PowerOutageHistory
Reliability Grade
A
Top tier
2014-2025
Montana

Lake CountyPower Outage History

20142025 · Montana
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What this grade means

Top 20% most reliable nationally — infrequent, short outages. This county ranks in the most reliable fifth of all US counties in our dataset, based on 12 years of real DOE outage records: outages happen less often here, and when they do occur they tend to be resolved quickly compared to the rest of the country. Baseline outage risk is low, though a severe local storm can still occasionally cause a longer-than-usual outage regardless of the long-term track record.

Takeaway
Low outage risk
Reliability Rank
Fuller bar = more reliable
Nationwide80th pct
In Montana#18 of 50
See full Montana rankings →
Total events
158
Recorded 2014–2025
Avg duration
4.4 hrs
Per outage event
Longest outage
79 hrs
Single worst event on record
Customers served
27,394
Utility customers in county

Outages by year

Outages by month (seasonality)

Worst outage events on record

DateDurationCustomers affectedCause
Dec 17, 202579 hrs5,323 (19%)Strong Wind
Aug 24, 202417 hrs3,412 (12%)Hail
Jul 30, 20241 hrs3,193 (12%)Heat
Jul 2, 20241 hrs3,183 (12%)Unnamed event
May 20, 20242 hrs3,176 (12%)High Wind

Was There an Outage on a Specific Date?

Pick a date to see whether a power outage was recorded for Lake County, Montana that day.

Over the 12 years from 2014 to 2025, Lake County recorded 158 distinct power outage events, averaging 4.4 hours per event.

The single worst outage on record in Lake County started December 17, 2025 (Strong Wind), lasting 79 hours and leaving up to 5,323 customers without power (19% of the county) at its peak.

November has historically been the worst month for outages in Lake County, with 26 events recorded during that month across the dataset.

Based on this history, Lake County earns a Reliability Grade of A, placing it in the 80th percentile nationally for grid reliability (higher percentile = more reliable).

Similar counties in Montana

Counties with the closest reliability grade and national percentile to Lake County.

CountyGradeNational percentile
Daniels CountyA81st
Broadwater CountyA81st
Fergus CountyA82nd
Rosebud CountyB78th
Jefferson CountyB77th

Most reliable counties nationally

The top 3 counties nationally by reliability grade and percentile.

CountyStateGradeNational percentile
Clay CountySouth DakotaA100th
Clearwater CountyMinnesotaA99th
Limestone CountyAlabamaA99th

Least reliable counties nationally

The bottom 3 counties nationally by reliability grade and percentile.

FAQ

How often does power go out in Lake County?

Between 2014 and 2025, Lake County recorded 158 outage events, averaging 4.4 hours each.

What is Lake County's reliability grade?

Lake County has a Reliability Grade of A, in the 80th national percentile.

What was the worst power outage in Lake County?

The worst outage on record started December 17, 2025 (Strong Wind), lasting 79 hours and affecting up to 5,323 customers.

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Data: ORNL EAGLE-I Recorded Electricity Outages (2014–2025), CC BY 4.0. Storm names: NOAA Storm Events Database. Last data refresh: 2025. See methodology.