What Size Power Station for a Texas Blackout? 500 vs 2,000 Wh

As an Amazon Associate, Watt Ledger earns from qualifying purchases. Amazon links below are affiliate links; buying through them costs you nothing extra. Brand-store links are not affiliate links yet. One formula, your fridge sticker, and five minutes of math. Here is how big a power station you need for a Texas outage, and why a space heater drains a 2,000 Wh battery in about an hour. Spec and price analysis. We have not tested these units. Runtimes are calculated from published specs and typical appliance figures. Narration is AI-voiced. Analysis and numbers are ours. B-roll images are AI-generated illustrations, not footage of real events. Example units by size class (not reviewed picks; see our ranking videos). Prices change; checked 2026-10-22: Around 500 Wh (stay connected): Jackery Explorer 600 v2, Jackery store (sold out when checked Oct 22): https://www.jackery.com/products/jack... Around 2,000 Wh (fridge for a day): EcoFlow DELTA 3 Max, Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FQV6LMVX?... Expandable (multi-day outages): EcoFlow DELTA 3, EcoFlow store: https://us.ecoflow.com/products/delta... Expandable (multi-day outages): EcoFlow DELTA 3, Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCBYMC9D?... Chapters 0:00 Intro 0:59 The one formula 1:38 The fridge 2:54 Three real goals 3:49 The space heater problem 4:50 What it can't run 5:34 The cold-weather catch 6:01 How long do outages last? 7:00 Read the spec sheet 7:54 Three buying mistakes 8:32 Your number Sources ENERGY STAR certified refrigerators, annual kWh: energystar.gov Wi-Fi router draw 5 to 20 W: EnergySage ERCOT Monthly Outlook for Resource Adequacy (MORA), December 2026 (published Oct 2, 2026): 2.95% probability of an Energy Emergency Alert at the riskiest hour (8 a.m.) USDA FSIS: a closed refrigerator keeps food safe for up to 4 hours Texas DSHS, February 2021 Winter Storm-Related Deaths (Dec 31, 2021): 19 carbon monoxide deaths LFP vs NMC cycle ratings: manufacturer spec sheets (Jackery, Anker SOLIX, Arkpax) LFP low-temperature charging limit (32°F / 0°C): REDARC battery guidance Inverter losses around 15%: OutdoorGearLab measured 1,710 Wh of usable AC output from a 2,042 Wh Jackery Explorer 2000 v2 (about 84%): https://www.outdoorgearlab.com/topics... Never connect a power station to home wiring yourself. Use a licensed electrician and a transfer switch. Watt Ledger is operated by Noor Holdings Group LLC.