Story County Power Outage History
2015–2025 · Iowa
Average — typical outage frequency and duration nationally. How grades are calculated
Outages by year
Outages by month (seasonality)
Worst outage events on record
| Date | Duration | Customers affected | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 10, 2020 | 213 hrs | 35,836 (57%) | Drought |
| Jul 5, 2022 | 2 hrs | 15,704 (25%) | Unnamed event |
| Jul 4, 2022 | 2 hrs | 15,524 (24%) | Unnamed event |
| Aug 24, 2022 | 1 hrs | 8,939 (14%) | Unnamed event |
| Aug 17, 2022 | 1 hrs | 7,173 (11%) | Hail |
Over the 11 years from 2015 to 2025, Story County recorded 226 distinct power outage events, averaging 3.4 hours per event.
The single worst outage on record in Story County started August 10, 2020 (Drought), lasting 213 hours and leaving up to 35,836 customers without power (57% of the county) at its peak.
August has historically been the worst month for outages in Story County, with 39 events recorded during that month across the dataset.
Based on this history, Story County earns a Reliability Grade of C, placing it in the 54th percentile nationally for grid reliability (higher percentile = more reliable).
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Similar counties in Iowa
Counties with the closest reliability grade and national percentile to Story County.
| County | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Howard County | C | 54th |
| Jefferson County | C | 52nd |
| Hardin County | C | 52nd |
| Winneshiek County | C | 57th |
| Van Buren County | C | 52nd |
FAQ
How often does power go out in Story County?
Between 2015 and 2025, Story County recorded 226 outage events, averaging 3.4 hours each.
What is Story County's reliability grade?
Story County has a Reliability Grade of C, in the 54th national percentile.
What was the worst power outage in Story County?
The worst outage on record started August 10, 2020 (Drought), lasting 213 hours and affecting up to 35,836 customers.