O'Brien County Power Outage History
2015–2025 · Iowa
Better than average — fewer or shorter outages than most counties. How grades are calculated
Outages by year
Outages by month (seasonality)
Worst outage events on record
| Date | Duration | Customers affected | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 5, 2022 | 3 hrs | 3,169 (47%) | Drought |
| Jul 29, 2025 | 27 hrs | 2,415 (36%) | Excessive Heat |
| Dec 24, 2020 | 1 hrs | 1,608 (24%) | Drought |
| Apr 13, 2018 | 2 hrs | 1,477 (22%) | Winter Weather |
| May 7, 2024 | 5 hrs | 1,314 (19%) | Hail |
Over the 11 years from 2015 to 2025, O'Brien County recorded 220 distinct power outage events, averaging 2.9 hours per event.
The single worst outage on record in O'Brien County started July 5, 2022 (Drought), lasting 3 hours and leaving up to 3,169 customers without power (47% of the county) at its peak.
May has historically been the worst month for outages in O'Brien County, with 26 events recorded during that month across the dataset.
Based on this history, O'Brien County earns a Reliability Grade of B, placing it in the 79th percentile nationally for grid reliability (higher percentile = more reliable).
Sized for O'Brien County's outage profile
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Outage-prep kit
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Similar counties in Iowa
Counties with the closest reliability grade and national percentile to O'Brien County.
| County | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Decatur County | B | 79th |
| Warren County | B | 79th |
| Crawford County | B | 79th |
| Hamilton County | B | 80th |
| Audubon County | B | 78th |
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 O'Brien County?
Between 2015 and 2025, O'Brien County recorded 220 outage events, averaging 2.9 hours each.
What is O'Brien County's reliability grade?
O'Brien County has a Reliability Grade of B, in the 79th national percentile.
What was the worst power outage in O'Brien County?
The worst outage on record started July 5, 2022 (Drought), lasting 3 hours and affecting up to 3,169 customers.