects the essentials families rely on every day, from keeping food and medications refrigerated to maintaining a safe temperature at home," Powell added. “Home battery storage paired with solar can provide greater energy resilience by helping keep critical parts of the home running when the grid goes down.”

Sunrun’s Solution For Families and the Grid

With the power grid aging, demand for electricity rising, and outages becoming more frequent, more and more Americans are seeking energy independence and protection from blackouts and rising energy rates. Serving more than 1.2 million customers nationwide, Sunrun leads the industry with home battery and solar energy systems without any upfront costs, enabling more families to affordably gain energy security.

Homeowners with a Sunrun battery-plus-solar system can comfortably power through extended grid outages without needing gasoline for a noisy generator or worrying about the limited capacity of portable storage devices. Sunrun’s whole-home battery storage capacity allows homeowners to run heating, air conditioning, and large appliances without interruption.

Even when the grid is operating normally, Sunrun’s home batteries empower homeowners to manage peak energy rates and achieve utility bill savings. By drawing daily on their own stored energy generated from their rooftop solar panels, homeowners can reduce the amount of costly energy they consume from the grid.

Sunrun’s unique solution doesn’t just benefit individual households. The battery systems also enable customers to support their local power grid through Sunrun’s distributed power plant programs. Customers are compensated for sharing energy with the grid during peak demand hours, helping control costs and prevent grid emergencies for all residents in their communities.

About Sunrun
Sunrun Inc. (Nasdaq: RUN) is America’s largest provider of home battery storage, solar, and home-to-grid power plants. As the pioneer of home energy systems offered through a no-upfront-cost subscription model, Sunrun empowers customers nationwide with greater energy control, security, and independence. Sunrun supports the grid by providing on-demand dispatchable power that helps prevent blackouts and lowers energy costs. Learn more at www.sunrun.com.

Media Contact
Wyatt Semanek
Sr. Director, Corporate Communications
press@sunrun.com

Investor & Analyst Contact
Patrick Jobin
SVP, Deputy CFO & Investor Relations Officer
investors@sunrun.com

Research methodology:
Talker Research conducted an online survey of 2,000 homeowners who have access to the internet from August 18 through 24, 2026; the survey was commissioned by Sunrun and administered and conducted by Talker Research. A link to the questionnaire can be found here.

To view the complete methodology as part of AAPOR’s Transparency Initiative, please visit the Talker Research Process and Methodology page.