massoutage

2020 North Carolina Power Outage Report

In 2020, the average North Carolina customer went without power for about 20.3 hours — the 6th worst of any US state that year, below the state's decade average. Figures from DOE/ORNL EAGLE-I.

Avg hrs / customer
20.3
Peak customers out
92,710
Rank (worst state)
6th
Counties affected
20

North Carolina outages over the decade

Average hours without power per customer, 2020 highlighted.

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

Hardest-hit North Carolina counties in 2020

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

1New Hanover County92,7102Mecklenburg County64,6863Forsyth County61,7944Brunswick County52,7355Onslow County50,7896Wake County43,3787Guilford County40,8548Iredell County33,4059Pender County29,21410Haywood County28,87111Catawba County26,95512Wilson County25,92013Rutherford County20,72514Henderson County19,64415Chatham County17,86816Yadkin County16,98017Jackson County16,13318Craven County16,10719Franklin County15,09920Union County14,693

Biggest North Carolina outages of 2020

CountyBeganPeak customers out
New Hanover CountyAugust 3, 202092,710
Mecklenburg CountyMay 22, 202064,686
Forsyth CountyOctober 29, 202061,794
Brunswick CountyAugust 3, 202052,735
Onslow CountyAugust 4, 202050,789
Brunswick CountyApril 2, 202049,041
Mecklenburg CountyApril 12, 202047,013
Mecklenburg CountyOctober 28, 202045,357
Wake CountyFebruary 6, 202043,378
Guilford CountyOctober 29, 202040,854
North Carolina by year:20252024202320222021201920182017
Other states in 2020:LAMEOKIAALMS

Part of the 2020 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.