Biggest power outages in 2022
David McNew // Getty Images
Biggest power outages in 2022
Power lines at dusk.
The average American experiences about 2 hours of power outage annually, excluding major weather events, according to the Energy Information Administration. That number tripled when events like winter storms, wildfires, and hurricanes factor in.
Average power outage duration varies significantly between states, from 1.5 hours in landlocked South Dakota to nearly 30 hours in the coastal state of North Carolina, according to the most recent EIA data. On average, states prone to natural disasters and extreme weather see significantly longer disruptions.
For most people, outages are a mild inconvenience. In extreme cases, however, they can lead to dangerous consequences. Without power, people are more susceptible to extreme heat or cold depending on the season, as well as food spoilage, water filtration systems becoming disabled, and medications that require refrigeration becoming unstable and unusable.
Outages are also expensive. The Department of Energy estimates power outages cost U.S. businesses roughly $150 billion per year.
In addition to weather, the U.S. power grid is also vulnerable to physical attacks and cyberattacks by bad actors outside and within U.S. borders. Attacks on U.S. power grids rose to an all-time high in 2022, with physical threats to electric infrastructure climbing 77% to 163, according to the DOE. Power grids are becoming a popular target of domestic extremists, who strike transformers and power lines in potentially coordinated attacks.
Should a catastrophic event occur, there’s essentially no such thing as spare parts for the country’s power grid. Security experts say that a fairly low-tech coordinated attack against a few integral nodes of the country’s power grid is all it would take to cause widespread long-term outages from coast to coast, resulting in hundreds of thousands, potentially millions, of deaths.
Stacker cited data from the Energy Information Administration to identify the 50 biggest power outages in 2022. Outages are ranked by the number of customers affected. The outage must have lasted at least 1 hour to qualify for the ranking. All data is considered preliminary by the EIA.
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pamela ranya // Shutterstock
#50. American Electric Power outage (Feb. 3-4)
Sign posted in a shop window: Shop closed, no electricity.
– Customers affected: 51,000 people
– Estimated power lost: unknown
– State impacted: Ohio
– Duration: 31 hours, 34 minutes
– Cause: severe weather/transmission interruption
Menna // Shutterstock
#49. Duke Energy Carolinas outage (Jan. 16-17)
Electrical power grid in silhouette.
– Customers affected: 51,289 people
– Estimated power lost: unknown
– States impacted: North Carolina, South Carolina
– Duration: 20 hours, 40 minutes
– Cause: severe weather
CHAINFOTO24 // Shutterstock
#48. CenterPoint Energy outage (May 22)
Two electricians working on a power line.
– Customers affected: 52,172 people
– Estimated power lost: unknown
– State impacted: Texas
– Duration: 16 hours, 22 minutes
– Cause: severe weather
Ed Metz // Shutterstock
#47. Southern Company outage (Nov. 30)
Electrical power grid in silhouette.
– Customers affected: 54,110 people
– Estimated power lost: 386 megawatts
– States impacted: Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia
– Duration: 5 hours, 35 minutes
– Cause: severe weather
ojoel // Shutterstock
#46. Southwest Power Pool, Inc. outage (June 8)
Power lines and a pole against blue sky.
– Customers affected: 60,000 people
– Estimated power lost: unknown
– State impacted: Missouri
– Duration: 3 hours, 0 minutes
– Cause: severe weather/distribution interruption
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Mocha.VP // Shutterstock
#45. Dominion Energy South Carolina outage (Jan. 3-4)
Linemen repairing broken power line.
– Customers affected: 60,424 people
– Estimated power lost: unknown
– State impacted: South Carolina
– Duration: 37 hours, 0 minutes
– Cause: severe weather
Tada Images // Shutterstock
#44. Southern Company outage (Jan. 16-17)
Store Closed due to Power Outage signage.
– Customers affected: 61,113 people
– Estimated power lost: 436 megawatts
– States impacted: Georgia, Alabama
– Duration: 18 hours, 51 minutes
– Cause: severe weather
iSam iSmile // Shutterstock
#43. Southwest Power Pool, Inc. outage (June 8)
Electricians work on a power line up high.
– Customers affected: 62,000 people
– Estimated power lost: unknown
– States impacted: Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska
– Duration: 4 hours, 0 minutes
– Cause: severe weather
oo3asy60lfoo // Shutterstock
#42. Jersey Central Power & Lt Co outage (Aug. 9)
Silhouette of lineman replacing damaged insulator.
– Customers affected: 62,464 people
– Estimated power lost: unknown
– State impacted: Ohio
– Duration: 5 hours, 30 minutes
– Cause: system operations
Palo_ok // Shutterstock
#41. Duke Energy Progress outage (Dec. 23)
An electrical power utility worker in a bucket fixes the power line.
– Customers affected: 66,519 people
– Estimated power lost: unknown
– State impacted: North Carolina
– Duration: 7 hours, 15 minutes
– Cause: severe weather
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pratan // Shutterstock
#40. ISO New England outage (April 19)
Lineman working on a pole.
– Customers affected: 67,754 people
– Estimated power lost: unknown
– States impacted: Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont
– Duration: 3 hours, 29 minutes
– Cause: severe weather
Noel Powell // Shutterstock
#39. Detroit Edison Co outage (March 31-April 1)
Downed power lines.
– Customers affected: 70,000 people
– Estimated power lost: 60 megawatts
– State impacted: Michigan
– Duration: 34 hours, 31 minutes
– Cause: severe weather
gui jun peng // Shutterstock
#38. Detroit Edison Co outage (Aug. 3-5)
Pylon and transmission power line in sunset.
– Customers affected: 71,000 people
– Estimated power lost: unknown
– State impacted: Michigan
– Duration: 37 hours, 53 minutes
– Cause: severe weather
oo3asy60lfoo // Shutterstock
#37. Portland General Electric Co outage (April 11-13)
Lineman using an insutated tool.
– Customers affected: 73,717 people
– Estimated power lost: 3140 megawatts
– State impacted: Oregon
– Duration: 46 hours, 45 minutes
– Cause: severe weather
Glynnis Jones // Shutterstock
#36. Duke Energy Progress outage (Jan. 16)
A transformer on a pole and a tree laying across power lines over a road.
– Customers affected: 74,638 people
– Estimated power lost: unknown
– States impacted: North Carolina, South Carolina
– Duration: 4 hours, 0 minutes
– Cause: severe weather
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pamela ranya // Shutterstock
#35. Baltimore Gas & Electric Co outage (Aug. 4-5)
Sign on the desk of the shop closed because of the blackout.
– Customers affected: 75,500 people
– Estimated power lost: unknown
– State impacted: Maryland
– Duration: 8 hours, 0 minutes
– Cause: severe weather
Stuart Cahill // Getty Images
#34. ISO New England outage (Oct. 14)
Mass ISO facilities in Weymouth, Massachusetts.
– Customers affected: 76,388 people
– Estimated power lost: unknown
– States impacted: Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont
– Duration: 4 hours, 30 minutes
– Cause: severe weather
Sawat Banyenngam // Shutterstock
#33. Duke Energy Carolinas outage (June 16)
Electricians climbing on electric poles to repair power lines.
– Customers affected: 77,908 people
– Estimated power lost: unknown
– States impacted: North Carolina, South Carolina
– Duration: 3 hours, 36 minutes
– Cause: severe weather
Rosemarie Mosteller // Shutterstock
#32. Exelon/Potomac Electric Power Company (Pepco) outage (Nov. 27)
Pepco sign on a building.
– Customers affected: 87,500 people
– Estimated power lost: 190 megawatts
– State impacted: Maryland
– Duration: 6 hours, 30 minutes
– Cause: Transmission interruption
jadimages // Shutterstock
#31. Duke Energy Carolinas outage (June 17-18)
Electrical repair truck showing the logo for Duke Energy.
– Customers affected: 91,056 people
– Estimated power lost: unknown
– States impacted: North Carolina, South Carolina
– Duration: 7 Hours, 17 Minutes
– Cause: severe weather
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kaninw // Shutterstock
#30. Consumers Energy Co outage (Aug. 3)
Technician connecting wires on electric poles.
– Customers affected: 91,264 people
– Estimated power lost: unknown
– State impacted: Michigan
– Duration: 3 hours, 30 minutes
– Cause: severe weather
Proshkin Aleksandr // Shutterstock
#29. Consumers Energy Co outage (July 23-24)
Old wooden pillar with power line against the blue sky.
– Customers affected: 93,750 people
– Estimated power lost: unknown
– State impacted: Michigan
– Duration: 14 hours, 45 minutes
– Cause: severe weather
Lisa-S // Shutterstock
#28. American Electric Power – (RFC Reliability Region) (8400 Smiths Mill Rd., New Albany, Ohio) outage (June 12-13)
A high voltage power pylons against blue sky and sun rays.
– Customers affected: 100,000 people
– Estimated power lost: 14000 megawatts
– States impacted: Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Indiana
– Duration: 24 hours, 0 minutes
– Cause: severe weather/transmission interruption
pratan // Shutterstock
#27. Dominion Energy VA outage (June 22-23)
Electrician climbing up an electric power post.
– Customers affected: 100,000 people
– Estimated power lost: unknown
– State impacted: Virginia
– Duration: 9 hours, 4 minutes
– Cause: severe weather/distribution interruption
Victoria OM // Shutterstock
#26. Duke Energy Midwest outage (July 6-7)
Woman with flashlight looks into distribution board.
– Customers affected: 104,700 people
– Estimated power lost: unknown
– States impacted: Ohio, Kentucky
– Duration: 13 hours, 15 minutes
– Cause: severe weather/transmission interruption
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anurakss // Shutterstock
#25. Northern States Power Co outage (May 11)
Worker climbing on transmission line tower.
– Customers affected: 105,000 people
– Estimated power lost: unknown
– State impacted: Minnesota
– Duration: 4 hours, 42 minutes
– Cause: severe weather
jadimages // Shutterstock
#24. Duke Energy Carolinas outage (Dec. 23)
An electrical repair truck with the logo for Duke Energy.
– Customers affected: 108,900 people
– Estimated power lost: unknown
– States impacted: North Carolina, South Carolina
– Duration: 14 hours, 43 minutes
– Cause: severe weather
Jaral Lertjamekorn // Shutterstock
#23. Dominion Energy South Carolina outage (Sept. 30)
Electrician works on electric poles.
– Customers affected: 108,930 people
– Estimated power lost: unknown
– State impacted: South Carolina
– Duration: 4 hours, 23 minutes
– Cause: severe weather
Brandon Bell // Getty Images
#22. CenterPoint Energy outage (Oct. 25)
Transmission towers near the CenterPoint Energy facility in Houston.
– Customers affected: 109,865 people
– Estimated power lost: unknown
– State impacted: Texas
– Duration: 12 hours, 5 minutes
– Cause: system operations
Ted Pendergast // Shutterstock
#21. ISO New England outage (Nov. 30-Dec. 2)
Utility pole and wires covered in ice.
– Customers affected: 113,000 people
– Estimated power lost: 113 megawatts
– States impacted: Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire
– Duration: 33 hours, 15 minutes
– Cause: severe weather
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oo3asy60lfoo // Shutterstock
#20. Seminole Electric Cooperative Inc outage (Sept. 28-30)
Power lineman use clamp stick (insulated tool) to closing a transformer.
– Customers affected: 116,937 people
– Estimated power lost: 1000 megawatts
– State impacted: Florida
– Duration: 45 hours, 20 minutes
– Cause: severe weather
Busara // Shutterstock
#19. Duke Energy Progress outage (Dec. 24)
Electricity transmission power lines at sunset.
– Customers affected: 130,000 people
– Estimated power lost: 960 megawatts
– State impacted: North Carolina
– Duration: 9 hours, 35 minutes
– Cause: system operations
Brandon Bell // Getty Images
#18. CenterPoint Energy outage (Aug. 10-11)
Service technicians work to install the foundation for a transmission tower.
– Customers affected: 140,464 people
– Estimated power lost: unknown
– State impacted: Texas
– Duration: 24 hours, 4 minutes
– Cause: severe weather
KyleHohler // Shutterstock
#17. Duke Energy Carolinas outage (Jan. 3-4)
Aerial view of Duke Energy North Carolina.
– Customers affected: 142,000 people
– Estimated power lost: unknown
– States impacted: North Carolina, South Carolina
– Duration: 31 hours, 0 minutes
– Cause: severe weather
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
#16. American Electric Power – (RFC Reliability Region) (8400 Smiths Mill Rd., New Albany, Ohio) outage (June 17-19)
Power lineman at work on a electric pole.
– Customers affected: 150,000 people
– Estimated power lost: unknown
– States impacted: West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky
– Duration: 51 hours, 45 minutes
– Cause: severe weather
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AlexandrMusuc // Shutterstock
#15. Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC outage (May 15-17)
Silhouette of a high voltage electric tower at sunset.
– Customers affected: 150,000 people
– Estimated power lost: unknown
– State impacted: Texas
– Duration: 48 hours, 15 minutes
– Cause: severe weather
Scott Alan Ritchie // Shutterstock
#14. Duke Energy Carolinas outage (Sept. 30-Oct. 1)
Downed power lines in residential street.
– Customers affected: 154,100 people
– Estimated power lost: unknown
– States impacted: North Carolina, South Carolina
– Duration: 24 hours, 6 minutes
– Cause: severe weather
Suprachai Akkho // Shutterstock
#13. Consumers Energy Co outage (Nov. 5-8)
Silhouetted electrician working on poles to install high-voltage equipment.
– Customers affected: 158,450 people
– Estimated power lost: unknown
– State impacted: Michigan
– Duration: 66 hours, 0 minutes
– Cause: severe weather
ssguy // Shutterstock
#12. Duke Energy Florida outage (Nov. 10-11)
High voltage towers with sky background.
– Customers affected: 160,000 people
– Estimated power lost: unknown
– State impacted: Florida
– Duration: 26 hours, 47 minutes
– Cause: severe weather
Dennis W Donohue // Shutterstock
#11. Sacramento Municipal Util. Dist. outage (Dec. 31-Jan. 1)
Lineman make repairs to downed power lines.
– Customers affected: 161,000 people
– Estimated power lost: unknown
– State impacted: California
– Duration: 11 hours, 0 minutes
– Cause: severe weather
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oo3asy60lfoo // Shutterstock
#10. Duke Energy Midwest outage (June 13-14)
Lineman uses insulated tool to open the connection of a transformeribution system.
– Customers affected: 162,551 people
– Estimated power lost: unknown
– States impacted: Ohio, Kentucky
– Duration: 24 hours, 15 minutes
– Cause: severe weather/transmission interruption
JonGado // Shutterstock
#9. Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC outage (March 21-24)
Electricians wiring cable to install and repair power lines.
– Customers affected: 170,000 people
– Estimated power lost: unknown
– State impacted: Texas
– Duration: 53 hours, 0 minutes
– Cause: severe weather
i am adventure // Shutterstock
#8. Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC outage (Sept. 4-6)
High-voltage power lines at sunset.
– Customers affected: 190,000 people
– Estimated power lost: unknown
– State impacted: Texas
– Duration: 40 hours, 0 minutes
– Cause: severe weather
oo3asy60lfoo // Shutterstock
#7. Consumers Energy Co outage (Aug. 29-Sept. 1)
A power lineman is replacing the damaged insulator.
– Customers affected: 197,740 people
– Estimated power lost: unknown
– State impacted: Michigan
– Duration: 66 hours, 0 minutes
– Cause: severe weather
VDB Photos // Shutterstock
#6. Puget Sound Energy outage (Nov. 4-7)
Puget Sound Energy sign at the natural gas and electricity utility offices.
– Customers affected: 214,000 people
– Estimated power lost: unknown
– State impacted: Washington
– Duration: 60 hours, 55 minutes
– Cause: severe weather
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alexfan32 // Shutterstock
#5. Puget Sound Energy outage (Dec. 26-28)
Electric generator on city street.
– Customers affected: 230,000 people
– Estimated power lost: unknown
– State impacted: Washington
– Duration: 60 hours, 30 minutes
– Cause: severe weather
Chad Robertson Media // Shutterstock
#4. Memphis Light Gas and Water Division outage (Feb. 3-7)
Memphis Light Gas and Water Division building cornerstone.
– Customers affected: 255,000 people
– Estimated power lost: unknown
– State impacted: Tennessee
– Duration: 106 hours, 0 minutes
– Cause: severe weather/transmission interruption
Logan Cyrus // Getty Images
#3. Duke Energy Carolinas outage (Dec. 24)
A sign informs patrons of a store closure due to widespread power outages.
– Customers affected: 295,000 people
– Estimated power lost: 1000 megawatts
– States impacted: North Carolina, South Carolina
– Duration: 11 hours, 0 minutes
– Cause: severe weather
Scott Alan Ritchie // Shutterstock
#2. Duke Energy Florida outage (Sept. 28-Oct. 3)
Down power lines and electric equipment in residential neighborhood.
– Customers affected: 676,000 people
– Estimated power lost: unknown
– State impacted: Florida
– Duration: 120 hours, 53 minutes
– Cause: severe weather
APN Photography // Shutterstock
#1. Evergy outage (June 8)
Evergy sign on the side of a building with radio antennas on top.
– Customers affected: 911,888 people
– Estimated power lost: unknown
– States impacted: Missouri, Kansas
– Duration: 5 hours, 0 minutes
– Cause: severe weather/transmission interruption
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