Outage Frequency & Duration
| Stat | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| ~3.5 hrs | average annual outage duration experienced per U.S. electric customer (SAIDI without major events) | — EIA, 2022 |
| ~7 hrs | average annual outage duration per customer including major events (storms, disasters) | — EIA, 2022 |
| 8 hrs | average total outage time experienced by a U.S. customer in 2020 — the highest in over a decade | — EIA, 2021 |
| 1.33x | increase in average outage duration per customer from 2013 to 2022 | — EIA, 2023 |
| 3,571 | major power outage events (affecting 50,000+ customers) reported to DOE in 2022 | — DOE OE-417, 2023 |
| 900% | increase in major weather-related power outages in the U.S. since the early 2000s | — DOE / Climate Central, 2023 |
| 29 hours | median duration of outages caused by severe weather events, according to utility reports | — EIA, 2022 |
Causes of Power Outages
| Stat | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| ~80% | of major U.S. power outages are caused by weather events | — DOE, 2023 |
| ~10% | caused by equipment failure and aging grid infrastructure | — DOE, 2023 |
| ~7% | caused by vehicle accidents, downed lines, and animal interference | — EIA, 2022 |
| ~3% | caused by cyberattacks, physical attacks, and human error | — DOE OE-417, 2023 |
| 70% | of the U.S. transmission grid is more than 25 years old — a significant contributor to outage risk | — DOE Grid Deployment Office, 2023 |
| 140 | physical attacks on U.S. electrical infrastructure reported to NERC in 2022 — a new record | — NERC, 2023 |
Economic Impact
| Stat | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| $150B | estimated annual cost of power outages to the U.S. economy | — Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 2022 |
| $44–$70B | annual business interruption losses attributable to power outages | — EIA / Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 2022 |
| $2,000–$5,000 | average business loss per hour of power outage for small to mid-sized businesses | — Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 2022 |
| $1,200 | average household loss (food spoilage, equipment damage, lodging) from an extended power outage | — FEMA, 2022 |
| $22B | estimated economic impact of the 2021 Texas winter storm power crisis (Winter Storm Uri) | — NOAA NCEI, 2021 |
Weather-Related Outages
| 58% | of major outages reported to DOE from 2000–2023 were caused by severe weather including hurricanes, ice storms, and tornadoes | — DOE OE-417, 2023 |
| 3.5 million | customers lost power during Hurricane Ian (2022) — one of the largest single-event outages in U.S. history | — Florida Division of Emergency Management, 2022 |
| 4.5 million | Texas customers lost power during Winter Storm Uri (2021) | — ERCOT, 2021 |
| 18 days | some Puerto Rico customers went without power for up to 18 days after Hurricane Helene (2024) | — PREPA, 2024 |
Grid Reliability Trends
| $2.6T | estimated investment needed in U.S. electrical infrastructure through 2050 to meet demand and reliability goals | — DOE Grid Deployment Office, 2023 |
| 40% | of U.S. distribution infrastructure (poles, lines, transformers) is approaching or past its design life | — DOE, 2023 |
| 3x | increase in grid demand expected by 2050 due to EV adoption, AI data centers, and electrification of heating | — DOE, 2024 |
Medical & Vulnerable Populations
| Stat | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 4.4 million | Americans are dependent on electricity for life-sustaining equipment at home (oxygen concentrators, ventilators, etc.) | — CDC, 2022 |
| ~2,500 | estimated annual U.S. deaths attributable to power outages, many from medical equipment failures and temperature extremes | — American Journal of Epidemiology, 2022 |
| 3.6 million | Americans with diabetes require refrigerated insulin — extended outages create serious health risks | — CDC, 2023 |
Household Preparedness & Response
| 22% | of U.S. households have a portable generator | — EIA, 2020 RECS |
| 48 hours | how long most foods in a full refrigerator remain safe without power (24 hours for a half-full fridge) | — USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, 2023 |
| 4 hours | maximum time perishable food should be kept at temperatures above 40°F before being discarded | — USDA, 2023 |
| 400+ | carbon monoxide poisoning deaths per year are linked to portable generators used indoors — the leading cause of generator-related fatalities | — CDC, 2023 |