Bristol 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 15, 2019 | 3 hrs | 23,284 (69%) | Unnamed event |
| Oct 27, 2021 | 22 hrs | 19,130 (57%) | Unnamed event |
| May 1, 2019 | <1 hr | 19,073 (56%) | Unnamed event |
| Oct 30, 2017 | 101 hrs | 17,119 (51%) | Tropical Storm Phillipe |
| Mar 2, 2018 | 70 hrs | 15,400 (46%) | Unnamed event |
Was There an Outage on a Specific Date?
Pick a date to see whether a power outage was recorded for Bristol County, Rhode Island that day.
Over the 12 years from 2014 to 2025, Bristol County recorded 181 distinct power outage events, averaging 4.3 hours per event.
The single worst outage on record in Bristol County started April 15, 2019, lasting 3 hours and leaving up to 23,284 customers without power (69% of the county) at its peak.
July has historically been the worst month for outages in Bristol County, with 35 events recorded during that month across the dataset.
Based on this history, Bristol County earns a Reliability Grade of D, placing it in the 34th percentile nationally for grid reliability (higher percentile = more reliable).
Similar counties in Rhode Island
Counties with the closest reliability grade and national percentile to Bristol County.
| County | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Kent County | D | 38th |
| Providence County | C | 48th |
| Washington County | F | 15th |
| Newport County | B | 77th |
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 Bristol County?
Between 2014 and 2025, Bristol County recorded 181 outage events, averaging 4.3 hours each.
What is Bristol County's reliability grade?
Bristol County has a Reliability Grade of D, in the 34th national percentile.
What was the worst power outage in Bristol County?
The worst outage on record started April 15, 2019, lasting 3 hours and affecting up to 23,284 customers.