Smyth 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 | 210 hrs | 12,160 (65%) | Hurricane Helene |
| May 24, 2016 | 1 hrs | 7,761 (41%) | Unnamed event |
| May 17, 2025 | 42 hrs | 5,821 (31%) | Thunderstorm Wind |
| Jun 17, 2022 | 26 hrs | 5,635 (30%) | Thunderstorm Wind |
| May 6, 2022 | 28 hrs | 5,241 (28%) | Thunderstorm Wind |
Was There an Outage on a Specific Date?
Pick a date to see whether a power outage was recorded for Smyth County, Virginia that day.
Over the 12 years from 2014 to 2025, Smyth County recorded 937 distinct power outage events, averaging 4.5 hours per event.
The single worst outage on record in Smyth County started September 27, 2024 (Hurricane Helene), lasting 210 hours and leaving up to 12,160 customers without power (65% of the county) at its peak.
June has historically been the worst month for outages in Smyth County, with 109 events recorded during that month across the dataset.
Based on this history, Smyth County earns a Reliability Grade of F, placing it in the 7th percentile nationally for grid reliability (higher percentile = more reliable).
Similar counties in Virginia
Counties with the closest reliability grade and national percentile to Smyth County.
| County | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Nottoway County | F | 7th |
| Buchanan County | F | 6th |
| Charlotte County | F | 6th |
| Giles County | F | 6th |
| Prince Edward County | F | 8th |
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 Smyth County?
Between 2014 and 2025, Smyth County recorded 937 outage events, averaging 4.5 hours each.
What is Smyth County's reliability grade?
Smyth County has a Reliability Grade of F, in the 7th national percentile.
What was the worst power outage in Smyth County?
The worst outage on record started September 27, 2024 (Hurricane Helene), lasting 210 hours and affecting up to 12,160 customers.