High-resolution analysis of power outages and extreme weather events exposes environmental injustice in electric grid restoration

Racial minorities face disproportionately severe power outages, which are intensified by climate-induced extreme weather events. However, why they experience more intense disruptions is underexplored. Using a novel dataset of daily zip code–level outages across California, Texas, and Georgia over 18 months, we examine drivers of power outages, including extreme weather, utility restoration protocols, demographics, and geography. Heavy precipitation, cyclones, wildfires, strong winds, and anomalous heat and cold all increase outage intensity. While densely populated communities generally face shorter interruptions due to restoration priorities, Black, Hispanic, and low-income communities experience more severe outages than White and high-income counterparts—even at similar densities. We find little evidence that these disparities derive from greater exposure to hazard-prone areas or historical disinvestment. Robustness tests confirm slower restoration in minority communities. Our results highlight the need for equitable, targeted infrastructure investments and restoration policies.