Hillsborough CountyPower Outage History
What this grade means
Worse than average — more frequent or longer outages than most counties. This county's recorded history shows more frequent outages and/or longer restoration times than most US counties over the same 12-year period. If you live here, it's worth taking backup power more seriously than an average household would.
Outages by year
Outages by month (seasonality)
Worst outage events on record
| Date | Duration | Customers affected | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 9, 2024 | 35 hrs | 520,308 (52%) | Hurricane Milton |
| Oct 11, 2024 | 7 hrs | 504,067 (50%) | Hurricane Milton |
| Oct 11, 2024 | 7 hrs | 491,231 (49%) | Hurricane Milton |
| Oct 11, 2024 | <1 hr | 471,134 (47%) | Hurricane Milton |
| Oct 11, 2024 | 10 hrs | 468,686 (47%) | Hurricane Milton |
Was There an Outage on a Specific Date?
Pick a date to see whether a power outage was recorded for Hillsborough County, Florida that day.
Over the 12 years from 2014 to 2025, Hillsborough County recorded 7,222 distinct power outage events, averaging 1.5 hours per event.
The single worst outage on record in Hillsborough County started October 9, 2024 (Hurricane Milton), lasting 35 hours and leaving up to 520,308 customers without power (52% of the county) at its peak.
July has historically been the worst month for outages in Hillsborough County, with 871 events recorded during that month across the dataset.
Based on this history, Hillsborough County earns a Reliability Grade of D, placing it in the 26th percentile nationally for grid reliability (higher percentile = more reliable).
Similar counties in Florida
Counties with the closest reliability grade and national percentile to Hillsborough County.
| County | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Orange County | D | 26th |
| Citrus County | D | 24th |
| Lake County | D | 24th |
| Escambia County | D | 23rd |
| Hendry County | D | 23rd |
Most reliable counties nationally
The top 3 counties nationally by reliability grade and percentile.
| County | State | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clay County | South Dakota | A | 100th |
| Clearwater County | Minnesota | A | 99th |
| Limestone County | Alabama | A | 99th |
Least reliable counties nationally
The bottom 3 counties nationally by reliability grade and percentile.
| County | State | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clay County | West Virginia | F | 0th |
| Lincoln County | West Virginia | F | 0th |
| Cameron Parish | Louisiana | F | 0th |
FAQ
How often does power go out in Hillsborough County?
Between 2014 and 2025, Hillsborough County recorded 7,222 outage events, averaging 1.5 hours each.
What is Hillsborough County's reliability grade?
Hillsborough County has a Reliability Grade of D, in the 26th national percentile.
What was the worst power outage in Hillsborough County?
The worst outage on record started October 9, 2024 (Hurricane Milton), lasting 35 hours and affecting up to 520,308 customers.