McPherson CountyPower Outage History
2017–2025 · South Dakota
Better than average — fewer or shorter outages than most counties. This county's outage history is better than the national median: recorded outages are less frequent and/or shorter in duration than a typical US county experienced over the same 12-year period. It isn't in the top tier nationally, but its track record points to lower-than-average outage risk.
Outages by year
Outages by month (seasonality)
Worst outage events on record
| Date | Duration | Customers affected | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 26, 2017 | <1 hr | 656 (29%) | Unnamed event |
| Nov 4, 2020 | 1 hrs | 654 (29%) | Unnamed event |
| Mar 2, 2021 | <1 hr | 652 (28%) | Drought |
| Feb 3, 2021 | <1 hr | 643 (28%) | Freezing Fog |
| Mar 15, 2020 | <1 hr | 642 (28%) | Unnamed event |
Over the 9 years from 2017 to 2025, McPherson County recorded 75 distinct power outage events, averaging 3.2 hours per event.
The single worst outage on record in McPherson County started May 26, 2017, lasting less than 1 hour and leaving up to 656 customers without power (29% of the county) at its peak.
March has historically been the worst month for outages in McPherson County, with 12 events recorded during that month across the dataset.
Based on this history, McPherson County earns a Reliability Grade of B, placing it in the 69th percentile nationally for grid reliability (higher percentile = more reliable).
Sized for McPherson County's outage profile
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Read our mission →Similar counties in South Dakota
Counties with the closest reliability grade and national percentile to McPherson County.
| County | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Clark County | B | 69th |
| Jackson County | B | 69th |
| Kingsbury County | B | 69th |
| Yankton County | B | 65th |
| Fall River County | B | 65th |
Most reliable counties in South Dakota
The top 3 counties in South Dakota by reliability grade and percentile.
| County | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Clay County | A | 100th |
| Codington County | A | 98th |
| Tripp County | A | 98th |
Least reliable counties in South Dakota
The bottom 3 counties in South Dakota by reliability grade and percentile.
| County | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Harding County | D | 21st |
| Perkins County | D | 29th |
| Custer County | D | 30th |
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 McPherson County?
Between 2017 and 2025, McPherson County recorded 75 outage events, averaging 3.2 hours each.
What is McPherson County's reliability grade?
McPherson County has a Reliability Grade of B, in the 69th national percentile.
What was the worst power outage in McPherson County?
The worst outage on record started May 26, 2017, lasting less than 1 hour and affecting up to 656 customers.