Columbia CountyPower Outage History
2017–2025 · Washington
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 19, 2020 | 15 hrs | 2,042 (77%) | Unnamed event |
| Jan 5, 2018 | <1 hr | 2,041 (77%) | Unnamed event |
| Jan 9, 2022 | 3 hrs | 2,010 (75%) | Heavy Snow |
| Oct 14, 2019 | 3 hrs | 1,391 (52%) | Unnamed event |
| Sep 7, 2020 | 10 hrs | 1,118 (42%) | Unnamed event |
Over the 9 years from 2017 to 2025, Columbia County recorded 355 distinct power outage events, averaging 3.0 hours per event.
The single worst outage on record in Columbia County started September 19, 2020, lasting 15 hours and leaving up to 2,042 customers without power (77% of the county) at its peak.
January has historically been the worst month for outages in Columbia County, with 44 events recorded during that month across the dataset.
Based on this history, Columbia County earns a Reliability Grade of B, placing it in the 63rd percentile nationally for grid reliability (higher percentile = more reliable).
Sized for Columbia County's outage profile
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Read our mission →Similar counties in Washington
Counties with the closest reliability grade and national percentile to Columbia County.
| County | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Lewis County | C | 59th |
| Spokane County | B | 69th |
| Snohomish County | B | 70th |
| Mason County | C | 55th |
| Pend Oreille County | C | 51st |
Most reliable counties in Washington
The top 3 counties in Washington by reliability grade and percentile.
| County | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Skamania County | A | 99th |
| Klickitat County | A | 99th |
| Grant County | A | 99th |
Least reliable counties in Washington
The bottom 3 counties in Washington by reliability grade and percentile.
| County | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Ferry County | F | 10th |
| Kitsap County | F | 15th |
| Island County | F | 17th |
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 Columbia County?
Between 2017 and 2025, Columbia County recorded 355 outage events, averaging 3.0 hours each.
What is Columbia County's reliability grade?
Columbia County has a Reliability Grade of B, in the 63rd national percentile.
What was the worst power outage in Columbia County?
The worst outage on record started September 19, 2020, lasting 15 hours and affecting up to 2,042 customers.