Buchanan County Power Outage History
2014–2025 · Iowa
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 15, 2024 | 1 hrs | 1,511 (12%) | Thunderstorm Wind |
| Sep 22, 2016 | 2 hrs | 1,498 (12%) | Unnamed event |
| Nov 5, 2016 | 2 hrs | 1,493 (12%) | Unnamed event |
| Feb 23, 2023 | 1 hrs | 1,490 (12%) | Ice Storm |
| Nov 30, 2025 | 3 hrs | 1,481 (12%) | Winter Storm |
Over the 12 years from 2014 to 2025, Buchanan County recorded 279 distinct power outage events, averaging 2.8 hours per event.
The single worst outage on record in Buchanan County started July 15, 2024 (Thunderstorm Wind), lasting 1 hours and leaving up to 1,511 customers without power (12% of the county) at its peak.
July has historically been the worst month for outages in Buchanan County, with 40 events recorded during that month across the dataset.
Based on this history, Buchanan County earns a Reliability Grade of A, placing it in the 84th percentile nationally for grid reliability (higher percentile = more reliable).
Sized for Buchanan County's outage profile
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Similar counties in Iowa
Counties with the closest reliability grade and national percentile to Buchanan County.
| County | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Mahaska County | A | 84th |
| Dickinson County | A | 85th |
| Chickasaw County | A | 85th |
| Woodbury County | A | 83rd |
| Wapello County | A | 83rd |
FAQ
How often does power go out in Buchanan County?
Between 2014 and 2025, Buchanan County recorded 279 outage events, averaging 2.8 hours each.
What is Buchanan County's reliability grade?
Buchanan County has a Reliability Grade of A, in the 84th national percentile.
What was the worst power outage in Buchanan County?
The worst outage on record started July 15, 2024 (Thunderstorm Wind), lasting 1 hours and affecting up to 1,511 customers.