Polk 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 29, 2020 | 109 hrs | 11,874 (60%) | Tropical Storm Zeta |
| Dec 8, 2017 | 79 hrs | 10,586 (53%) | Winter Storm |
| Jan 11, 2020 | 11 hrs | 6,298 (32%) | Thunderstorm Wind |
| Jan 4, 2024 | <1 hr | 5,409 (27%) | Drought |
| Apr 13, 2020 | 16 hrs | 5,329 (27%) | Thunderstorm Wind |
Was There an Outage on a Specific Date?
Pick a date to see whether a power outage was recorded for Polk County, Georgia that day.
Over the 12 years from 2014 to 2025, Polk County recorded 789 distinct power outage events, averaging 2.8 hours per event.
The single worst outage on record in Polk County started October 29, 2020 (Tropical Storm Zeta), lasting 109 hours and leaving up to 11,874 customers without power (60% of the county) at its peak.
August has historically been the worst month for outages in Polk County, with 88 events recorded during that month across the dataset.
Based on this history, Polk County earns a Reliability Grade of D, placing it in the 25th percentile nationally for grid reliability (higher percentile = more reliable).
Similar counties in Georgia
Counties with the closest reliability grade and national percentile to Polk County.
| County | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Quitman County | D | 25th |
| Webster County | D | 24th |
| Dade County | D | 25th |
| Stewart County | D | 24th |
| Sumter County | D | 24th |
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 Polk County?
Between 2014 and 2025, Polk County recorded 789 outage events, averaging 2.8 hours each.
What is Polk County's reliability grade?
Polk County has a Reliability Grade of D, in the 25th national percentile.
What was the worst power outage in Polk County?
The worst outage on record started October 29, 2020 (Tropical Storm Zeta), lasting 109 hours and affecting up to 11,874 customers.