State of the Market Report: Power Quality Fluctuations

A new industry survey of facility leaders finds most blame the utility grid for power fluctuations, but research shows most outages start inside the facility. See what's fueling demand for real-time monitoring and backup power.
Aug. 10, 2026

New research on power fluctuations reveals a costly blind spot for facility and energy leaders. A survey of 150 senior decision-makers found that while power fluctuations aren't a daily headache for most facilities, when they hit, the damage can be severe, sometimes running into six figures.

Key findings:

  • Infrequent but risky. Most facilities rarely see fluctuations, but nearly 1 in 5 call them "very disruptive," and some report losses over $10,000 per incident.
  • A perception gap. 44% blame the utility grid for most issues, yet outside research suggests the majority of outages actually start inside the facility.
  • Mitigation works, when used. UPS and backup generators get an 80% effectiveness rating, but many facilities still lack basic protection.
  • Visibility is missing. Only 36% have real-time power quality monitoring, despite strong demand for better alerts and root-cause insight.
  • Communication matters. 70% say transparent updates from their utility are essential — but satisfaction is mixed.

The takeaway? There's a real gap between what organizations think is happening and what's actually putting their operations at risk, and a clear opportunity for smarter monitoring and communication tools to close it.