Washtenaw CountyPower Outage History
What this grade means
Bottom 20% least reliable nationally — frequent and/or long outages. This county ranks in the least reliable fifth of all US counties in our dataset: some combination of frequent outages, long restoration times, or customers affected puts it near the bottom nationally. Backup power is worth prioritizing here rather than treating it as optional.
Outages by year
Outages by month (seasonality)
Worst outage events on record
| Date | Duration | Customers affected | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 22, 2023 | 199 hrs | 79,028 (40%) | Ice Storm |
| Aug 12, 2021 | 128 hrs | 68,416 (35%) | Thunderstorm Wind |
| Aug 12, 2021 | 3 hrs | 63,303 (32%) | Thunderstorm Wind |
| Mar 3, 2023 | 119 hrs | 39,558 (20%) | Heavy Snow |
| Jul 19, 2019 | 27 hrs | 36,636 (19%) | Thunderstorm Wind |
Was There an Outage on a Specific Date?
Pick a date to see whether a power outage was recorded for Washtenaw County, Michigan that day.
Over the 12 years from 2014 to 2025, Washtenaw County recorded 2,086 distinct power outage events, averaging 4.0 hours per event.
The single worst outage on record in Washtenaw County started February 22, 2023 (Ice Storm), lasting 199 hours and leaving up to 79,028 customers without power (40% of the county) at its peak.
June has historically been the worst month for outages in Washtenaw County, with 307 events recorded during that month across the dataset.
Based on this history, Washtenaw County earns a Reliability Grade of F, placing it in the 11th percentile nationally for grid reliability (higher percentile = more reliable).
Similar counties in Michigan
Counties with the closest reliability grade and national percentile to Washtenaw County.
| County | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Berrien County | F | 11th |
| Jackson County | F | 11th |
| Oakland County | F | 11th |
| Charlevoix County | F | 10th |
| St. Joseph County | F | 10th |
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 Washtenaw County?
Between 2014 and 2025, Washtenaw County recorded 2,086 outage events, averaging 4.0 hours each.
What is Washtenaw County's reliability grade?
Washtenaw County has a Reliability Grade of F, in the 11th national percentile.
What was the worst power outage in Washtenaw County?
The worst outage on record started February 22, 2023 (Ice Storm), lasting 199 hours and affecting up to 79,028 customers.