Virginia Beach 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 9, 2016 | 112 hrs | 77,449 (38%) | Heavy Rain |
| Aug 4, 2020 | 71 hrs | 74,967 (37%) | Tropical Storm Isaias |
| Oct 12, 2018 | 72 hrs | 55,532 (27%) | High Wind |
| Apr 13, 2020 | 37 hrs | 44,808 (22%) | High Wind |
| Sep 3, 2016 | 29 hrs | 33,509 (16%) | Tropical Storm Hermine |
Was There an Outage on a Specific Date?
Pick a date to see whether a power outage was recorded for Virginia Beach County, Virginia that day.
Over the 11 years from 2015 to 2025, Virginia Beach County recorded 2,234 distinct power outage events, averaging 2.0 hours per event.
The single worst outage on record in Virginia Beach County started October 9, 2016 (Heavy Rain), lasting 112 hours and leaving up to 77,449 customers without power (38% of the county) at its peak.
July has historically been the worst month for outages in Virginia Beach County, with 267 events recorded during that month across the dataset.
Based on this history, Virginia Beach County earns a Reliability Grade of D, placing it in the 39th percentile nationally for grid reliability (higher percentile = more reliable).
Similar counties in Virginia
Counties with the closest reliability grade and national percentile to Virginia Beach County.
| County | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Essex County | D | 39th |
| Roanoke County | D | 40th |
| James City County | C | 40th |
| Mecklenburg County | C | 40th |
| Poquoson County | D | 38th |
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 Virginia Beach County?
Between 2015 and 2025, Virginia Beach County recorded 2,234 outage events, averaging 2.0 hours each.
What is Virginia Beach County's reliability grade?
Virginia Beach County has a Reliability Grade of D, in the 39th national percentile.
What was the worst power outage in Virginia Beach County?
The worst outage on record started October 9, 2016 (Heavy Rain), lasting 112 hours and affecting up to 77,449 customers.