Sussex County Power Outage History
2014–2025 · Delaware
Top 20% most reliable nationally — infrequent, short outages. How grades are calculated
Outages by year
Outages by month (seasonality)
Worst outage events on record
| Date | Duration | Customers affected | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 4, 2020 | 34 hrs | 34,852 (12%) | Tropical Storm Isaias |
| May 26, 2016 | 2 hrs | 23,322 (8%) | Unnamed event |
| Feb 22, 2015 | 3 hrs | 22,468 (8%) | Cold/Wind Chill |
| Nov 13, 2020 | 1 hrs | 18,587 (6%) | Unnamed event |
| Aug 30, 2017 | 1 hrs | 16,283 (6%) | Astronomical Low Tide |
Over the 12 years from 2014 to 2025, Sussex County recorded 1,519 distinct power outage events, averaging 1.7 hours per event.
The single worst outage on record in Sussex County started August 4, 2020 (Tropical Storm Isaias), lasting 34 hours and leaving up to 34,852 customers without power (12% of the county) at its peak.
August has historically been the worst month for outages in Sussex County, with 183 events recorded during that month across the dataset.
Based on this history, Sussex County earns a Reliability Grade of A, placing it in the 90th percentile nationally for grid reliability (higher percentile = more reliable).
Sized for Sussex County's outage profile
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Outage-prep kit
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Similar counties in Delaware
Counties with the closest reliability grade and national percentile to Sussex County.
| County | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Kent County | A | 91st |
| New Castle County | B | 64th |
FAQ
How often does power go out in Sussex County?
Between 2014 and 2025, Sussex County recorded 1,519 outage events, averaging 1.7 hours each.
What is Sussex County's reliability grade?
Sussex County has a Reliability Grade of A, in the 90th national percentile.
What was the worst power outage in Sussex County?
The worst outage on record started August 4, 2020 (Tropical Storm Isaias), lasting 34 hours and affecting up to 34,852 customers.