Buchanan CountyPower Outage History
What this grade means
Bottom 20% least reliable nationally — frequent and/or long outages. This county ranks in the least reliable fifth of all US counties in our dataset: some combination of frequent outages, long restoration times, or customers affected puts it near the bottom nationally. Backup power is worth prioritizing here rather than treating it as optional.
Outages by year
Outages by month (seasonality)
Worst outage events on record
| Date | Duration | Customers affected | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 2024 | 189 hrs | 4,770 (37%) | Unnamed event |
| Jul 13, 2022 | 93 hrs | 4,044 (32%) | Flash Flood |
| Feb 15, 2025 | 124 hrs | 3,386 (27%) | Winter Weather |
| Jan 8, 2022 | 7 hrs | 3,251 (25%) | Heavy Snow |
| Dec 19, 2025 | 34 hrs | 3,152 (25%) | Winter Weather |
Was There an Outage on a Specific Date?
Pick a date to see whether a power outage was recorded for Buchanan County, Virginia that day.
Over the 12 years from 2014 to 2025, Buchanan County recorded 884 distinct power outage events, averaging 5.9 hours per event.
The single worst outage on record in Buchanan County started September 27, 2024, lasting 189 hours and leaving up to 4,770 customers without power (37% of the county) at its peak.
July has historically been the worst month for outages in Buchanan County, with 103 events recorded during that month across the dataset.
Based on this history, Buchanan County earns a Reliability Grade of F, placing it in the 6th percentile nationally for grid reliability (higher percentile = more reliable).
Similar counties in Virginia
Counties with the closest reliability grade and national percentile to Buchanan County.
| County | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte County | F | 6th |
| Nottoway County | F | 7th |
| Giles County | F | 6th |
| Smyth County | F | 7th |
| Patrick County | F | 6th |
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 Buchanan County?
Between 2014 and 2025, Buchanan County recorded 884 outage events, averaging 5.9 hours each.
What is Buchanan County's reliability grade?
Buchanan County has a Reliability Grade of F, in the 6th national percentile.
What was the worst power outage in Buchanan County?
The worst outage on record started September 27, 2024, lasting 189 hours and affecting up to 4,770 customers.