Ashe 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 2024 | 3 hrs | 22,258 (45%) | Hurricane Helene |
| Sep 27, 2024 | 13 hrs | 20,864 (42%) | Hurricane Helene |
| Sep 28, 2024 | 24 hrs | 16,028 (32%) | Hurricane Helene |
| Sep 29, 2024 | 49 hrs | 13,176 (27%) | Hurricane Helene |
| Sep 29, 2024 | 5 hrs | 13,094 (27%) | Hurricane Helene |
Was There an Outage on a Specific Date?
Pick a date to see whether a power outage was recorded for Ashe County, North Carolina that day.
Over the 11 years from 2015 to 2025, Ashe County recorded 465 distinct power outage events, averaging 2.9 hours per event.
The single worst outage on record in Ashe County started September 27, 2024 (Hurricane Helene), lasting 3 hours and leaving up to 22,258 customers without power (45% of the county) at its peak.
July has historically been the worst month for outages in Ashe County, with 46 events recorded during that month across the dataset.
Based on this history, Ashe County earns a Reliability Grade of D, placing it in the 36th percentile nationally for grid reliability (higher percentile = more reliable).
Similar counties in North Carolina
Counties with the closest reliability grade and national percentile to Ashe County.
| County | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Yadkin County | D | 36th |
| Craven County | D | 37th |
| Orange County | D | 38th |
| Brunswick County | D | 38th |
| Durham County | D | 38th |
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 Ashe County?
Between 2015 and 2025, Ashe County recorded 465 outage events, averaging 2.9 hours each.
What is Ashe County's reliability grade?
Ashe County has a Reliability Grade of D, in the 36th national percentile.
What was the worst power outage in Ashe County?
The worst outage on record started September 27, 2024 (Hurricane Helene), lasting 3 hours and affecting up to 22,258 customers.