Columbus 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 15, 2018 | 228 hrs | 28,889 (45%) | Hurricane Florence |
| Oct 8, 2016 | 322 hrs | 28,403 (45%) | Hurricane Matthew |
| Sep 14, 2018 | 18 hrs | 28,078 (44%) | Unnamed event |
| Sep 30, 2022 | 39 hrs | 10,697 (17%) | Hurricane Ian |
| Apr 13, 2020 | 11 hrs | 8,768 (14%) | Tornado |
Was There an Outage on a Specific Date?
Pick a date to see whether a power outage was recorded for Columbus County, North Carolina that day.
Over the 12 years from 2014 to 2025, Columbus County recorded 528 distinct power outage events, averaging 3.1 hours per event.
The single worst outage on record in Columbus County started September 15, 2018 (Hurricane Florence), lasting 228 hours and leaving up to 28,889 customers without power (45% of the county) at its peak.
July has historically been the worst month for outages in Columbus County, with 91 events recorded during that month across the dataset.
Based on this history, Columbus County earns a Reliability Grade of D, placing it in the 26th percentile nationally for grid reliability (higher percentile = more reliable).
Similar counties in North Carolina
Counties with the closest reliability grade and national percentile to Columbus County.
| County | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Sampson County | D | 26th |
| Cherokee County | D | 25th |
| Rutherford County | D | 24th |
| Warren County | D | 28th |
| Bladen County | D | 28th |
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 Columbus County?
Between 2014 and 2025, Columbus County recorded 528 outage events, averaging 3.1 hours each.
What is Columbus County's reliability grade?
Columbus County has a Reliability Grade of D, in the 26th national percentile.
What was the worst power outage in Columbus County?
The worst outage on record started September 15, 2018 (Hurricane Florence), lasting 228 hours and affecting up to 28,889 customers.