As hurricane season approaches its peak, two Baldwin County utility providers are encouraging customers to consider a safer way to power their homes during an outage. Baldwin EMC, which has offered the GenerLink transfer switch for more than 15 years, has recently been joined by Riviera Utilities, which began offering the same technology to its customers. The meter-mounted device installs behind a home’s electric meter and provides a single exterior connection for a portable generator, allowing homeowners to power selected household circuits without running extension cords throughout the house while preventing dangerous backfeeding onto utility lines.
Why Utilities Are Promoting GenerLink
Improperly connected generators can create a hazardous condition known as backfeeding, in which electricity flows back onto power lines that utility crews may believe are de-energized. Baldwin EMC says that not only creates a danger for lineworkers restoring power after storms, but can also endanger neighbors and delay restoration efforts.
Following Hurricane Sally, Alabama passed legislation in 2022 making it unlawful to knowingly connect a generator in a way that backfeeds the electric grid, after Baldwin EMC experienced an incident involving a customer who refused to disconnect an improperly connected generator. Kevin Wilson, Baldwin EMC’s manager of business development, energy services and advanced metering, said preventing those situations is one of the biggest reasons the cooperative continues promoting GenerLink.
“That’s one of our biggest fears is a generator that’s hooked up improperly because what it does is it sends voltage back through the meter and onto our system when there shouldn’t be,” Wilson said. “The transformers will step up the voltage … to 7,200 volts.”
How GenerLink Works
GenerLink functions as a transfer switch mounted directly behind the electric meter. Once utility power goes out, homeowners can safely connect a compatible portable generator to the device using a single exterior connection. From there, electricity flows through the home’s existing electrical panel, letting homeowners choose which circuits to power without running extension cords throughout the house.
Wilson said the device also helps eliminate common mistakes made after storms. “It allows our members to hook up those generators the proper way and they don’t have to worry about running extension cords,” he said. “It eliminates some of the human errors that could potentially be harmful to our membership.”
Baldwin EMC’s GenerLink Program
Baldwin EMC has offered GenerLink for more than 15 years and now has more than 2,000 devices installed across its system. The cooperative offers a 30-amp GenerLink for $725 plus tax and a 40-amp GenerLink for $825 plus tax. The purchase price includes installation by a Baldwin EMC meter technician, who also demonstrates how to operate the system. Members can finance the purchase over 12 or 24 months interest-free by adding the cost to their monthly electric bill. The program is available to Baldwin EMC members.
Riviera Utilities Now Offers GenerLink
Riviera Utilities recently added GenerLink to its services after seeing increased interest in backup power following Hurricane Sally. “We wanted to give our customers a more affordable option to add an alternate power source to their house in the event of a hurricane or some sort of natural disaster,” said Operations Center Director Zach Barnes.
Barnes said the device gives homeowners a safe backup power option while also helping protect utility crews from dangerous backfeeding. Riviera offers a 30-amp GenerLink for $1,196.40 and a 40-amp GenerLink for $1,379. The purchase price includes professional installation by Riviera Utilities, and installation is available for Riviera electric customers within its service area.
General Generator Safety Reminders
Whether homeowners choose a GenerLink or another approved transfer switch, utility officials say generators should always be used with caution. Recommended practices include:
- Never connecting a portable generator directly to a home’s electrical system without an approved transfer switch.
- Operating generators outdoors at least 20 feet from doors, windows and garages.
- Allowing generators to cool before refueling.
- Storing gasoline only in approved containers.
- Testing generators before a storm arrives.
- Reading the manufacturer’s operating instructions before using the equipment.
With hurricane season approaching its peak, both utilities say the best time to put together a backup power plan is before a storm enters the Gulf, not after the lights go out. Backup power planning is one part of a broader hurricane preparedness checklist that emergency management officials in South Alabama routinely recommend residents review each season, alongside items like stocked emergency kits, evacuation routes and insurance documentation.