Butte County Power Outage History
2016–2025 · South Dakota
Top 20% most reliable nationally — infrequent, short outages. How grades are calculated
Outages by year
Outages by month (seasonality)
Worst outage events on record
| Date | Duration | Customers affected | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 13, 2025 | 4 hrs | 3,573 (51%) | Unnamed event |
| Feb 11, 2016 | 1 hrs | 2,382 (34%) | High Wind |
| Aug 1, 2018 | 4 hrs | 1,696 (24%) | Unnamed event |
| Mar 11, 2023 | 5 hrs | 1,402 (20%) | Winter Weather |
| Mar 24, 2022 | 2 hrs | 1,177 (17%) | Unnamed event |
Over the 10 years from 2016 to 2025, Butte County recorded 217 distinct power outage events, averaging 3.8 hours per event.
The single worst outage on record in Butte County started November 13, 2025, lasting 4 hours and leaving up to 3,573 customers without power (51% of the county) at its peak.
August has historically been the worst month for outages in Butte County, with 32 events recorded during that month across the dataset.
Based on this history, Butte County earns a Reliability Grade of A, placing it in the 85th percentile nationally for grid reliability (higher percentile = more reliable).
Sized for Butte County's outage profile
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Similar counties in South Dakota
Counties with the closest reliability grade and national percentile to Butte County.
| County | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Bon Homme County | A | 85th |
| Union County | A | 86th |
| Meade County | A | 86th |
| Roberts County | A | 83rd |
| Aurora County | A | 87th |
FAQ
How often does power go out in Butte County?
Between 2016 and 2025, Butte County recorded 217 outage events, averaging 3.8 hours each.
What is Butte County's reliability grade?
Butte County has a Reliability Grade of A, in the 85th national percentile.
What was the worst power outage in Butte County?
The worst outage on record started November 13, 2025, lasting 4 hours and affecting up to 3,573 customers.