Adams CountyPower Outage History
2015–2025 · Iowa
Average — typical outage frequency and duration nationally. This county sits in the middle of the national distribution — its outage frequency and duration over the past 12 years are close to the nationwide median, neither notably better nor worse than most other US counties. A typical amount of backup-power preparedness is reasonable here.
Outages by year
Outages by month (seasonality)
Worst outage events on record
| Date | Duration | Customers affected | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 21, 2016 | 15 hrs | 1,444 (47%) | Heavy Rain |
| Jun 30, 2019 | 7 hrs | 893 (29%) | Hail |
| May 24, 2019 | 2 hrs | 736 (24%) | Heavy Rain |
| Jul 17, 2016 | 4 hrs | 702 (23%) | Heavy Rain |
| Nov 29, 2020 | 3 hrs | 666 (22%) | Drought |
Over the 11 years from 2015 to 2025, Adams County recorded 484 distinct power outage events, averaging 3.1 hours per event.
The single worst outage on record in Adams County started July 21, 2016 (Heavy Rain), lasting 15 hours and leaving up to 1,444 customers without power (47% of the county) at its peak.
July has historically been the worst month for outages in Adams County, with 65 events recorded during that month across the dataset.
Based on this history, Adams County earns a Reliability Grade of C, placing it in the 43rd percentile nationally for grid reliability (higher percentile = more reliable).
Sized for Adams County's outage profile
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Read our mission →Similar counties in Iowa
Counties with the closest reliability grade and national percentile to Adams County.
| County | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Louisa County | C | 44th |
| Ringgold County | C | 42nd |
| Jones County | C | 45th |
| Wayne County | C | 41st |
| Grundy County | C | 46th |
Most reliable counties in Iowa
The top 3 counties in Iowa by reliability grade and percentile.
| County | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Clay County | A | 97th |
| Emmet County | A | 95th |
| Bremer County | A | 94th |
Least reliable counties in Iowa
The bottom 3 counties in Iowa by reliability grade and percentile.
| County | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Marshall County | F | 6th |
| Tama County | F | 12th |
| Jasper County | F | 14th |
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 Adams County?
Between 2015 and 2025, Adams County recorded 484 outage events, averaging 3.1 hours each.
What is Adams County's reliability grade?
Adams County has a Reliability Grade of C, in the 43rd national percentile.
What was the worst power outage in Adams County?
The worst outage on record started July 21, 2016 (Heavy Rain), lasting 15 hours and affecting up to 1,444 customers.