At Generators For Export, we specialise in supplying high-quality used diesel generators to businesses and organisations that can’t afford to lose power. A common question we hear from customers is: “How long do power cuts usually last, and how can I prepare for one?” The answer depends on several factors, location, cause, infrastructure, and local response, but what’s certain is that every business should be ready.
In this article, we’ll cover:
- Average power outage durations
- Common causes of power cuts
- How different sectors are affected
- Smart steps to prepare
- Why a used generator might be your most cost-effective safeguard
How Long Do Power Cuts Usually Last?
There’s no single answer to this, but most short-term outages last between a few minutes to a few hours. However, in more serious cases, like during storms, grid failures, or infrastructure damage, power cuts can stretch into days.
Here are some rough examples:
|
Cause of Outage |
Typical Duration |
|
Minor grid fault |
10 minutes – 1 hour |
|
Severe weather event |
2 – 72 hours |
|
Infrastructure damage |
4 – 48 hours |
|
Planned maintenance |
1 – 8 hours |
|
Energy supply issues |
Up to several days |
In the UK, the average power cut lasts less than 1 hour, but climate change, energy strain, and ageing infrastructure are making outages more unpredictable.
What Causes Power Cuts?
- Weather: Strong winds, flooding, snow and heatwaves can all knock out power lines or damage substations. Even in developed areas, this is the most common cause of prolonged outages.
- Grid Failures: Local grid overloads or equipment faults at substations can cut power instantly, often with little warning.
- Planned Maintenance: Network operators carry out essential maintenance, usually giving advance notice. But if you operate out-of-hours or overnight, even planned works can have serious impact.
- Accidents or Infrastructure Damage: From roadworks hitting underground cables to building site incidents, unexpected damage can leave you powerless for hours.
- Energy Supply Pressure: In some parts of the world, and increasingly in Europe, rolling blackouts are used to reduce pressure on national grids. Businesses must now treat these as a genuine risk.
Who’s Most Affected by Power Cuts?
Power outages can be inconvenient, but for some businesses they’re crippling. If you rely on refrigeration, IT infrastructure, security systems, or essential machinery, every minute of downtime costs money, or worse, puts lives at risk.
At Generators For Export, we regularly help:
- Data centres and IT providers who can’t afford server downtime
- Food manufacturers and cold storage businesses
- Construction firms working on tight deadlines
- Care homes and health providers needing uninterrupted power
- Retailers and warehouses reliant on EPOS systems and logistics
How to Prepare for a Power Cut
Being ready for a blackout doesn’t have to mean overspending on contingency plans. Here's how to approach it sensibly:
1. Assess Your Risk
If your operations depend on electricity, even a one-hour outage could be costly. Identify critical systems, servers, fridges, security, lighting, and work out how long they can be offline before you suffer real loss.
2. Create a Continuity Plan
This includes:
- Knowing how to contact your DNO (distribution network operator)
- Keeping torches, radios, and emergency kits on hand
- Training key staff on what to do during an outage
- Having an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) for IT systems
3. Invest in Backup Power
A used generator can provide you with powerful, reliable backup for a fraction of the price of new units. And unlike solar or battery solutions, diesel generators offer instant and continuous power, even during prolonged outages.
We stock a wide range of tested, ready-to-ship used generators, perfect for standby use. View our used diesel generators and choose your back-up power source today.
Why Choose a Used Generator?
At GFE, we carefully source, inspect and refurbish pre-owned diesel generators to give you excellent performance at unbeatable value. Our team also handles:
- Generator commissioning and testing
- Off-grid installations
- Custom control panels and load assessments
We’ve helped hundreds of clients protect themselves from blackouts, without overspending. Check out our guide: What size generator do you need?
Stay Ready, Not Sorry
While most power cuts are short-lived, it only takes one major outage to damage stock, halt production, or lose customer trust. And with uncertainty around energy supply and infrastructure, outages are becoming more frequent across the UK and beyond.
Having a plan in place, and the right backup power, puts you ahead of the game.
If you're thinking about protecting your operations with a cost-effective standby unit, we’re here to help. At Generators For Export, we have the experience, inventory and advice you need to stay powered up, no matter what.
Want to speak to a specialist about your backup power options?
📞 Call: +44(0)1386 553344
📲 WhatsApp: +44(0)7435 619823
📩 Email: sales@gfe.uk.com