PowerOutageHistory
Reliability Grade
A
Top tier
2017-2025
Montana

Richland CountyPower Outage History

20172025 · 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
Nationwide83rd pct
In Montana#14 of 50
See full Montana rankings →
Total events
93
Recorded 2017–2025
Avg duration
3.7 hrs
Per outage event
Longest outage
121 hrs
Single worst event on record
Customers served
9,819
Utility customers in county

Outages by year

Outages by month (seasonality)

Worst outage events on record

DateDurationCustomers affectedCause
Jun 9, 202118 hrs2,967 (30%)Drought
Jun 11, 202111 hrs2,866 (29%)Drought
Feb 13, 20182 hrs2,864 (29%)Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
Jun 11, 20212 hrs2,862 (29%)Drought
Jun 11, 20214 hrs2,857 (29%)Drought

Was There an Outage on a Specific Date?

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

Over the 9 years from 2017 to 2025, Richland County recorded 93 distinct power outage events, averaging 3.7 hours per event.

The single worst outage on record in Richland County started June 9, 2021 (Drought), lasting 18 hours and leaving up to 2,967 customers without power (30% of the county) at its peak.

May has historically been the worst month for outages in Richland County, with 16 events recorded during that month across the dataset.

Based on this history, Richland County earns a Reliability Grade of A, placing it in the 83rd percentile nationally for grid reliability (higher percentile = more reliable).

Similar counties in Montana

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

CountyGradeNational percentile
Deer Lodge CountyA83rd
Fergus CountyA82nd
Beaverhead CountyA84th
Broadwater CountyA81st
Daniels CountyA81st

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 Richland County?

Between 2017 and 2025, Richland County recorded 93 outage events, averaging 3.7 hours each.

What is Richland County's reliability grade?

Richland County has a Reliability Grade of A, in the 83rd national percentile.

What was the worst power outage in Richland County?

The worst outage on record started June 9, 2021 (Drought), lasting 18 hours and affecting up to 2,967 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.