massoutage

2016 North Carolina Power Outage Report

In 2016, the average North Carolina customer went without power for about 30.5 hours — the 1st worst of any US state that year, 1.3× the state's decade average. Figures from DOE/ORNL EAGLE-I.

Avg hrs / customer
30.5
Peak customers out
119,303
Rank (worst state)
1st
Counties affected
20

North Carolina outages over the decade

Average hours without power per customer, 2016 highlighted.

7.5h201530.5h201610.0h201755.2h201812.9h201920.3h202010.3h202121.3h202212.6h202366.1h20249.8h2025

Hardest-hit North Carolina counties in 2016

By peak customers out during the year's worst event.

1Wake County119,3032Brunswick County56,1783Mecklenburg County50,1034New Hanover County47,6945Robeson County43,3216Johnston County39,3377Onslow County30,1498Cumberland County30,0399Harnett County29,52710Columbus County28,40311Wayne County27,87312Sampson County25,27513Wilkes County23,21714Dare County20,89415Moore County20,86816Durham County19,83117Union County16,83218Forsyth County16,19819Currituck County14,96820Pender County14,719

Biggest North Carolina outages of 2016

CountyBeganPeak customers out
Wake CountyOctober 8, 2016119,303
Wake CountyJanuary 22, 201662,541
Brunswick CountyOctober 8, 201656,178
Mecklenburg CountyJuly 5, 201650,103
New Hanover CountyOctober 8, 201647,694
Robeson CountyOctober 8, 201643,321
Johnston CountyOctober 8, 201639,337
Johnston CountyJanuary 22, 201630,913
Onslow CountyOctober 8, 201630,149
Cumberland CountyOctober 8, 201630,039
North Carolina by year:20252024202320222021202020192018
Other states in 2016:WVSCVAMEFLLA

Part of the 2016 US Power Outage Report. Source: DOE/ORNL EAGLE-I. “Avg hours per customer” is a SAIDI-like measure (outage customer-minutes ÷ tracked customers); coverage varies by year.