Power outages by state, ranked
Maine has the most time without power: in a normal year, its average customer goes 15.6 hours without power (the middle of 2015 to 2024). West Virginia is next at 12.6 hours. Washington, D.C. has the least, 1.1 hours. In 2024, South Carolina was worst at 52.6 hours, after Hurricane Helene.
See your own county: power outage history by ZIP code.
Using these numbers? Credit “VerifiedBackupPowerData.com analysis of EIA Form 861 data.” Download the state table (CSV, every state and year, 2013–2024) and the county and power company files. Questions: contact us.
Every state ranked by time without power
Each power company reports to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) how many minutes its customers went without power in the year. We take each state’s figure for 2015 through 2024 and show the middle year, so one hurricane does not decide the rank. The US figure is 6 hours.
Most time without power
- Maine: 15.6 hours a year
- West Virginia: 12.6 hours a year
- Mississippi: 8.7 hours a year
- Michigan: 8.4 hours a year
- Louisiana: 8 hours a year
Least time without power
- Washington, D.C.: 1.1 hours a year
- Arizona: 1.5 hours a year
- Nebraska: 1.6 hours a year
- South Dakota: 1.7 hours a year
- Nevada: 1.8 hours a year
Each column takes its own normal (middle) year, so the columns are not meant to add up. “Without major storms” leaves out the days each power company counts as major events. “Share from major storms” adds up all ten years: the share of 2015–2024 outage time that fell on major-event days. The last column compares three-year averages; one big storm can swing it, so read the hours, not just the percent. Ranks use unrounded figures. Click a column name to sort. Puerto Rico is left out of the ranking, as EIA does; its customers went 73.6 hours without power in 2024.
| Rank | State | Hours out, normal year | Without major storms | 2024 | Worst year | Share from major storms, 2015–24 | 2014–16 → 2022–24 average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maine | 15.6 | 4 | 29.1 | 41.5 (2017) | 79% | 10 → 25.4 h (+154%) |
| 2 | West Virginia | 12.6 | 7.7 | 19.4 | 19.4 (2024) | 44% | 12.3 → 16.2 h (+31%) |
| 3 | Mississippi | 8.7 | 3.7 | 10.1 | 26.9 (2020) | 66% | 5.1 → 10.8 h (+111%) |
| 4 | Michigan | 8.4 | 3 | 8 | 18.8 (2023) | 70% | 6.9 → 11.8 h (+72%) |
| 5 | Louisiana | 8 | 3.6 | 10.5 | 97.8 (2021) | 84% | 7.5 → 9 h (+20%) |
| 6 | New Hampshire | 7.2 | 1.6 | 12.3 | 15.3 (2017) | 76% | 6.3 → 10.1 h (+62%) |
| 7 | Arkansas | 7 | 3.6 | 8.8 | 15.3 (2023) | 55% | 5.4 → 10.4 h (+95%) |
| 8 | Vermont | 6.8 | 3.3 | 14.9 | 29.9 (2017) | 66% | 3.5 → 12.8 h (+263%) |
| 9 | Virginia | 6.8 | 4.1 | 16 | 18.9 (2018) | 57% | 4.7 → 13.1 h (+177%) |
| 10 | North Carolina | 6 | 2.5 | 25.3 | 31.3 (2018) | 77% | 8.9 → 12.6 h (+42%) |
| 11 | Texas | 5.8 | 2.4 | 26.9 | 26.9 (2024) | 75% | 3.9 → 13.3 h (+246%) |
| 12 | South Carolina | 5.6 | 2 | 52.6 | 52.6 (2024) | 84% | 15.1 → 20.2 h (+33%) |
| 13 | New York | 5.6 | 2.3 | 8 | 8 (2024) | 55% | 3.1 → 5.7 h (+87%) |
| 14 | Alaska | 5.5 | 3.2 | 5.4 | 14.9 (2022) | 47% | 6.5 → 9.5 h (+47%) |
| 15 | Kentucky | 5.3 | 2.3 | 9 | 14.4 (2023) | 65% | 3.8 → 9.7 h (+153%) |
| 16 | Washington | 5.2 | 2.1 | 10.7 | 10.7 (2024) | 65% | 7.2 → 6.7 h (-7%) |
| 17 | Tennessee | 5.1 | 2.5 | 4.8 | 15.4 (2023) | 62% | 4.2 → 9.1 h (+120%) |
| 18 | Georgia | 4.9 | 2.1 | 20.1 | 20.1 (2024) | 71% | 5.1 → 9.8 h (+91%) |
| 19 | Rhode Island | 4.8 | 1.1 | 1.7 | 12.1 (2017) | 81% | 3.1 → 1.6 h (-49%) |
| 20 | Indiana | 4.8 | 2.2 | 5.2 | 7.8 (2023) | 55% | 4.2 → 5.9 h (+41%) |
| 21 | Oregon | 4.6 | 1.7 | 9.7 | 26.5 (2021) | 74% | 4 → 5.7 h (+43%) |
| 22 | Ohio | 4.4 | 2.3 | 8.5 | 8.5 (2024) | 53% | 2.9 → 7.2 h (+147%) |
| 23 | Kansas | 4.4 | 1.9 | 4.8 | 6.1 (2017) | 54% | 3.7 → 4.2 h (+12%) |
| 24 | California | 4.4 | 1.8 | 4.8 | 10.2 (2019) | 55% | 2 → 4.7 h (+138%) |
| 25 | Florida | 4.2 | 1.2 | 24.8 | 44.9 (2017) | 89% | 3.1 → 14.8 h (+374%) |
| 26 | Alabama | 4 | 2.3 | 3.3 | 55.3 (2020) | 75% | 4.1 → 4.6 h (+13%) |
| 27 | Pennsylvania | 4 | 2.1 | 5.9 | 9.4 (2018) | 56% | 4.1 → 4.6 h (+12%) |
| 28 | Montana | 3.7 | 2.3 | 5.7 | 5.7 (2024) | 38% | 3.3 → 3.8 h (+14%) |
| 29 | Missouri | 3.6 | 1.6 | 3.5 | 6.3 (2023) | 57% | 2.9 → 4.1 h (+44%) |
| 30 | Wisconsin | 3.5 | 1.4 | 4.9 | 6.4 (2019) | 63% | 2.3 → 4.5 h (+97%) |
| 31 | Oklahoma | 3.5 | 2 | 3.7 | 22.3 (2023) | 68% | 5.8 → 9.6 h (+66%) |
| 32 | Massachusetts | 3.4 | 1.3 | 1.7 | 14.4 (2018) | 72% | 2 → 3 h (+48%) |
| 33 | Connecticut | 3.3 | 1.3 | 2.5 | 50.6 (2020) | 86% | 2.3 → 3 h (+31%) |
| 34 | Idaho | 3.2 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 7.3 (2021) | 30% | 3.3 → 2.8 h (-14%) |
| 35 | Hawaii | 3.2 | 1.9 | 6.4 | 6.4 (2024) | 47% | 2.2 → 5.3 h (+142%) |
| 36 | Wyoming | 2.8 | 1.9 | 2.3 | 4.9 (2020) | 27% | 3.1 → 2.3 h (-26%) |
| 37 | New Jersey | 2.6 | 1.4 | 2.9 | 15.7 (2020) | 69% | 2.8 → 2.1 h (-28%) |
| 38 | New Mexico | 2.5 | 2 | 4.5 | 4.5 (2024) | 25% | 1.7 → 3.4 h (+92%) |
| 39 | Colorado | 2.3 | 1.4 | 4.3 | 4.3 (2024) | 39% | 1.9 → 2.8 h (+43%) |
| 40 | Illinois | 2.3 | 1.1 | 2.6 | 5.6 (2020) | 58% | 2.8 → 2.6 h (-9%) |
| 41 | Minnesota | 2.3 | 1.4 | 3.7 | 5.1 (2016) | 53% | 3.3 → 3.5 h (+5%) |
| 42 | Utah | 2.2 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 9.9 (2020) | 40% | 3.3 → 2 h (-40%) |
| 43 | Delaware | 2.1 | 1.2 | 2 | 4.5 (2020) | 42% | 2.8 → 1.7 h (-40%) |
| 44 | Iowa | 2.1 | 1.4 | 3.3 | 17.8 (2020) | 61% | 2.1 → 2.1 h (-1%) |
| 45 | Maryland | 2.1 | 1.4 | 2 | 5.5 (2018) | 47% | 2.7 → 3 h (+10%) |
| 46 | North Dakota | 2 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 11.3 (2022) | 51% | 2 → 5.8 h (+183%) |
| 47 | Nevada | 1.8 | 1.3 | 2.6 | 3.3 (2022) | 40% | 1.5 → 2.7 h (+77%) |
| 48 | South Dakota | 1.7 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 5.6 (2022) | 48% | 2.8 → 2.8 h (-2%) |
| 49 | Nebraska | 1.6 | 1 | 11.6 | 11.6 (2024) | 70% | 1.3 → 4.7 h (+266%) |
| 50 | Arizona | 1.5 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 2.3 (2022) | 33% | 1.5 → 1.8 h (+23%) |
| 51 | Washington, D.C. | 1.1 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 1.9 (2016) | 21% | 1.8 → 0.8 h (-57%) |
Storms or everyday outages?
Two different problems put a state near the top. In some, a few big storms cause almost all the lost hours: Florida (89%), Connecticut (86%), Louisiana (84%), South Carolina (84%). In others, the power goes out a lot on ordinary days too. Without major storms, the most hours are in West Virginia (7.7 h), Virginia (4.1 h), Maine (4 h), Mississippi (3.7 h).
That difference matters when you plan backup. Storm-driven states see rare outages that last days. States with everyday outages see more short ones. How long outages last covers both.
Time without power is rising, mostly because of storms
For the same 434 power companies, time without power rose from 4 hours a year in 2014–2016 to 7.9 hours in 2022–2024. Without major storms it went from 1.9 to 2.1 hours. 40 of 51 states got worse. The last column of the table shows each state.
Power companies with the most and least outage time
Large power companies (100,000 customers or more), middle year of 2020–2024. Your county’s companies are in the ZIP lookup.
Most time without power
| Power company | State | Hours without power, typical year | Without major storms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky Power Co | Kentucky | 28.5 | 6.8 |
| Central Maine Power Co | Maine | 27.6 | 3.6 |
| Versant Power | Maine | 21.4 | 5.3 |
| Appalachian Power Co | West Virginia | 20.3 | 9.6 |
| Southwestern Electric Power Co | Louisiana | 18.6 | 6.5 |
| Entergy Mississippi LLC | Mississippi | 16.7 | 4.9 |
| Entergy Texas Inc. | Texas | 16.7 | 5.1 |
| Nashville Electric Service | Tennessee | 12.8 | 1.7 |
| Monongahela Power Co | West Virginia | 11.8 | 6.8 |
| Entergy Arkansas LLC | Arkansas | 10.6 | 4.5 |
Least time without power
| Power company | State | Hours without power, typical year | Without major storms |
|---|---|---|---|
| City of Anaheim | California | 0.5 | 0.5 |
| Cobb Electric Membership Corp | Georgia | 0.6 | 0.5 |
| Dakota Electric Association | Minnesota | 0.6 | 0.3 |
| Denton County Electric Co-op, Inc. | Texas | 0.7 | 0.6 |
| Potomac Electric Power Co | Washington, D.C. | 0.7 | 0.6 |
What this means for backup power
A state rank is a starting point. Your county can be far better or worse than its state, so look up your ZIP. In states where storms cause most lost hours, plan for outages that last days: a portable generator or a large power station you can recharge from solar. Where outages are frequent but short, a power station that covers an evening is often enough. Battery or generator: how to choose.
Questions people ask
Which state has the most power outages?
By time without power, Maine: about 15.6 hours a year for the typical customer, 2015 to 2024. By how often the power goes out, the order changes a little; see the table.
Which state has the most reliable power?
Washington, D.C., at 1.1 hours a year, then Arizona (1.5) and Nebraska (1.6).
Are power outages getting worse?
Yes, because of storms. Time without power went up in 40 of 51 states between 2014-2016 and 2022-2024. Nationally it rose from 4 to 7.9 hours a year for the same power companies, while outages outside major storms barely changed.
What is SAIDI?
SAIDI is the industry's name for the average minutes each customer goes without power in a year. Power companies report it to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. We show it in hours.
Sources
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-861 reliability data, 2013–2024. Customer-weighted state averages of utilities reporting under the IEEE 1366 standard, which match EIA’s own published state figures. eia.gov
- DOE/ORNL EAGLE-I county outage records 2014–2025, figshare v4, CC BY 4.0. doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.24237376.v4
Download the state table (CSV). Free with credit (CC BY 4.0). Related: power outage history by ZIP code · how long power outages last.