massoutage

2018 North Carolina Power Outage Report

In 2018, the average North Carolina customer went without power for about 55.2 hours — the 1st worst of any US state that year, 2.4× the state's decade average. Figures from DOE/ORNL EAGLE-I.

Avg hrs / customer
55.2
Peak customers out
114,738
Rank (worst state)
1st
Counties affected
20

North Carolina outages over the decade

Average hours without power per customer, 2018 highlighted.

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

Hardest-hit North Carolina counties in 2018

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

1New Hanover County114,7382Guilford County95,8143Brunswick County85,3764Onslow County71,8645Wake County56,9856Mecklenburg County55,9997Union County51,9738Forsyth County47,3819Cumberland County35,97010Robeson County35,66511Rockingham County33,30912Randolph County29,13913Orange County29,01314Columbus County28,88915Johnston County28,35616Sampson County28,15017Moore County27,98518Durham County27,69719Alamance County26,66320Buncombe County26,554

Biggest North Carolina outages of 2018

CountyBeganPeak customers out
New Hanover CountySeptember 13, 2018114,738
New Hanover CountySeptember 15, 2018113,609
Guilford CountyOctober 11, 201895,814
Brunswick CountySeptember 15, 201885,376
Brunswick CountySeptember 13, 201883,140
Onslow CountySeptember 15, 201871,864
Onslow CountySeptember 13, 201861,372
Wake CountyOctober 11, 201856,985
Mecklenburg CountyDecember 6, 201855,999
Mecklenburg CountyOctober 8, 201854,328
North Carolina by year:20252024202320222021202020192017
Other states in 2018:VAWVMARIVTME

Part of the 2018 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.