Franklin CountyPower Outage History
What this grade means
(How grades are calculated)Better than average — fewer or shorter outages than most counties. This county's outage history is better than the national median: recorded outages are less frequent and/or shorter in duration than a typical US county experienced over the same 12-year period. It isn't in the top tier nationally, but its track record points to lower-than-average outage risk.
Outages by year
Outages by month (seasonality)
Worst outage events on record
| Date | Duration | Customers affected | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 16, 2021 | 40 hrs | 3,537 (55%) | Tornado |
| Jun 11, 2025 | 5 hrs | 1,813 (28%) | Thunderstorm Wind |
| May 21, 2024 | 11 hrs | 1,391 (22%) | Drought |
| May 24, 2024 | 3 hrs | 1,141 (18%) | Drought |
| May 21, 2024 | 5 hrs | 1,096 (17%) | Drought |
Was There an Outage on a Specific Date?
Pick a date to see whether a power outage was recorded for Franklin County, Iowa that day.
Over the 12 years from 2014 to 2025, Franklin County recorded 442 distinct power outage events, averaging 2.9 hours per event.
The single worst outage on record in Franklin County started December 16, 2021 (Tornado), lasting 40 hours and leaving up to 3,537 customers without power (55% of the county) at its peak.
July has historically been the worst month for outages in Franklin County, with 57 events recorded during that month across the dataset.
Based on this history, Franklin County earns a Reliability Grade of B, placing it in the 61st percentile nationally for grid reliability (higher percentile = more reliable).
Similar counties in Iowa
Counties with the closest reliability grade and national percentile to Franklin County.
| County | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Fayette County | B | 61st |
| Polk County | B | 60th |
| Lee County | B | 61st |
| Harrison County | B | 61st |
| Ida County | B | 62nd |
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 Franklin County?
Between 2014 and 2025, Franklin County recorded 442 outage events, averaging 2.9 hours each.
What is Franklin County's reliability grade?
Franklin County has a Reliability Grade of B, in the 61st national percentile.
What was the worst power outage in Franklin County?
The worst outage on record started December 16, 2021 (Tornado), lasting 40 hours and affecting up to 3,537 customers.