New Hanover County Power Outage History
2014–2025 · North Carolina
Bottom 20% least reliable nationally — frequent and/or long outages. How grades are calculated
Outages by year
Outages by month (seasonality)
Worst outage events on record
| Date | Duration | Customers affected | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 13, 2018 | 29 hrs | 114,738 (78%) | Hurricane Florence |
| Sep 15, 2018 | 30 hrs | 113,609 (77%) | Hurricane Florence |
| Sep 16, 2018 | 300 hrs | 104,279 (70%) | Hurricane Florence |
| Aug 4, 2020 | 51 hrs | 92,710 (63%) | Hurricane Isaias |
| Oct 8, 2016 | 98 hrs | 47,694 (32%) | Hurricane Matthew |
Over the 12 years from 2014 to 2025, New Hanover County recorded 6,558 distinct power outage events, averaging 2.3 hours per event.
The single worst outage on record in New Hanover County started September 13, 2018 (Hurricane Florence), lasting 29 hours and leaving up to 114,738 customers without power (78% of the county) at its peak.
June has historically been the worst month for outages in New Hanover County, with 711 events recorded during that month across the dataset.
Based on this history, New Hanover County earns a Reliability Grade of F, placing it in the 14th percentile nationally for grid reliability (higher percentile = more reliable).
Sized for New Hanover County's outage profile
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Similar counties in North Carolina
Counties with the closest reliability grade and national percentile to New Hanover County.
| County | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Hyde County | F | 14th |
| Watauga County | F | 15th |
| Burke County | F | 16th |
| Mitchell County | F | 17th |
| Jones County | F | 11th |
FAQ
How often does power go out in New Hanover County?
Between 2014 and 2025, New Hanover County recorded 6,558 outage events, averaging 2.3 hours each.
What is New Hanover County's reliability grade?
New Hanover County has a Reliability Grade of F, in the 14th national percentile.
What was the worst power outage in New Hanover County?
The worst outage on record started September 13, 2018 (Hurricane Florence), lasting 29 hours and affecting up to 114,738 customers.