From the Huffington Post, see: Microgrids: Hurricane Sandy Forced Cities To Rethink Power Supply

Hurricane Sandy and the havoc it wreaked on New York City and the rest of the Northeast in 2012 could prove to be a turning point in how people think about the way electricity is produced and distributed, particularly in storm-prone areas, with some states and cities starting to turn to what are known as microgrids.

When Sandy roared ashore last October, it knocked out power for 8.5 million people, and kept more than 1.3 million people in the dark a week after the storm hit. It seared an image of Manhattan, half lit, half dark, into the national consciousness — the nation’s largest and most powerful city rendered powerless by the weather. It also jump-started a discussion about how climate change is amplifying the devastating effects of hurricanes and their storm surges. Some communities began to investigate ways to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from coal and natural gas-fired power plants that contribute to climate change.