Ottawa CountyPower Outage History
What this grade means
Average — typical outage frequency and duration nationally. This county sits in the middle of the national distribution — its outage frequency and duration over the past 12 years are close to the nationwide median, neither notably better nor worse than most other US counties. A typical amount of backup-power preparedness is reasonable here.
Outages by year
Outages by month (seasonality)
Worst outage events on record
| Date | Duration | Customers affected | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 7, 2017 | 83 hrs | 61,143 (40%) | Thunderstorm Wind |
| Jun 10, 2020 | 73 hrs | 17,408 (11%) | Thunderstorm Wind |
| May 16, 2025 | 82 hrs | 15,748 (10%) | Thunderstorm Wind |
| Jun 9, 2020 | 23 hrs | 14,658 (10%) | Thunderstorm Wind |
| Jul 20, 2019 | 67 hrs | 14,532 (10%) | Thunderstorm Wind |
Was There an Outage on a Specific Date?
Pick a date to see whether a power outage was recorded for Ottawa County, Michigan that day.
Over the 12 years from 2014 to 2025, Ottawa County recorded 1,155 distinct power outage events, averaging 3.8 hours per event.
The single worst outage on record in Ottawa County started July 7, 2017 (Thunderstorm Wind), lasting 83 hours and leaving up to 61,143 customers without power (40% of the county) at its peak.
June has historically been the worst month for outages in Ottawa County, with 153 events recorded during that month across the dataset.
Based on this history, Ottawa County earns a Reliability Grade of C, placing it in the 43rd percentile nationally for grid reliability (higher percentile = more reliable).
Similar counties in Michigan
Counties with the closest reliability grade and national percentile to Ottawa County.
| County | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Genesee County | C | 43rd |
| Tuscola County | C | 43rd |
| Dickinson County | C | 42nd |
| Clinton County | C | 46th |
| Ontonagon County | C | 47th |
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 Ottawa County?
Between 2014 and 2025, Ottawa County recorded 1,155 outage events, averaging 3.8 hours each.
What is Ottawa County's reliability grade?
Ottawa County has a Reliability Grade of C, in the 43rd national percentile.
What was the worst power outage in Ottawa County?
The worst outage on record started July 7, 2017 (Thunderstorm Wind), lasting 83 hours and affecting up to 61,143 customers.