massoutage

2021 North Carolina Power Outage Report

In 2021, the average North Carolina customer went without power for about 10.3 hours — the 8th worst of any US state that year, below the state's decade average. Figures from DOE/ORNL EAGLE-I.

Avg hrs / customer
10.3
Peak customers out
78,544
Rank (worst state)
8th
Counties affected
20

North Carolina outages over the decade

Average hours without power per customer, 2021 highlighted.

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

Hardest-hit North Carolina counties in 2021

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

1Guilford County78,5442Brunswick County37,3093Forsyth County28,1644Mecklenburg County26,7445Rockingham County19,3336Buncombe County15,6497Vance County15,5558McDowell County14,6479Person County14,26310Union County12,75011Durham County12,55212Rutherford County11,34513Onslow County11,25214Carteret County10,39415Cabarrus County10,14316Randolph County9,38417Sampson County9,34718Wake County8,69319Alleghany County8,22320Warren County8,142

Biggest North Carolina outages of 2021

CountyBeganPeak customers out
Guilford CountyFebruary 13, 202178,544
Brunswick CountyFebruary 16, 202137,309
Forsyth CountyFebruary 13, 202128,164
Mecklenburg CountyJanuary 13, 202126,744
Brunswick CountyDecember 3, 202119,555
Rockingham CountyFebruary 13, 202119,333
Guilford CountyJanuary 13, 202117,168
Mecklenburg CountyJune 6, 202117,046
Brunswick CountyApril 3, 202116,382
Mecklenburg CountyMarch 11, 202115,689
North Carolina by year:20252024202320222020201920182017
Other states in 2021:LAMIWVTXORMS

Part of the 2021 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.