Orange 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 11, 2018 | 78 hrs | 29,013 (32%) | Tropical Storm Michael |
| Jul 6, 2025 | 29 hrs | 23,235 (25%) | Tropical Storm Chantal |
| Sep 30, 2022 | 59 hrs | 16,403 (18%) | Hurricane Ian |
| Feb 26, 2015 | 40 hrs | 14,879 (16%) | Winter Weather |
| Aug 15, 2023 | 21 hrs | 14,804 (16%) | Thunderstorm Wind |
Was There an Outage on a Specific Date?
Pick a date to see whether a power outage was recorded for Orange County, North Carolina that day.
Over the 12 years from 2014 to 2025, Orange County recorded 1,398 distinct power outage events, averaging 2.9 hours per event.
The single worst outage on record in Orange County started October 11, 2018 (Tropical Storm Michael), lasting 78 hours and leaving up to 29,013 customers without power (32% of the county) at its peak.
July has historically been the worst month for outages in Orange County, with 208 events recorded during that month across the dataset.
Based on this history, Orange County earns a Reliability Grade of D, placing it in the 38th percentile nationally for grid reliability (higher percentile = more reliable).
Similar counties in North Carolina
Counties with the closest reliability grade and national percentile to Orange County.
| County | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Craven County | D | 37th |
| Brunswick County | D | 38th |
| Durham County | D | 38th |
| Ashe County | D | 36th |
| Caldwell County | D | 39th |
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 Orange County?
Between 2014 and 2025, Orange County recorded 1,398 outage events, averaging 2.9 hours each.
What is Orange County's reliability grade?
Orange County has a Reliability Grade of D, in the 38th national percentile.
What was the worst power outage in Orange County?
The worst outage on record started October 11, 2018 (Tropical Storm Michael), lasting 78 hours and affecting up to 29,013 customers.