Pennsylvania experienced its worst year for electric reliability in over three decades, with 71 major outage events reported in 2024, according to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission’s latest Electric Service Reliability Report. The sharp increase from 49 events in 2023 highlights the growing strain on the state’s aging electrical infrastructure, compounded by severe weather and poor vegetation management.
More than 2.8 million Pennsylvanians lost power at some point in 2024—up from 1.67 million the previous year. PPL Electric Utilities recorded 17 reportable outage events, the most by any single provider since the PUC began keeping records 32 years ago.
The report points to downed trees, particularly from outside utility rights-of-way, as a primary cause of outages. The PUC’s Bureau of Technical Utility Services is now urging electric distribution companies (EDCs) to overhaul their vegetation management and capital improvement plans to confront these persistent threats.
Only three of the state’s 11 EDCs—PECO, UGI, and Wellsboro—met performance benchmarks in all three major reliability categories for both 2024 and the preceding three-year average. These categories include average restoration time, outage duration, and outage frequency. Two additional providers, Penn Power and Duquesne Light, met the standard for 12-month outage frequency, bringing the total to just five utilities with passing marks in that metric.
The report also notes that while advanced grid technologies can help reduce the number of customers affected during outages, they can also extend repair times due to system complexity. This trend of fewer customers losing power per event—but longer outages for those who do—suggests that systemic vulnerabilities are worsening.
Most utilities in the state have implemented Long-Term Infrastructure Improvement Plans aimed at addressing aging equipment and enhancing grid resilience. However, even providers with robust improvement strategies struggled in 2024, raising questions about the effectiveness of current approaches and the urgency of further investment.
The commission emphasized the need for a balance between reliability and affordability. Utility companies are being urged to evaluate cost-effective ways to strengthen their grids, including undergrounding power lines, deploying advanced monitoring tools, and enhancing protective technologies.
As severe weather patterns intensify and Pennsylvania’s grid continues to age, the PUC’s findings serve as a warning that without decisive investment and better management practices, the state’s energy reliability will continue to deteriorate—leaving millions of residents vulnerable.
