Harnett 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 8, 2016 | 126 hrs | 29,527 (35%) | Hurricane Matthew |
| Sep 15, 2018 | 30 hrs | 22,331 (27%) | Hurricane Florence |
| Sep 14, 2018 | 16 hrs | 20,032 (24%) | Hurricane Florence |
| Jan 22, 2016 | 56 hrs | 19,153 (23%) | Winter Storm |
| Feb 12, 2019 | <1 hr | 13,627 (16%) | Unnamed event |
Was There an Outage on a Specific Date?
Pick a date to see whether a power outage was recorded for Harnett County, North Carolina that day.
Over the 12 years from 2014 to 2025, Harnett County recorded 1,386 distinct power outage events, averaging 2.9 hours per event.
The single worst outage on record in Harnett County started October 8, 2016 (Hurricane Matthew), lasting 126 hours and leaving up to 29,527 customers without power (35% of the county) at its peak.
July has historically been the worst month for outages in Harnett County, with 216 events recorded during that month across the dataset.
Based on this history, Harnett County earns a Reliability Grade of D, placing it in the 31st percentile nationally for grid reliability (higher percentile = more reliable).
Similar counties in North Carolina
Counties with the closest reliability grade and national percentile to Harnett County.
| County | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Hoke County | D | 30th |
| Guilford County | D | 30th |
| Robeson County | D | 29th |
| Catawba County | D | 28th |
| Montgomery County | D | 33rd |
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 Harnett County?
Between 2014 and 2025, Harnett County recorded 1,386 outage events, averaging 2.9 hours each.
What is Harnett County's reliability grade?
Harnett County has a Reliability Grade of D, in the 31st national percentile.
What was the worst power outage in Harnett County?
The worst outage on record started October 8, 2016 (Hurricane Matthew), lasting 126 hours and affecting up to 29,527 customers.