Palo Alto County, IA Power Outages
As of Nov 3, 12:45 AM EST, no power outages were reported in Palo Alto County, Iowa by MidAmerican Energy Co.
Palo Alto County on the Iowa outage map
- Normal
- Minor
- Moderate
- Major
- Severe
- Limited data
Current outages
Weather alerts
No active outage-relevant weather alerts from the National Weather Service.
Palo Alto County power outage history
Every significant outage recorded in Palo Alto County since late 2014, with likely causes from NOAA storm reports
Since late 2014, DOE's EAGLE-I monitoring system has recorded 92 significant power outages in Palo Alto County, meaning events that left at least 1% of customers in the dark. The largest (Dec 16–17, 2021) came when severe thunderstorms left 2,263 customers (54.3% of the county) without power.
From 2018 to 2025, the average customer here lost about 2 hr 3 min of power per year, less than the Iowa average of 5 hr 30 min. That ranks 78th of 99 Iowa counties for outage time, where 1st has the most.
December is the riskiest month: it accounted for 24% of all customer outage time from 2018 to 2025. On 40 days in that period, at least 5% of customers were out at the same time. Outage time in Palo Alto County has fallen recently: about 1 hr 47 min per customer per year in 2022–2025, versus 2 hr 19 min in 2018–2021.
The most recent significant outage on record (Dec 15–16, 2025) affected 226 customers (5.4%) amid extreme cold.
Worst outages on record
| # | When | Peak customers out | Days | Likely cause (NOAA) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dec 16–17, 2021 | 2,263(54.3%) | 2 | Severe thunderstorms |
| 2 | Aug 1, 2016 | 2,260(54.2%) | 1 | Severe thunderstorms |
| 3 | May 20–21, 2024 | 2,238(53.7%) | 2 | Hail and lightning |
| 4 | Jan 6, 2022 | 2,190(52.6%) | 1 | Extreme cold |
| 5 | Feb 7–8, 2019 | 1,731(41.6%) | 2 | Ice storm |
Hours without power per customer, by year
When outages happen
Source: DOE/ORNL EAGLE-I recorded electricity outages, 2014–2025 (CC BY 4.0), with likely causes from the NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database. EAGLE-I coverage was partial before 2018, so averages use 2018–2025. Peak counts are the highest number of customers out at one time.
Who provides electricity in Palo Alto County?
Electric companies with service territory in Palo Alto County (EIA-861, 2025)
| Utility | Type | Customers (IA) | Avg. outage time / yr | Live data |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MidAmerican Energy | Investor Owned | 750,247 | Reporting | |
| Alliant Energy (Iowa) | Investor Owned | 506,498 | Not reporting | |
| Iowa Lakes Electric Coop | Cooperative | 13,283 | Not reporting | |
| City of West Bend - (IA) | Municipal | 617 | Not reporting | |
| City of Graettinger - (IA) | Municipal | 512 | Not reporting |
Customer counts are each utility's statewide total in Iowa. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-861 & Electric Power Annual.
Local outage news
No Palo Alto County outage headlines in the past week.
Nearby counties
Palo Alto County power outage FAQ
Is the power out in Palo Alto County right now?
No outages are currently reported for Palo Alto County by participating utilities. If your power is out, report it to your electric company.
Which electric company serves Palo Alto County?
According to EIA-861 service territory data, MidAmerican Energy Co, Interstate Power and Light Co, Iowa Lakes Electric Coop, City of West Bend - (IA) and 1 others provide electric service in Palo Alto County, Iowa.
What was the worst power outage in Palo Alto County?
The largest outage recorded by DOE's EAGLE-I system since 2014 was Dec 16–17, 2021. It peaked at 2,263 customers without power (54.3% of the county). NOAA storm reports for that period point to severe thunderstorms.
How often does the power go out in Palo Alto County?
EAGLE-I has recorded 92 significant outages here since late 2014. From 2018 to 2025 the average customer lost about 2 hr 3 min of power per year, and on 40 days at least 5% of customers were out at once.
Cite this page
You may reuse our derived data under CC BY 4.0 with attribution. Underlying government data is public domain.
PowerOutageTracker.com. "Palo Alto County, IA Power Outages." Accessed November 3, 2026. https://poweroutagetracker.com/outages/iowa/palo-alto-county