PowerOutageHistory
Reliability Grade
A
Top tier
2019-2024
South Dakota

Hughes CountyPower Outage History

20192024 · South Dakota
Share

What this grade means

Top 20% most reliable nationally — infrequent, short outages. This county ranks in the most reliable fifth of all US counties in our dataset, based on 12 years of real DOE outage records: outages happen less often here, and when they do occur they tend to be resolved quickly compared to the rest of the country. Baseline outage risk is low, though a severe local storm can still occasionally cause a longer-than-usual outage regardless of the long-term track record.

Takeaway
Low outage risk
Reliability Rank
Fuller bar = more reliable
Nationwide98th pct
In South Dakota#5 of 65
See full South Dakota rankings →
Total events
21
Recorded 2019–2024
Avg duration
4.0 hrs
Per outage event
Longest outage
10 hrs
Single worst event on record
Customers served
17,100
Utility customers in county

Outages by year

Outages by month (seasonality)

Worst outage events on record

DateDurationCustomers affectedCause
Aug 10, 202010 hrs428 (3%)Unnamed event
Aug 13, 20204 hrs428 (3%)Unnamed event
Aug 11, 20201 hrs428 (3%)Unnamed event
Jul 19, 20244 hrs418 (2%)Excessive Heat
Nov 10, 20229 hrs414 (2%)Ice Storm

Was There an Outage on a Specific Date?

Pick a date to see whether a power outage was recorded for Hughes County, South Dakota that day.

Over the 6 years from 2019 to 2024, Hughes County recorded 21 distinct power outage events, averaging 4.0 hours per event.

The single worst outage on record in Hughes County started August 10, 2020, lasting 10 hours and leaving up to 428 customers without power (3% of the county) at its peak.

August has historically been the worst month for outages in Hughes County, with 5 events recorded during that month across the dataset.

Based on this history, Hughes County earns a Reliability Grade of A, placing it in the 98th percentile nationally for grid reliability (higher percentile = more reliable).

Similar counties in South Dakota

Counties with the closest reliability grade and national percentile to Hughes County.

CountyGradeNational percentile
Gregory CountyA98th
Tripp CountyA98th
Codington CountyA98th
Bennett CountyNot ranked
Jerauld CountyA96th

Most reliable counties nationally

The top 3 counties nationally by reliability grade and percentile.

CountyStateGradeNational percentile
Clay CountySouth DakotaA100th
Clearwater CountyMinnesotaA99th
Limestone CountyAlabamaA99th

Least reliable counties nationally

The bottom 3 counties nationally by reliability grade and percentile.

FAQ

How often does power go out in Hughes County?

Between 2019 and 2024, Hughes County recorded 21 outage events, averaging 4.0 hours each.

What is Hughes County's reliability grade?

Hughes County has a Reliability Grade of A, in the 98th national percentile.

What was the worst power outage in Hughes County?

The worst outage on record started August 10, 2020, lasting 10 hours and affecting up to 428 customers.

Share
Data: ORNL EAGLE-I Recorded Electricity Outages (2014–2025), CC BY 4.0. Storm names: NOAA Storm Events Database. Last data refresh: 2024. See methodology.