As hurricane seasons continue to intensify, preparedness is no longer an annual exercise but a year-round priority. For utilities and infrastructure owners, the ability to anticipate risk, maintain energy reliability and restore service safely can make the difference between prolonged disruption and rapid recovery.
The 2026 Atlantic hurricane season could bring 8 to 14 named storms, including up to six hurricanes, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's early outlook for the 2026 hurricane season. That number of storms is below-normal, but still points to unpredictable and intense developments.
The message is clear: readiness needs to be built in before the first storm forms.
For Black & Veatch, preparedness spans grid design, distributed generation strategies, digital intelligence, operational readiness and storm response, working together before, during and after severe weather. The company’s professionals help clients integrate resilience into everyday operations so that when a storm arrives, response plans are in motion.
Yet while power utilities always think preparedness, the advent of yet another hurricane season should be an urgent incentive to get robust response plans in order for when nature breaks through grid defenses.
Enabling faster restoration through grid automation
One critical element of hurricane preparedness is the ability to rapidly identify faults and restore power after damage occurs. Black & Veatch supports utilities by helping deploy advanced smart grid automation technologies, including fault location, isolation and service restoration (FLISR).
FLISR capabilities enable utilities to automatically detect outages on its distribution system and restore service to as many customers as possible as quickly as possible, often in seconds. In hurricane conditions, this automation can significantly reduce outage duration, improve crew safety and help prioritize field resources where they’re needed most.
By combining automation with resilient system design and operational planning, utilities are better positioned to restore power quickly and safely as storms pass through their service territories.
Resilient hurricane readiness starts long before landfall, blending physical grid hardening, distributed generation resources and digital tools that give utilities faster visibility and smarter control when conditions degrade.
Strengthening infrastructure to withstand extreme conditions requires proactive maintenance, continuous monitoring and actionable response plans built into day-to-day operations, enabling clients to move from reactive response to proactive readiness when a storm arrives.
One example of day-to-day preparedness in action is Bird Electric, a Black & Veatch company, which specializes in emergency power restoration. Through a dedicated, year-round storm response organization, Bird Electric professionals work in constant coordination with advanced forecasting teams and utility partners, tracking weather conditions well before storms form. As major events approach, crews, equipment and logistics are placed on alert and strategically staged based on projected storm paths and likely impacts, positioning utilities to shift rapidly and safely into restoration mode as soon as conditions allow.
That level of readiness has paid off when it matters most. During recent hurricanes, Bird Electric mobilized thousands of workers and significant equipment resources within hours of storms making landfall, helping utilities restore power safely and efficiently to millions of customers. By letting forecasts and not guesswork drive crew placement and logistics decisions, Bird Electric consistently has accelerated restoration timelines, supporting faster recovery for communities.
Hurricane season may have defined dates on the calendar, but preparedness is an ongoing commitment. When storms make landfall, preparedness allows clients to shift quickly from planning to execution. After the storm, rapid damage assessment, restoration at scale and close coordination with local stakeholders help accelerate recovery.
By combining resilient infrastructure design, advanced grid intelligence, operational planning and rapid response capabilities, Black & Veatch helps clients stay ready for whatever the next storm brings. As extreme weather continues to test infrastructure systems, preparedness remains among the most powerful tools utilities have to protect communities and restore service faster.
