Rensselaer 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 7, 2020 | 84 hrs | 41,294 (51%) | Thunderstorm Wind |
| Mar 23, 2024 | 56 hrs | 28,141 (35%) | Winter Storm |
| Mar 14, 2023 | 63 hrs | 23,478 (29%) | Winter Storm |
| May 5, 2017 | 34 hrs | 14,546 (18%) | Thunderstorm Wind |
| Jul 17, 2022 | 11 hrs | 12,866 (16%) | Thunderstorm Wind |
Was There an Outage on a Specific Date?
Pick a date to see whether a power outage was recorded for Rensselaer County, New York that day.
Over the 12 years from 2014 to 2025, Rensselaer County recorded 1,126 distinct power outage events, averaging 3.3 hours per event.
The single worst outage on record in Rensselaer County started October 7, 2020 (Thunderstorm Wind), lasting 84 hours and leaving up to 41,294 customers without power (51% of the county) at its peak.
July has historically been the worst month for outages in Rensselaer County, with 149 events recorded during that month across the dataset.
Based on this history, Rensselaer County earns a Reliability Grade of D, placing it in the 25th percentile nationally for grid reliability (higher percentile = more reliable).
Similar counties in New York
Counties with the closest reliability grade and national percentile to Rensselaer County.
| County | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Otsego County | D | 25th |
| Fulton County | D | 25th |
| Saratoga County | D | 24th |
| Schoharie County | D | 26th |
| Greene County | D | 23rd |
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 Rensselaer County?
Between 2014 and 2025, Rensselaer County recorded 1,126 outage events, averaging 3.3 hours each.
What is Rensselaer County's reliability grade?
Rensselaer County has a Reliability Grade of D, in the 25th national percentile.
What was the worst power outage in Rensselaer County?
The worst outage on record started October 7, 2020 (Thunderstorm Wind), lasting 84 hours and affecting up to 41,294 customers.