Watauga County Power Outage History
2015–2025 · 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 27, 2024 | 13 hrs | 25,405 (73%) | Hurricane Helene |
| Sep 28, 2024 | 24 hrs | 21,629 (62%) | Hurricane Helene |
| Sep 27, 2024 | 3 hrs | 21,014 (60%) | Hurricane Helene |
| Sep 29, 2024 | 49 hrs | 18,900 (54%) | Hurricane Helene |
| Sep 29, 2024 | 5 hrs | 17,779 (51%) | Hurricane Helene |
Over the 11 years from 2015 to 2025, Watauga County recorded 515 distinct power outage events, averaging 2.6 hours per event.
The single worst outage on record in Watauga County started September 27, 2024 (Hurricane Helene), lasting 13 hours and leaving up to 25,405 customers without power (73% of the county) at its peak.
May has historically been the worst month for outages in Watauga County, with 57 events recorded during that month across the dataset.
Based on this history, Watauga County earns a Reliability Grade of F, placing it in the 15th percentile nationally for grid reliability (higher percentile = more reliable).
Sized for Watauga County's outage profile
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Similar counties in North Carolina
Counties with the closest reliability grade and national percentile to Watauga County.
| County | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Burke County | F | 16th |
| Hyde County | F | 14th |
| New Hanover County | F | 14th |
| Mitchell County | F | 17th |
| Wilkes County | F | 17th |
FAQ
How often does power go out in Watauga County?
Between 2015 and 2025, Watauga County recorded 515 outage events, averaging 2.6 hours each.
What is Watauga County's reliability grade?
Watauga County has a Reliability Grade of F, in the 15th national percentile.
What was the worst power outage in Watauga County?
The worst outage on record started September 27, 2024 (Hurricane Helene), lasting 13 hours and affecting up to 25,405 customers.