Today’s Power Outages Across the U.S.: What You Need to Know

The United States is experiencing a series of concerning power outages today—ranging from deliberate attacks to weather-related disruptions. This blog covers major incidents, examines their causes, impacts, and responses, and highlights broader grid vulnerabilities.

Major Outages Disrupting Lives and Infrastructure

Across the country, two large-scale outages dominate headlines:

1. North Carolina (Moore County) – A deliberate attack on power substations left around 45,000 residents without electricity. Duke Energy reports that efforts are ongoing, but full restoration may take several days.

2. Pennsylvania – A severe storm produced winds up to 80 mph, uprooting trees and damaging lines. Over 450,000 customers were affected, and crews are deploying mutual aid to expedite repairs. 

These are just two snapshots of today's outages—but they signal broader concerns across the aging U.S. grid.

Snapshot of Today's Power Outages

North Carolina: Substation Attack (Moore County)

• What happened: Gunfire intentionally damaged two electric substations on the evening of June 17.

• Scale: Over 45,000 customers lost power.

• Impact: State of emergency declared; nightly curfew (9 PM–5 AM), limited fuel conservation measures. 

• Restoration efforts: 7,000 customers regained power by June 18; 38,000 still without. Duke Energy warns full restoration could take until June 21–22. Replacement of heavily damaged equipment is underway. 

Pennsylvania Storms

• Cause: Severe storms and gusty winds (up to 80 mph) battered the region.

• Affected areas: Allegheny, Beaver, Armstrong, Washington, Westmoreland counties.

• Customers impacted: Approximately 450,000 left in the dark.

• Response: Duquesne Light mobilized mutual-aid crews; restoration prioritized for critical infrastructure. Expected timeline spans days. 

California PSPS Shutdowns

• Utility: PG&E executed planned public-safety power shutoffs to reduce wildfire risk.

• Scope: Affected 800,000+ Northern California customers; 126,000 restored by early morning.

• Safety first: Inspectors will visually check each mile before re-energization. Outage persists until daytime risk subsides. 

Why These Outages Matter

• Targeted Attacks: Moore County’s incident illustrates a rising threat to grid security. The FBI has warned that extremists may target infrastructure.

• Storm Vulnerability: Severe weather remains a primary outage driver; Pennsylvania’s massive blackout is just the latest.

• PSPS Outreach: California’s proactive shutoffs balance wildfire prevention with community disruption.

• Grid Aging & Investment Needs:

  • Many U.S. utilities maintain decades-old infrastructure with inadequate tree-trimming.

  • Research consistently shows grid vulnerability and the socio-economic disparities in restoration times.

Broader Concerns

• Physical Threats: The Moore County attack isn't isolated—similar incidents occurred in California, Arkansas, and Oregon in past years.

• Inequality in Recovery: Studies show low-income or minority communities endure longer outages due to prioritization gaps .

• Climate Trends: Outage frequency is increasing nationally, particularly in coastal and wildfire-prone regions. 

What You Can Do: Homeowner Checklist

• Emergency preparedness:

  • Stock up on flashlights, water, and non-perishable food.

  • Keep a fully charged backup battery or portable power bank.

• Backup power:

  • Consider passive options: solar chargers, gas-powered generators.

  • For recurring PSPS events, home battery systems and solar-plus-storage are ideal.

• Stay informed:

  • Use PowerOutage.US for real-time tracking.

  • Sign up for utility alerts and local news notifications.

• Community coordination:

  • Join neighborhood or local volunteer groups to aid vulnerable individuals.

  • Share resources and information with elderly or disabled neighbors.

Conclusion

Today’s power outages across the U.S. spotlight a crucial vulnerability at the intersection of infrastructure aging, weather extremes, and security threats. From the malicious shutdown in North Carolina to widespread storm-induced blackouts in Pennsylvania and preventive shutoffs in California, the events underscore the fragility of our electric system.