Planning for Backup Power at Airports is Essential

For many, airports and air travel are accompanied by feelings of anxiety. When the power goes out at the airport, the lights go out, elevators stop working, and panic rises. There are many reasons airports experience blackouts, from faulty engineering to severe weather.

Airports need a reliable power supply for runway lights, communication between ground and air, fuel pumps, and maintaining the arrival and departure schedule. There are the operations of the terminals themselves. Security, rail lines, lighting, jet bridges, retailers, cameras, computers, climate control and sewage treatment are all essential to air travel. There are also adjacent buildings to consider, such as rental car facilities, hotels and restaurants.

With so much at stake, losing power has a huge impact on airports. A blackout can result in delayed or canceled flights, unsafe and unhealthy conditions for both employees and passengers, lost profits, and damaged credibility.

Airport Emergency Power

A customized backup power solution protects airports from these consequences.

Mobile gensets can seem like a good substitute for permanent airport backup generators. However, organizing transportation for the number of gensets an airport requires, as well as addressing security concerns, takes time. In a blackout situation, restoring power quickly to terminals and other areas of the airport is essential.

Natural gas- or diesel-powered generators can be designed to power some or all of airport operations in case of an emergency. It’s important to keep in mind that when airports grow, their power needs do as well. That makes planning for emergency power a part of every expansion project.

When an emergency power solution is designed to power an entire urban airport while meeting EPA emission standards, it may be possible to participate in peak shaving as well.