Electric Consumer

Editor: Katerine G., Editor & Data Researcher · Research & publishing: Electric Consumer Editorial Team · Data retrieved · Sources named on this page: EIA-861 · How we got these numbers · Report an error

Most outage-prone states: minutes lost to major events

3576 minextra outage minutes a year in South Carolina when major event days are counted (2024)

In South Carolina the average customer lost 3576 more minutes in 2024 once major event days (storms, wildfires, grid emergencies) are counted: 93 without them, 3711 with them. Maine adds 1469 and Florida 1430. At the other end North Dakota adds 4. Only utilities that report both figures count, so 47 states are ranked.

Find your state

Pick a state to see where it ranks.

Most outage-prone states: minutes lost to major events, mapNew Mexico: 95 minTexas: 330 minKentucky: 393 minOhio: 378 minGeorgia: 1004 minArkansas: 372 minOregon: 334 minPennsylvania: 222 minMissouri: 112 minNorth Carolina: 1374 minUtah: 10 minVirginia: 1054 minWyoming: 4 minWest Virginia: 665 minNew York: 335 minIndiana: 187 minKansas: 175 minIdaho: 92 minNevada: 96 minIllinois: 109 minVTNew Jersey: 78 minMinnesota: 132 minMaryland: 42 minIowa: 115 minHINew Hampshire: 649 minRIConnecticut: 79 minMontana: 159 minArizona: 14 minNebraska: 635 minWashington: 405 minSouth Dakota: 136 minCalifornia: 137 minAlabama: 78 minWisconsin: 199 minMississippi: 290 minColorado: 140 minOklahoma: 222 minTennessee: 161 minLouisiana: 423 minMichigan: 297 minMassachusetts: 27 minFlorida: 1430 minAlaska: 131 minNorth Dakota: 4 minSouth Carolina: 3576 minMaine: 1469 minDelaware: 51 minDC
  • 4 min to 79 min
  • 79 min to 137 min
  • 137 min to 290 min
  • 290 min to 635 min
  • 635 min to 3576 min

South Carolina 3576 min first, North Dakota 4 min last: the map links to each state.

All 47 ranked places

extra minutes without power a year when major event days are included (SAIDI all events minus SAIDI without major events), 2024

  1. 1South Carolina3576 min
  2. 2Maine1469 min
  3. 3Florida1430 min
  4. 4North Carolina1374 min
  5. 5Virginia1054 min
  6. 6Georgia1004 min
  7. 7West Virginia665 min
  8. 8New Hampshire649 min
  9. 9Nebraska635 min
  10. 10Louisiana423 min
  11. 11Washington405 min
  12. 12Kentucky393 min
  13. 13Ohio378 min
  14. 14Arkansas372 min
  15. 15New York335 min
  16. 16Oregon334 min
  17. 17Texas330 min
  18. 18Michigan297 min
  19. 19Mississippi290 min
  20. 20Oklahoma222 min
  21. 21Pennsylvania222 min
  22. 22Wisconsin199 min
  23. 23Indiana187 min
  24. 24Kansas175 min
  25. 25Tennessee161 min
  26. 26Montana159 min
  27. 27Colorado140 min
  28. 28California137 min
  29. 29South Dakota136 min
  30. 30Minnesota132 min
  31. 31Alaska131 min
  32. 32Iowa115 min
  33. 33Missouri112 min
  34. 34Illinois109 min
  35. 35Nevada96 min
  36. 36New Mexico95 min
  37. 37Idaho92 min
  38. 38Connecticut79 min
  39. 39Alabama78 min
  40. 40New Jersey78 min
  41. 41Delaware51 min
  42. 42Maryland42 min
  43. 43Massachusetts27 min
  44. 44Arizona14 min
  45. 45Utah10 min
  46. 46Wyoming4 min
  47. 47North Dakota4 min

The table, sortable

Outages from major events: first 47 of 47
1South Carolina357637119322Heating degree-days 2,803, -51% vs median; 2107 min ahead of Maine; Cooling degree-days 1,838, +124% vs median
2Maine146917452733Home price 27.78, +82% vs median; 2107 min apart from South Carolina; Minutes without 273, +121% vs median
3Florida143014976718Cooling degree-days 3,191, +288% vs median; 39 min apart from Maine; Heating degree-days 774, -86% vs median
4North Carolina137415181443557 min apart from Florida; Heating degree-days 3,607, -36% vs median
5Virginia1054126924513Minutes without 245, +98% vs median; 319 min apart from North Carolina; Median household 90,974, +22% vs median
6Georgia1004121421030Heating degree-days 3,015, -47% vs median; 50 min apart from Virginia; Minutes without 210, +70% vs median
7West Virginia66511354804Minutes without 480, +288% vs median; 339 min apart from Georgia; Median household 57,917, -23% vs median
8New Hampshire649734843Median household 95,628, +28% vs median; 16 min apart from West Virginia; Home price 24.56, +61% vs median
9Nebraska635704689Minutes without 68, -45% vs median; 15 min apart from New Hampshire; Home price 12.34, -19% vs median
10Louisiana4236412196Cooling degree-days 2,557, +211% vs median; 212 min apart from Nebraska; Heating degree-days 1,786, -68% vs median
11Washington40555015821Median household 94,952, +27% vs median; 18 min apart from Louisiana; Cooling degree-days 131, -84% vs median
12Kentucky39353914630Median household 62,417, -17% vs median; 12 min apart from Washington; Home price 13.24, -13% vs median
13Ohio3785131333015 min apart from Kentucky; Median household 69,680, -7% vs median
14Arkansas37257119615Median household 58,773, -21% vs median; 6 min apart from Ohio; Cooling degree-days 1,726, +110% vs median
15New York3354781434Home price 26.39, +73% vs median; 37 min apart from Arkansas; Cooling degree-days 486, -41% vs median
16Oregon334522127110 min apart from New York; Cooling degree-days 157, -81% vs median
17Texas33048715346Cooling degree-days 2,648, +222% vs median; 4 min apart from Oregon; Heating degree-days 2,035, -64% vs median
18Michigan2974591602033 min apart from Texas; Heating degree-days 7,201, +27% vs median
19Mississippi29056928012Minutes without 280, +126% vs median; 7 min apart from Michigan; Median household 54,915, -27% vs median
20Oklahoma22233712220Cooling degree-days 1,922, +134% vs median; 68 min apart from Mississippi; Median household 63,603, -15% vs median
21Pennsylvania22235313050 min apart from Oklahoma; Cooling degree-days 598, -27% vs median
22Wisconsin1992969825Heating degree-days 7,934, +40% vs median; 23 min apart from Pennsylvania; Cooling degree-days 478, -42% vs median
23Indiana1873111242812 min apart from Wisconsin; Median household 70,051, -6% vs median
24Kansas1752771141312 min apart from Indiana; Cooling degree-days 1,431, +74% vs median
25Tennessee16134716841Median household 67,097, -10% vs median; 15 min apart from Kansas; Home price 13.18, -14% vs median
26Montana1592971506Heating degree-days 8,999, +59% vs median; 2 min apart from Tennessee; Cooling degree-days 161, -80% vs median
27Colorado14025911921Median household 92,470, +24% vs median; 19 min apart from Montana; Cooling degree-days 251, -69% vs median
28California13730416420Home price 32.54, +113% vs median; 2 min apart from Colorado; Median household 96,334, +29% vs median
29South Dakota1361965713Heating degree-days 7,977, +41% vs median; 1 min apart from California; Minutes without 57, -54% vs median
30Minnesota1322239136Heating degree-days 9,035, +59% vs median; 5 min apart from South Dakota; Median household 87,556, +17% vs median
31Alaska1313241945Home price 26.09, +71% vs median; 1 min apart from Minnesota; Median household 89,336, +19% vs median
32Iowa1151998413Heating degree-days 7,082, +25% vs median; 16 min apart from Alaska; Minutes without 84, -32% vs median
33Missouri112219107273 min apart from Iowa; Home price 13.49, -12% vs median
34Illinois10918057133 min apart from Missouri; Minutes without 57, -54% vs median
35Nevada96160645Cooling degree-days 1,915, +133% vs median; 13 min apart from Illinois; Minutes without 64, -48% vs median
36New Mexico9523917281 min apart from Nevada; Median household 62,125, -17% vs median
37Idaho922341538Home price 11.82, -23% vs median; 3 min apart from New Mexico; Cooling degree-days 409, -50% vs median
38Connecticut79153745Home price 29.38, +92% vs median; 13 min apart from Idaho; Median household 93,760, +25% vs median
39Alabama7819612112Heating degree-days 2,820, -50% vs median; 1 min apart from Connecticut; Median household 62,027, -17% vs median
40New Jersey781801033Median household 101,050, +35% vs median; 0 min apart from Alabama; Home price 22.63, +48% vs median
41Delaware5111867327 min apart from New Jersey; Minutes without 67, -46% vs median
42Maryland42116777Median household 101,652, +36% vs median; 9 min apart from Delaware; Minutes without 77, -38% vs median
43Massachusetts271047712Home price 30.48, +99% vs median; 15 min apart from Maryland; Median household 101,341, +35% vs median
44Arizona14837012Cooling degree-days 2,707, +229% vs median; 14 min apart from Massachusetts; Heating degree-days 2,207, -61% vs median
45Utah101141048Median household 91,750, +23% vs median; 4 min apart from Arizona; Heating degree-days 7,410, +31% vs median
46Wyoming4961457Heating degree-days 8,703, +54% vs median; 6 min apart from Utah; Cooling degree-days 220, -73% vs median
47North Dakota4668510Heating degree-days 9,619, +70% vs median; 0 min apart from Wyoming; Home price 11.81, -23% vs median

South Carolina 3576 min to North Dakota 4 min; 47 rows in the CSV.

CSV

Not ranked: District of Columbia, Hawaii, Rhode Island, Vermont.

Why the top and the bottom differ

The median state adds 175 minutes. This is the part the main reliability ranking leaves out on purpose. Reporting is voluntary in many states, so read it as a pattern, not a verdict.

Averages of the first and last 10 states
MeasureFirst 10 (South Carolina to Louisiana)Last 10 (Connecticut to North Dakota)All 47
Extra minutes from major events122839392
Minutes without major events18892138
Cooling degree-days (normal)1,3769111,033
Heating degree-days (normal)4,4785,9355,486
Home price 2025, ¢/kWh16.6918.8817.01
Median household income, $73,44086,20776,998

Across the states, outages from major events moves most closely with (r, a pattern and not a cause; glossary):

  • nuclear share of generation: r = +0.35 across 47 states
  • heating degree-days: r = -0.30 across 46 states
  • cooling degree-days: r = +0.25 across 46 states
  • median household income: r = -0.20 across 47 states

Outages from major events: regions and residents

By Census division, South Atlantic comes first on outages from major events (mean 1150 min) and Mountain last (76 min). Between South Atlantic and Mountain the means are 1074 min apart; South Carolina and North Dakota are 3572 min apart: most of the spread sits between states, not between regions.

Outages from major events by Census division
Census divisionStatesMean, outages from major eventsRanked highestRanked lowestMedian rank
New England4556 minMaine 1469 minMassachusetts 27 min23
Middle Atlantic3211 minNew York 335 minNew Jersey 78 min21
East North Central5234 minOhio 378 minIllinois 109 min22
West North Central7187 minNebraska 635 minNorth Dakota 4 min30
South Atlantic81150 minSouth Carolina 3576 minMaryland 42 min6
East South Central4230 minKentucky 393 minAlabama 78 min22
West South Central4337 minLouisiana 423 minOklahoma 222 min16
Mountain876 minMontana 159 minWyoming 4 min36
Pacific4252 minWashington 405 minAlaska 131 min22

One vote per state or one per resident? On outages from major events the answers are the median state 175 min, the plain state mean 392 min, weighted by residents 440 min.

Residents by position in the outages from major events ranking
GroupResidentsShare of ranked residentsMean of statesMean weighted by residents
First 10: South Carolina to Louisiana68 million21%1228 min1344 min
Middle 27: Washington to Idaho216 million66%213 min234 min
Last 10: Connecticut to North Dakota44 million13%39 min46 min

Biggest steps between neighbours in this order:

  • 1st to 2nd: South Carolina to Maine, 2107 min apart
  • 6th to 7th: Georgia to West Virginia, 339 min apart
  • 4th to 5th: North Carolina to Virginia, 319 min apart
  • 9th to 10th: Nebraska to Louisiana, 212 min apart

Within 10% of leader South Carolina (3576 min): 0 other places; within 25%: 0. The tenth place, Louisiana, is 3153 min from the leader and the last, North Dakota, 3572 min.

Extra minutes from major events against Minutes without major events

47 dots, one per state; South Carolina is highest on extra minutes from major events and North Dakota lowest. Fit line r = +0.16.

Extra minutes from major events against Minutes without major events, 47 states010002000300040000100200300400500South Carolina: 93, 3576SCMaine: 273, 1469Florida: 67, 1430North Carolina: 144, 1374Virginia: 245, 1054Georgia: 210, 1004West Virginia: 480, 665WVNew Hampshire: 84, 649Nebraska: 68, 635Louisiana: 219, 423Washington: 158, 405Kentucky: 146, 393Ohio: 133, 378Arkansas: 196, 372New York: 143, 335Oregon: 127, 334Texas: 153, 330Michigan: 160, 297Mississippi: 280, 290Oklahoma: 122, 222Pennsylvania: 130, 222Wisconsin: 98, 199Indiana: 124, 187Kansas: 114, 175Tennessee: 168, 161Montana: 150, 159Colorado: 119, 140California: 164, 137South Dakota: 57, 136Minnesota: 91, 132Alaska: 194, 131Iowa: 84, 115Missouri: 107, 112Illinois: 57, 109ILNevada: 64, 96New Mexico: 172, 95Idaho: 153, 92Connecticut: 74, 79Alabama: 121, 78New Jersey: 103, 78Delaware: 67, 51Maryland: 77, 42Massachusetts: 77, 27Arizona: 70, 14Utah: 104, 10Wyoming: 145, 4North Dakota: 85, 4NDMinutes without major eventsExtra minutes from major events
47 states: first 8 of 47 rows
StateMinutes without major eventsExtra minutes from major events
South Carolina92.803575.70
Maine272.991468.88
Florida66.781430.19
North Carolina143.901373.56
Virginia245.311054.42
Georgia209.871004.48
West Virginia480.15665.31
New Hampshire84.23649.49

South Carolina is highest on the vertical axis (3576), North Dakota lowest (4).

CSV

Sources

From EIA-861.

EIA-861 Reliability 2024: SAIDI with major event days minus SAIDI without, per utility with 1,000+ accounts reporting both, weighted by accounts and averaged by state; states need 3 or more such utilities.

Periods, retrieval dates and licences: data sources.

Related to outages from major events

Questions

Which state loses the most power to major events?

South Carolina: 3576 extra minutes per customer in 2024 (EIA-861 SAIDI with major event days minus without), customer-weighted.

What is a major event day?

A day when outages are so widespread that statistical rules set it aside, such as a hurricane or ice storm. Utilities report SAIDI both ways.

Is this the same as the reliability ranking?

No. That ranking uses minutes without major events. This one measures the minutes added by them.

Why only some states?

A state needs at least 3 utilities with 1,000+ accounts that report both figures. 47 of 51 qualify.

Does it include the 2024 hurricanes?

Only as far as utilities reported them for 2024; the table shows what was filed, not a storm count.

Do states with long normal outages also lose more to events?

Correlation between minutes without events and event minutes: r = +0.16 across 47 states.

How is it weighted?

Each utility's difference is weighted by its customer count, then averaged by state.

Share this page

3576 min extra outage minutes a year in South Carolina when major event days are counted (2024)

Cite this page

Underlying data are U.S. government works (EIA, Census Bureau). Our tables and charts: CC BY 4.0, credit Electric Consumer. The access date fills in when you open this page.

APA

Electric Consumer. (2026). Most outage-prone states: minutes lost to major events, 2024. Data as of 2 October 2026. Retrieved [date accessed], from https://electricconsumer.org/rankings/most-outage-prone-states-major-events.html

MLA

Electric Consumer. “Most outage-prone states: minutes lost to major events, 2024.” Electric Consumer, data as of 2 October 2026, https://electricconsumer.org/rankings/most-outage-prone-states-major-events.html. Accessed [date accessed].

Chicago

Electric Consumer. “Most outage-prone states: minutes lost to major events, 2024.” Data as of 2 October 2026. Accessed [date accessed]. https://electricconsumer.org/rankings/most-outage-prone-states-major-events.html.

BibTeX

@misc{usedata_rankings_most_outage_prone_states_major_events,
  author = "Electric Consumer",
  title = {Most outage-prone states: minutes lost to major events, 2024},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://electricconsumer.org/rankings/most-outage-prone-states-major-events.html},
  note = {Data as of 2 October 2026. Accessed [date accessed]}
}
Embed this chart or number

Free to use. No tracking, no scripts. Each embed links back to this site.

Charts on this page (SVG)

Copies a self-contained SVG with the source and a link to this page inside the image.