Putnam 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 11, 2021 | 179 hrs | 17,405 (50%) | Winter Storm |
| Jun 14, 2022 | 69 hrs | 10,210 (29%) | Thunderstorm Wind |
| Apr 2, 2024 | 79 hrs | 8,480 (24%) | Tornado |
| Feb 18, 2021 | 123 hrs | 7,200 (20%) | Ice Storm |
| Mar 1, 2017 | 50 hrs | 6,992 (20%) | Thunderstorm Wind |
Was There an Outage on a Specific Date?
Pick a date to see whether a power outage was recorded for Putnam County, West Virginia that day.
Over the 12 years from 2014 to 2025, Putnam County recorded 904 distinct power outage events, averaging 4.9 hours per event.
The single worst outage on record in Putnam County started February 11, 2021 (Winter Storm), lasting 179 hours and leaving up to 17,405 customers without power (50% of the county) at its peak.
July has historically been the worst month for outages in Putnam County, with 113 events recorded during that month across the dataset.
Based on this history, Putnam County earns a Reliability Grade of F, placing it in the 12th percentile nationally for grid reliability (higher percentile = more reliable).
Similar counties in West Virginia
Counties with the closest reliability grade and national percentile to Putnam County.
| County | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Hardy County | F | 12th |
| Pendleton County | F | 13th |
| Taylor County | F | 13th |
| Hampshire County | F | 10th |
| Monroe County | F | 10th |
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 Putnam County?
Between 2014 and 2025, Putnam County recorded 904 outage events, averaging 4.9 hours each.
What is Putnam County's reliability grade?
Putnam County has a Reliability Grade of F, in the 12th national percentile.
What was the worst power outage in Putnam County?
The worst outage on record started February 11, 2021 (Winter Storm), lasting 179 hours and affecting up to 17,405 customers.