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 and least reliable electric power by state

57 minoutage time per customer in Illinois in 2024, the least of 44 ranked states

The average customer in Illinois lost power for 57 minutes in 2024, against 280 minutes (4 h 40 min) in Mississippi: 4.9 times as long. The U.S. median utility reports 99 minutes. Figures exclude major event days such as hurricanes, so the worst storms are not in these numbers.

Find your state

Pick a state to see where it ranks.

Most and least reliable electric power by state, mapNew Mexico: 172 minTexas: 153 minKentucky: 146 minOhio: 133 minGeorgia: 210 minArkansas: 196 minOregon: 127 minPennsylvania: 130 minMissouri: 107 minNorth Carolina: 144 minUtah: 104 minVirginia: 245 minWYWVNew York: 143 minIndiana: 124 minKansas: 114 minIdaho: 153 minNevada: 64 minIllinois: 57 minVTNew Jersey: 103 minMinnesota: 91 minMaryland: 77 minIowa: 84 minHINew Hampshire: 84 minRIConnecticut: 74 minMontana: 150 minArizona: 70 minNebraska: 68 minWashington: 158 minSouth Dakota: 57 minCalifornia: 164 minALWisconsin: 98 minMississippi: 280 minColorado: 119 minOklahoma: 122 minTennessee: 168 minLouisiana: 219 minMichigan: 160 minMassachusetts: 77 minFlorida: 67 minAlaska: 194 minNorth Dakota: 85 minSouth Carolina: 93 minMaine: 273 minDelaware: 67 minDC
  • 57 min to 77 min
  • 77 min to 107 min
  • 107 min to 143 min
  • 143 min to 168 min
  • 168 min to 280 min

Illinois 57 min first, Mississippi 280 min last: the map links to each state.

All 44 ranked places

minutes without power per customer a year (SAIDI, no major events), 2024

  1. 1Illinois57 min
  2. 2South Dakota57 min
  3. 3Nevada64 min
  4. 4Florida67 min
  5. 5Delaware67 min
  6. 6Nebraska68 min
  7. 7Arizona70 min
  8. 8Connecticut74 min
  9. 9Maryland77 min
  10. 10Massachusetts77 min
  11. 11New Hampshire84 min
  12. 12Iowa84 min
  13. 13North Dakota85 min
  14. 14Minnesota91 min
  15. 15South Carolina93 min
  16. 16Wisconsin98 min
  17. 17New Jersey103 min
  18. 18Utah104 min
  19. 19Missouri107 min
  20. 20Kansas114 min
  21. 21Colorado119 min
  22. 22Oklahoma122 min
  23. 23Indiana124 min
  24. 24Oregon127 min
  25. 25Pennsylvania130 min
  26. 26Ohio133 min
  27. 27New York143 min
  28. 28North Carolina144 min
  29. 29Kentucky146 min
  30. 30Montana150 min
  31. 31Idaho153 min
  32. 32Texas153 min
  33. 33Washington158 min
  34. 34Michigan160 min
  35. 35California164 min
  36. 36Tennessee168 min
  37. 37New Mexico172 min
  38. 38Alaska194 min
  39. 39Arkansas196 min
  40. 40Georgia210 min
  41. 41Louisiana219 min
  42. 42Virginia245 min
  43. 43Maine273 min
  44. 44Mississippi280 min

The table, sortable

Most reliable power: first 44 of 44
1Illinois5757 min1217.690 min ahead of South Dakota; Population density 551,854, +165% vs median
2South Dakota5757 min913.38Heating degree-days 7,977, +40% vs median; 0 min apart from Illinois; Population density 59,946, -71% vs median
3Nevada641 h 04 min513.15Cooling degree-days 1,915, +130% vs median; 7 min apart from South Dakota; Heating degree-days 3,762, -34% vs median
4Florida671 h 07 min1715.24Cooling degree-days 3,191, +283% vs median; 3 min apart from Nevada; Heating degree-days 774, -86% vs median
5Delaware671 h 07 min317.130 min apart from Florida; Utilities in 6, -71% vs median
6Nebraska681 h 08 min912.341 min apart from Delaware; Home price 12.34, -19% vs median
7Arizona701 h 10 min1115.32Cooling degree-days 2,707, +225% vs median; 1 min apart from Nebraska; Heating degree-days 2,207, -61% vs median
8Connecticut741 h 14 min529.38Home price 29.38, +93% vs median; 4 min apart from Arizona; Median household 93,760, +25% vs median
9Maryland771 h 17 min619.48Median household 101,652, +35% vs median; 3 min apart from Connecticut; Population density 881,534, +323% vs median
10Massachusetts771 h 17 min1230.48Home price 30.48, +100% vs median; 1 min apart from Maryland; Median household 101,341, +35% vs median
11New Hampshire841 h 24 min324.56Median household 95,628, +27% vs median; 7 min apart from Massachusetts; Home price 24.56, +61% vs median
12Iowa841 h 24 min1213.720 min apart from New Hampshire; Heating degree-days 7,082, +24% vs median
13North Dakota851 h 25 min811.81Heating degree-days 9,619, +69% vs median; 0 min apart from Iowa; Home price 11.81, -23% vs median
14Minnesota911 h 31 min3415.82Heating degree-days 9,035, +58% vs median; 7 min apart from North Dakota; Median household 87,556, +16% vs median
15South Carolina931 h 33 min2014.96Heating degree-days 2,803, -51% vs median; 1 min apart from Minnesota; Cooling degree-days 1,838, +121% vs median
16Wisconsin981 h 38 min2318.16Utilities in 64, +212% vs median; 5 min apart from South Carolina; Heating degree-days 7,934, +39% vs median
17New Jersey1031 h 43 min322.63Population density 1,853,403, +789% vs median; 5 min apart from Wisconsin; Median household 101,050, +34% vs median
18Utah1041 h 44 min813.07Median household 91,750, +22% vs median; 1 min apart from New Jersey; Heating degree-days 7,410, +30% vs median
19Missouri1071 h 47 min2613.493 min apart from Utah; Median household 68,920, -8% vs median
20Kansas1141 h 54 min1114.568 min apart from Missouri; Cooling degree-days 1,431, +72% vs median
21Colorado1191 h 59 min2115.85Median household 92,470, +23% vs median; 5 min apart from Kansas; Cooling degree-days 251, -70% vs median
22Oklahoma1222 h 02 min1713.12Median household 63,603, -16% vs median; 3 min apart from Colorado; Cooling degree-days 1,922, +131% vs median
23Indiana1242 h 04 min2816.232 min apart from Oklahoma; Median household 70,051, -7% vs median
24Oregon1272 h 07 min915.373 min apart from Indiana; Cooling degree-days 157, -81% vs median
25Pennsylvania1302 h 10 min519.303 min apart from Oregon; Population density 683,501, +228% vs median
26Ohio1332 h 13 min2916.963 min apart from Pennsylvania; Median household 69,680, -7% vs median
27New York1432 h 23 min426.39Population density 1,419,451, +581% vs median; 9 min apart from Ohio; Home price 26.39, +73% vs median
28North Carolina1442 h 24 min3514.02Heating degree-days 3,607, -37% vs median; 1 min apart from New York; Utilities in 48, +134% vs median
29Kentucky1462 h 26 min2913.24Median household 62,417, -17% vs median; 2 min apart from North Carolina; Home price 13.24, -13% vs median
30Montana1502 h 30 min312.98Heating degree-days 8,999, +58% vs median; 4 min apart from Kentucky; Cooling degree-days 161, -81% vs median
31Idaho1532 h 33 min611.82Home price 11.82, -23% vs median; 3 min apart from Montana; Heating degree-days 7,220, +27% vs median
32Texas1532 h 33 min4515.47Utilities in 160, +680% vs median; 0 min apart from Idaho; Cooling degree-days 2,648, +218% vs median
33Washington1582 h 38 min2013.11Median household 94,952, +26% vs median; 5 min apart from Texas; Cooling degree-days 131, -84% vs median
34Michigan1602 h 40 min1820.012 min apart from Washington; Heating degree-days 7,201, +26% vs median
35California1642 h 44 min1932.54Home price 32.54, +113% vs median; 4 min apart from Michigan; Population density 1,189,175, +471% vs median
36Tennessee1682 h 48 min4113.18Utilities in 82, +300% vs median; 4 min apart from California; Median household 67,097, -11% vs median
37New Mexico1722 h 52 min615.084 min apart from Tennessee; Median household 62,125, -17% vs median
38Alaska1943 h 14 min526.09Home price 26.09, +71% vs median; 22 min apart from New Mexico; Median household 89,336, +19% vs median
39Arkansas1963 h 16 min1312.84Median household 58,773, -22% vs median; 2 min apart from Alaska; Heating degree-days 3,547, -38% vs median
40Georgia2103 h 30 min3014.73Heating degree-days 3,015, -47% vs median; 14 min apart from Arkansas; Utilities in 56, +173% vs median
41Louisiana2193 h 39 min612.57Cooling degree-days 2,557, +207% vs median; 9 min apart from Georgia; Heating degree-days 1,786, -69% vs median
42Virginia2454 h 05 min1215.2826 min apart from Louisiana; Median household 90,974, +21% vs median
43Maine2734 h 33 min327.78Home price 27.78, +82% vs median; 28 min apart from Virginia; Heating degree-days 8,285, +45% vs median
44Mississippi2804 h 40 min1214.03Median household 54,915, -27% vs median; 7 min apart from Maine; Cooling degree-days 2,126, +155% vs median

Illinois 57 min to Mississippi 280 min; 44 rows in the CSV.

CSV

Not ranked: Alabama, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wyoming.

Why the top and the bottom differ

SAIDI is minutes without power per customer a year. We average each state's utilities weighted by home accounts. Ranked: states with at least 3 reporting utilities that cover 25% or more of home accounts (retail-choice states, where accounts are counted differently, are kept with 3 or more). Not ranked: Alabama, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wyoming. Each has fewer reporting utilities or too small a coverage to compare.

Averages of the first and last 10 states
MeasureFirst 10 (Illinois to Massachusetts)Last 10 (California to Mississippi)All 44
Outage minutes a year68212130
Home price 2025, ¢/kWh18.3618.4117.14
Median household income, $83,28672,60177,822
Population density proxy: people per utility410,135289,630341,403
Heating degree-days (normal)5,0663,9785,477
Cooling degree-days (normal)1,3061,3531,038
Utilities in the state163028

Across the states, most reliable power moves most closely with (r, a pattern and not a cause; glossary):

  • median household income: r = -0.33 across 50 states
  • CO2 per MWh: r = +0.22 across 50 states
  • coal share of generation: r = +0.20 across 50 states
  • nuclear share of generation: r = -0.19 across 50 states

Most reliable power: regions and residents

By Census division, West North Central comes first on most reliable power (mean 87 min) and East South Central last (198 min). Between West North Central and East South Central the means are 111 min apart; Illinois and Mississippi are 223 min apart: most of the spread sits between states, not between regions.

Most reliable power by Census division
Census divisionStatesMean, most reliable powerRanked highestRanked lowestMedian rank
New England4127 minConnecticut 74 minMaine 273 min10
Middle Atlantic3125 minNew Jersey 103 minNew York 143 min25
East North Central5114 minIllinois 57 minMichigan 160 min23
West North Central787 minSouth Dakota 57 minKansas 114 min13
South Atlantic7129 minFlorida 67 minVirginia 245 min15
East South Central3198 minKentucky 146 minMississippi 280 min36
West South Central4172 minOklahoma 122 minLouisiana 219 min36
Mountain7119 minNevada 64 minNew Mexico 172 min21
Pacific4161 minOregon 127 minAlaska 194 min34

One vote per state or one per resident? On most reliable power the answers are weighted by residents 133 min, the plain state mean 130 min, the median state 123 min.

Residents by position in the most reliable power ranking
GroupResidentsShare of ranked residentsMean of statesMean weighted by residents
First 10: Illinois to Massachusetts66 million20%68 min67 min
Middle 24: New Hampshire to Michigan175 million54%122 min131 min
Last 10: California to Mississippi81 million25%212 min190 min

Biggest steps between neighbours in this order:

  • 42nd to 43rd: Virginia to Maine, 28 min apart
  • 41st to 42nd: Louisiana to Virginia, 26 min apart
  • 37th to 38th: New Mexico to Alaska, 22 min apart
  • 39th to 40th: Arkansas to Georgia, 14 min apart

Within 10% of leader Illinois (57 min): 1 other places; within 25%: 6. The tenth place, Massachusetts, is 20 min from the leader and the last, Mississippi, 223 min.

Outage minutes a year against Home price 2025, ¢/kWh

44 dots, one per state; Mississippi is highest on outage minutes a year and Illinois lowest. Fit line r = +0.05.

Outage minutes a year against Home price 2025, ¢/kWh, 44 states50100150200250300101520253035Illinois: 18, 57ILSouth Dakota: 13, 57Nevada: 13, 64Florida: 15, 67Delaware: 17, 67Nebraska: 12, 68Arizona: 15, 70Connecticut: 29, 74Maryland: 19, 77Massachusetts: 30, 77New Hampshire: 25, 84Iowa: 14, 84North Dakota: 12, 85NDMinnesota: 16, 91South Carolina: 15, 93Wisconsin: 18, 98New Jersey: 23, 103Utah: 13, 104Missouri: 13, 107Kansas: 15, 114Colorado: 16, 119Oklahoma: 13, 122Indiana: 16, 124Oregon: 15, 127Pennsylvania: 19, 130Ohio: 17, 133New York: 26, 143North Carolina: 14, 144Kentucky: 13, 146Montana: 13, 150Idaho: 12, 153Texas: 15, 153Washington: 13, 158Michigan: 20, 160California: 33, 164CATennessee: 13, 168New Mexico: 15, 172Alaska: 26, 194Arkansas: 13, 196Georgia: 15, 210Louisiana: 13, 219Virginia: 15, 245Maine: 28, 273Mississippi: 14, 280MSHome price 2025, ¢/kWhOutage minutes a year
44 states: first 8 of 44 rows
StateHome price 2025, ¢/kWhOutage minutes a year
Illinois17.6956.94
South Dakota13.3857.12
Nevada13.1563.76
Florida15.2466.78
Delaware17.1366.80
Nebraska12.3468.25
Arizona15.3269.74
Connecticut29.3873.56

Mississippi is highest on the vertical axis (280), Illinois lowest (57).

CSV

Sources

From EIA-861.

SAIDI and SAIFI come from EIA-861 2024 and exclude major event days. A state value is the average over its utilities that report SAIDI and serve at least 1,000 homes, weighted by home accounts. Utilities that serve several states are filed under their largest state, so a state figure can include a utility's outages elsewhere.

Periods, retrieval dates and licences: data sources.

Related to most reliable power

Questions

Which state has the most reliable power?

Illinois, with 57 minutes of outage per customer in 2024 (EIA-861, major events excluded, customer-weighted). Next: South Dakota (57) and Nevada (64).

Which state has the worst outages?

Mississippi: 280 minutes (4 h 40 min) per customer, then Maine (273) and Virginia (245).

What is SAIDI?

System Average Interruption Duration Index: total minutes of outage divided by customers served, for the year. Lower is better. We use the version without major event days (IEEE 1366).

Do these numbers include hurricanes and ice storms?

No. The EIA field we use excludes major event days, so a state hit hard by storms can look better than it felt. EIA also publishes a with-events figure; we do not rank by it because few utilities report it.

Do cheap states have more outages?

Across ranked states the correlation between home price and outage minutes is r = +0.05: a weak link means price alone does not predict reliability. See the price, income and outages explorer.

Why are some states missing?

7 places are not ranked because fewer than 3 utilities report SAIDI or the reporters cover a small part of homes: Alabama, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wyoming.

Is a state average my own reliability?

No. Your utility's figure matters more: see the reliability page for your state or the company page for your utility.

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57 min outage time per customer in Illinois in 2024, the least of 44 ranked states

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 reliable power by state: outage minutes per year, 2024. Data as of 2 October 2026. Retrieved [date accessed], from https://electricconsumer.org/rankings/most-reliable-power-by-state.html

MLA

Electric Consumer. “Most reliable power by state: outage minutes per year, 2024.” Electric Consumer, data as of 2 October 2026, https://electricconsumer.org/rankings/most-reliable-power-by-state.html. Accessed [date accessed].

Chicago

Electric Consumer. “Most reliable power by state: outage minutes per year, 2024.” Data as of 2 October 2026. Accessed [date accessed]. https://electricconsumer.org/rankings/most-reliable-power-by-state.html.

BibTeX

@misc{usedata_rankings_most_reliable_power_by_state,
  author = "Electric Consumer",
  title = {Most reliable power by state: outage minutes per year, 2024},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://electricconsumer.org/rankings/most-reliable-power-by-state.html},
  note = {Data as of 2 October 2026. Accessed [date accessed]}
}
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