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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

Alabama power outages by utility

12 Alabama utilities report outage minutes to EIA. The state median is 129 minutes a year; the range runs from 20 to 245.

Ranking by outage minutes

Alabama, SAIDI without major event days, 2024; lower is better; 12 utilities.

RankAlabama utilityOwner typeAlabama home accountsSAIDI minInterruptions (SAIFI)SAIDI with stormsAlabama storm sharePrice ¢/kWh
1Baldwin County El Member CorpCooperative83,005201.0212884%13.87
2City of OpelikaMunicipal13,555380.42No dataNo data12.83
3City of DothanMunicipal26,752610.637316%10.72
4Foley Board of UtilitiesMunicipal50,954641.01708%13.48
5Wiregrass Electric Coop, IncCooperative22,4011111.2719543%15.45
6Covington Electric Coop, IncCooperative23,2811291.5117928%16.65
7South Alabama Elec Coop, IncCooperative16,8011301.3928855%15.44
8Coosa Valley Electric Coop IncCooperative15,6121551.9326441%15.71
9Dixie Electric CoopCooperative22,0541981.3933240%15.05
10Central Alabama Electric CoopCooperative45,036198No data29633%16.64
11Cullman Electric Coop, IncCooperative39,7792322.002320%13.26
12Tallapoosa River Elec Coop IncCooperative29,5782451.9237835%14.39

Alabama outage minutes by owner type

In Alabama, 16% of 2,398,172 home accounts sit with the 12 qualifying utilities out of 43 in the file. Alabama customer-weighted SAIDI is 121 minutes against a median of 129, and 8 of 12 Alabama utilities exceed the U.S. median of 99. Counting major event days adds a median 35% to SAIDI.

Alabama owner typeAlabama utilitiesAlabama home accountsAlabama median SAIDIAlabama weighted SAIDIAlabama median SAIFIAlabama storm shareAlabama median price ¢/kWh
Cooperative9297,5471551391.4540%15.44
Municipal391,26161600.6312%12.83

By owner type, Municipal utilities have the lowest median SAIDI in Alabama (61 minutes, 3 of 12) and Cooperative the highest (155 minutes, 9 of 12).

Alabama utilities that stand out

Why it stands outAlabama utilityAlabama owner typeAlabama accountsAlabama SAIDI minAlabama SAIDI rankAlabama SAIFIAlabama SAIDI with stormsAlabama price ¢/kWhAlabama price rank
the most reliableBaldwin County El Member CorpCooperative83,005201 of 121.0212813.875 of 12
the least reliableTallapoosa River Elec Coop IncCooperative29,57824512 of 121.9237814.396 of 12
the most improvedCity of OpelikaMunicipal13,555382 of 120.42No data12.832 of 12
the cheapestCity of DothanMunicipal26,752613 of 120.637310.721 of 12
the priciestCovington Electric Coop, IncCooperative23,2811296 of 121.5117916.6512 of 12

Does a higher price buy fewer outages?

Each dot is one of 12 Alabama utilities.

Home price and outage minutes, Alabama utilities01002003001012141618Home price, cents per kWhSAIDI, minutes a yearBaldwin County El Member Corp: 13.87 ¢/kWh, 20 minCity of Opelika: 12.83 ¢/kWh, 38 minCity of Dothan: 10.72 ¢/kWh, 61 minFoley Board of Utilities: 13.48 ¢/kWh, 64 minWiregrass Electric Coop, Inc: 15.45 ¢/kWh, 111 minCovington Electric Coop, Inc: 16.65 ¢/kWh, 129 minSouth Alabama Elec Coop, Inc: 15.44 ¢/kWh, 130 minCoosa Valley Electric Coop Inc: 15.71 ¢/kWh, 155 minDixie Electric Coop: 15.05 ¢/kWh, 198 minCentral Alabama Electric Coop: 16.64 ¢/kWh, 198 minCullman Electric Coop, Inc: 13.26 ¢/kWh, 232 minTallapoosa River Elec Coop Inc: 14.39 ¢/kWh, 245 min
Alabama, 2024: first 8 of 12 rows
Home price, cents per kWhSAIDI, minutes a year
Baldwin County El Member Corp13.8720
City of Opelika12.8338
City of Dothan10.7261
Foley Board of Utilities13.4864
Wiregrass Electric Coop, Inc15.45111
Covington Electric Coop, Inc16.65129
South Alabama Elec Coop, Inc15.44130
Coosa Valley Electric Coop Inc15.71155

12 rows from EIA-861 survey.

CSV

Alabama utilities, change in their own SAIDI

First to last year each utility reported, best change first.

RankAlabama utilityAlabama yearsAlabama SAIDI firstAlabama SAIDI lastAlabama change
1City of Opelika2018 to 202540248-88%
2Baldwin County El Member Corp2015 to 20257424-67%
3Foley Board of Utilities2016 to 20257340-44%
4Dixie Electric Coop2015 to 2025138118-14%
5Wiregrass Electric Coop, Inc2015 to 202510894-13%
6Cullman Electric Coop, Inc2015 to 2025348347-0%
7Covington Electric Coop, Inc2015 to 20257886+10%
8Central Alabama Electric Coop2015 to 2025155189+22%
9South Alabama Elec Coop, Inc2016 to 2025104159+53%
10Coosa Valley Electric Coop Inc2015 to 2025135209+54%
11Tallapoosa River Elec Coop Inc2015 to 2025112268+139%

Analyst note

The reporters cover 16% of Alabama home accounts, rank 40 of 40. Of 12 Alabama utilities with 1,000+ home accounts that report SAIDI, Baldwin County El Member Corp is lowest at 20 minutes a year and Tallapoosa River Elec Coop Inc highest at 245, a 12.2 to 1 spread. The state median is 129 minutes, +30% against the U.S. median reporter. Over each utility's own record, City of Opelika improved most (402 to 48 minutes, -88%, 2018 to 2025) and Tallapoosa River Elec Coop Inc changed the other way (112 to 268, +139%); 6 of 11 fell. Home price and outage minutes line up at r = +0.42 across 12 Alabama utilities: the pricier ones report more minutes. That is Alabama's pattern, not a cause.

Questions on Alabama outages

How much of Alabama does this ranking cover?

16% of home accounts: 12 utilities of 43.

Which Alabama utility has the fewest outage minutes?

Baldwin County El Member Corp: 20 minutes a year, SAIDI without major events, 2024.

Which Alabama utility has the most?

Tallapoosa River Elec Coop Inc: 245 minutes a year in 2024.

What is the typical SAIDI in Alabama?

The median of 12 reporting utilities is 129 minutes, +30% on the U.S. median reporter.

Do cheaper Alabama utilities have more outages?

Across 12 utilities r = +0.42, so the link is positive: higher price goes with more outage minutes.

How much of Alabama outage time comes from storms?

At Baldwin County El Member Corp 84% of all-event SAIDI is major event days.

How reliable is the largest Alabama utility?

Baldwin County El Member Corp serves 83,005 home accounts and reports 20 minutes, rank 1 of 12; weighted by customers the state figure is 121.

Do Alabama co-ops and investor-owned utilities differ?

2 owner types report in Alabama: Cooperative 9 utilities with 297,547 home accounts, Municipal 3 utilities with 91,261 home accounts.

What share of Alabama home accounts do these utilities serve?

16% of 2,398,172 accounts, 12 of 43 utilities; 8 are above the U.S. median of 99 minutes.

More on Alabama

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12 Alabama utilities report outage minutes to EIA. The state median is 129 minutes a year; the range runs from 20 to 245.