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Heat, power outages, and mortality in the United States

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  • Ai, Dan
  • Crago, Christine L.
  • Mullins, Jamie T.

Abstract

We examine the mortality impacts of exposures to high temperatures and power outages using a county-month data set in the United States from 2015 to 2019. We find that each additional hour of power outage leads to a 0.04% increase in the monthly mortality rate. Furthermore, we show that the mortality effects of hot days are exacerbated by the co-occurrence of power outages, with each hour of power outage on a hot day increasing the harm from the hot day by 61%. Widespread and long-lasting power outages during hot days have disproportionately large effects on mortality. We also show heterogeneity across climate regions in the estimated relationships, which is consistent with heavier reliance on technological adaptations to heat such as air conditioning in hotter climate regions. Taken together, our results suggest that the reliability of electricity grids serves as an important means of adaptation to high temperatures and climate change.

Suggested Citation

  • Ai, Dan & Crago, Christine L. & Mullins, Jamie T., 2026. "Heat, power outages, and mortality in the United States," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jeeman:v:137:y:2026:i:c:s0095069625001597
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jeem.2025.103275
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