Santa Barbara County Power Outage History
2014–2025 · California
Average — typical outage frequency and duration nationally. How grades are calculated
Outages by year
Outages by month (seasonality)
Worst outage events on record
| Date | Duration | Customers affected | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 5, 2017 | 2 hrs | 56,650 (29%) | Unnamed event |
| Jan 17, 2019 | 3 hrs | 22,471 (12%) | Unnamed event |
| Aug 15, 2020 | 9 hrs | 20,656 (11%) | Unnamed event |
| Feb 24, 2019 | 3 hrs | 20,617 (11%) | Unnamed event |
| Nov 17, 2015 | 3 hrs | 19,069 (10%) | Unnamed event |
Over the 12 years from 2014 to 2025, Santa Barbara County recorded 3,449 distinct power outage events, averaging 3.7 hours per event.
The single worst outage on record in Santa Barbara County started December 5, 2017, lasting 2 hours and leaving up to 56,650 customers without power (29% of the county) at its peak.
June has historically been the worst month for outages in Santa Barbara County, with 334 events recorded during that month across the dataset.
Based on this history, Santa Barbara County earns a Reliability Grade of C, placing it in the 48th percentile nationally for grid reliability (higher percentile = more reliable).
Sized for Santa Barbara County's outage profile
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Similar counties in California
Counties with the closest reliability grade and national percentile to Santa Barbara County.
| County | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|
| San Luis Obispo County | C | 48th |
| Riverside County | C | 45th |
| Solano County | C | 44th |
| Los Angeles County | C | 42nd |
| San Bernardino County | C | 41st |
FAQ
How often does power go out in Santa Barbara County?
Between 2014 and 2025, Santa Barbara County recorded 3,449 outage events, averaging 3.7 hours each.
What is Santa Barbara County's reliability grade?
Santa Barbara County has a Reliability Grade of C, in the 48th national percentile.
What was the worst power outage in Santa Barbara County?
The worst outage on record started December 5, 2017, lasting 2 hours and affecting up to 56,650 customers.