Nelson CountyPower Outage History
What this grade means
Worse than average — more frequent or longer outages than most counties. This county's recorded history shows more frequent outages and/or longer restoration times than most US counties over the same 12-year period. If you live here, it's worth taking backup power more seriously than an average household would.
Outages by year
Outages by month (seasonality)
Worst outage events on record
| Date | Duration | Customers affected | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 20, 2017 | <1 hr | 15,158 (60%) | Unnamed event |
| Nov 9, 2017 | 3 hrs | 11,813 (47%) | Unnamed event |
| Mar 3, 2023 | 117 hrs | 10,759 (43%) | High Wind |
| May 3, 2017 | 1 hrs | 4,948 (20%) | Thunderstorm Wind |
| Jan 5, 2025 | 46 hrs | 4,232 (17%) | Winter Storm |
Was There an Outage on a Specific Date?
Pick a date to see whether a power outage was recorded for Nelson County, Kentucky that day.
Over the 12 years from 2014 to 2025, Nelson County recorded 879 distinct power outage events, averaging 2.3 hours per event.
The single worst outage on record in Nelson County started July 20, 2017, lasting less than 1 hour and leaving up to 15,158 customers without power (60% of the county) at its peak.
October has historically been the worst month for outages in Nelson County, with 132 events recorded during that month across the dataset.
Based on this history, Nelson County earns a Reliability Grade of D, placing it in the 38th percentile nationally for grid reliability (higher percentile = more reliable).
Similar counties in Kentucky
Counties with the closest reliability grade and national percentile to Nelson County.
| County | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Carlisle County | D | 37th |
| Washington County | D | 37th |
| Fayette County | D | 37th |
| Nicholas County | D | 39th |
| Bell County | D | 36th |
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 Nelson County?
Between 2014 and 2025, Nelson County recorded 879 outage events, averaging 2.3 hours each.
What is Nelson County's reliability grade?
Nelson County has a Reliability Grade of D, in the 38th national percentile.
What was the worst power outage in Nelson County?
The worst outage on record started July 20, 2017, lasting less than 1 hour and affecting up to 15,158 customers.