The charter · Reliable foundations
02 · Keep the lights on
Reliable foundations. Complete it for a $3,500 grant.
Capacity on paper is not enough. Keep power and water above ninety percent for two days. Build only what this neighbourhood needs; every extra facility brings a daily bill.
Objectives
| Objective | Target | How |
|---|---|---|
| Residents | 120 | Zone homes beside connected streets. Supply power and water, then leave room for shops and jobs. |
| Power coverage | 90 | Connect power lines from a generator to the streets serving your buildings. |
| Water coverage | 90 | A water tower supplies the city; mains connected to it expand distribution. |
What it unlocks
Completing it unlocks School, Cell tower, Fibre cable, Internet exchange, Coal plant and Library.
How to approach it
This is the chapter that teaches restraint. Power and water must both stay above ninety per cent coverage while the population climbs, and they have to hold there, so a grid that only just covers today's homes will fail the check tomorrow. Build a little ahead of demand: a second generator on the same grid, a Water tower on the network that actually serves the new streets.
The briefing's warning is real. Every facility has a daily upkeep, and a town of a hundred people cannot carry a power station sized for a thousand. Watch the daily balance in the Finance app as you build. The utility networks guide explains why a tower on a cut-off estate does nothing for the rest of town.