JD Power Finds Outage Duration Increasing in Every Region
A new study shows the length of electrical power outages across the United States is increasing, raising concerns for customers who rely on consistent electricity for work, health, and daily needs. Utility Dive reported the findings, which stem from a recent survey by J.D. Power examining customer experiences and reliability trends.
J.D. Power concluded outages are lasting longer in all regions of the country compared to previous years. The data indicates that customers nationwide are seeing outage durations grow at a pace tied directly to weather-related stress on the grid.
Extreme Weather Driving Longer Outages
The study cites the “increased frequency and severity of extreme weather events” as a primary factor. More intense storms, heat waves, wildfires, and flooding have pushed utility infrastructure beyond its historical limits, resulting in longer restoration times.
According to the report, the average length of the longest outage experienced by power customers increased from 8.1 hours in 2022 to 12.8 hours by mid-2025. This represents a dramatic rise across only two and a half years.
Southern States and Western States See Longest Disruptions
J.D. Power found customers in the southern United States experienced the longest average outage duration at 18.2 hours, reflecting the region’s vulnerability to hurricanes, storms, and extreme heat.
Western States Also Saw Outage Duration Rise
The report revealed the western U.S. faced an increase to 12.4 hours, a jump influenced by wildfire threats, grid shutoffs, drought-related impacts, and infrastructure strain.
These increases align with broader national grid reliability concerns raised in multiple federal and industry reports over the past two years.
Some Optimism Despite Longer Outages
Despite the trend toward longer outages, J.D. Power found a reason for cautious optimism. Mark Spalinger, director of utilities intelligence at J.D. Power, told Utility Dive that the number of people experiencing “perfect power” — meaning they reported zero outages — is gradually increasing over time.
Reliability Gains May Coexist With Extreme Weather Challenges
Spalinger noted that utilities are investing heavily in grid modernization, vegetation management, undergrounding lines, and predictive analytics, which may explain why customers with no outages at all are trending upward even as severe weather drives longer disruptions for others.
Still, J.D. Power emphasized that the industry’s major challenge is the widening gap between baseline reliability improvements and extreme-event outage duration.
Click here for Utility Dive