FEMA provides aid to those looking for generators amid shortage after Beryl

HOUSTON, Texas -- If you are considering getting a generator so your family never sits in the dark again, here is a warning: you may not get one anytime soon.

From small to large, finding a generator right now can be a challenge, so be prepared to wait weeks, if not longer.

Hurricane Beryl knocked out so many power lines that it took weeks to restore power to southeast Texas.

As you can imagine, the prolonged outage has led people to look for generators, to avoid a repeat of the power crisis.

If you are looking for a whole-home standby generator, it could take weeks for a qualified electrician to visit your home and determine whether you are eligible to use one.

After that, getting the proper permits and potential gas meter upgrades could take a few weeks longer.

The bottom line is to take your time with an expensive purchase and be sure you know who you hire to do the job.

"Demand is so high that just getting out to people's houses and getting them quotes is into the weeks. And once you get onto the schedule, once again, you are looking at weeks, and you throw the CenterPoint stuff in there, and that's what my deal is with the consumers; I want them to understand, there are people that are throwing therein. We go behind them all the time, finding issues, and the customer ends up spending double," Ryan Colwell of Colwell Electric said.

A whole-home generator can cost over $10,000, but a portable version can power your home for less than $2,000. However, improvements to your circuit breaker box and possibly the natural gas line will also be required.

Federal help for generators

In the meantime, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, announced it would assist those who were able to purchase a generator between July 5 and July 20 in the wake of Hurricane Beryl.

FEMA waived a requirement that applicants show that generators were purchased or rented to power a medically required piece of equipment. Applicants will not have to submit a statement from a medical services provider indicating that the generator is needed to power medically necessary equipment.

Applicants must meet the conditions of eligibility for FEMA assistance and:

• The applicant's primary residence must be in a county designated for Individual Assistance for Hurricane Beryl. As of July 24, those counties are Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Jasper, Jackson, Jefferson, Liberty, Orange, Matagorda, Montgomery, Nacogdoches, Polk, San Jacinto, Wharton, and Walker.
• The generator must have been purchased or rented due to a disruption in electric utility service due to the disaster.
• As identified by FEMA, The allowable award amount for generators is limited to the prevailing retail or rental rate for a 5.5 kw-sized generator.
• The generator must have been purchased or rented no earlier than July 5, 2024, and no later than July 20, 2024.
• Applicants must provide an itemized receipt or equipment rental agreement for eligible expenses.
• The expense must not be covered by insurance or provided by any other source.

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