It would seem to already be a good idea to be able to self-generate enough electricity to get through a week of bad weather in the winter.
The utilities just don't seem to get around to fixing things as quickly as they used to.
So true. If you are all stocked up on that one year’s worth of food and all of the other stuff that goes with it and you have not planned for an alternative electrical system you will be sitting in your living room in the dark. When the SHTF the only people who will be able to exist in even modest comfort will be the ones with electricity. Everyone else will be in misery.
A solar or micro hydro system is our current number one priority now that we have other stuff out of the way. If money is a problem you can make your own solar panels and use auto batteries for your battery bank. It may not run your clothes dryer or HVAC but it will keep the lights on, run the well pump, refrigerator and you can probably run the vacumn cleaner once or twice a week and wash a few loads of clothes and heat some water.