Polk 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 14, 2023 | 4 hrs | 6,675 (63%) | Unnamed event |
| Jul 31, 2024 | 28 hrs | 4,533 (43%) | Thunderstorm Wind |
| Jul 30, 2024 | 2 hrs | 4,533 (43%) | Thunderstorm Wind |
| Apr 17, 2021 | 4 hrs | 3,876 (37%) | Unnamed event |
| May 24, 2020 | 6 hrs | 3,869 (37%) | Unnamed event |
Was There an Outage on a Specific Date?
Pick a date to see whether a power outage was recorded for Polk County, Tennessee that day.
Over the 10 years from 2016 to 2025, Polk County recorded 607 distinct power outage events, averaging 2.7 hours per event.
The single worst outage on record in Polk County started October 14, 2023, lasting 4 hours and leaving up to 6,675 customers without power (63% of the county) at its peak.
August has historically been the worst month for outages in Polk County, with 71 events recorded during that month across the dataset.
Based on this history, Polk County earns a Reliability Grade of D, placing it in the 33rd percentile nationally for grid reliability (higher percentile = more reliable).
Similar counties in Tennessee
Counties with the closest reliability grade and national percentile to Polk County.
| County | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Giles County | D | 33rd |
| Fentress County | D | 33rd |
| Union County | D | 32nd |
| Macon County | D | 31st |
| Davidson County | D | 35th |
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 Polk County?
Between 2016 and 2025, Polk County recorded 607 outage events, averaging 2.7 hours each.
What is Polk County's reliability grade?
Polk County has a Reliability Grade of D, in the 33rd national percentile.
What was the worst power outage in Polk County?
The worst outage on record started October 14, 2023, lasting 4 hours and affecting up to 6,675 customers.