Blackout VS Brownout – What’s The Difference?

Ireland could be facing electricity shortages over coming years because of rising demand and the closure of older power plants, according to a report from EirGrid.

Power disruptions come in two forms – blackouts and brownouts.

What is a blackout?

A blackout is a complete disruption to power supply within a service area. Blackouts come without warning and can last hours to days at a time.

The most common cause of a blackout is extreme weather conditions.

What is a brownout?

A brownout is a temporary drop in voltage in an electrical power supply system. Usually, a utility will decrease its voltage by 10-25%.

Appliances and electrical equipment respond to brownouts in different ways. The power reduction has little effect on heating and lighting systems. Appliances that require precise voltages may not work with a reduced voltage -long-term brownouts can cause wear on sensitive electronic devices.

Unplanned disruptions to your power supply can be costly, especially when you rely on your power for business productivity.

Stay one step ahead of power outages with Shanahan Power. Contact us to find out more about the range of generators in stock, and our Asset Care Management services available.