State Regulators & Reliability Reports

Most electric power utilities in the U.S. track the performance of their systems by maintaining data on the number, location, frequency, and duration of power outages that affect their customers. 

This data is routinely used to calculate one or more “distribution reliability indices,” or metrics, that convey how reliably the system provides power over time. This brief video from the Energy Information Administration introduces and defines the three most common indices:

• SAIFI: the System Average Interruption Frequency Index
• SAIDI: System Average Interruption Duration Index
• CAIDI: Customer Average Interruption Duration Index

The index below is a compilation of the regulatory entities, legal authorities, and reliability-data reporting requirements that govern regulated electric utilities in the U.S., by State. Although most States mandate that utilities report outage data and/or reliability indices, these requirements and practices vary widely. Moreover, utility “Reliability Reports” are not always readily accessible online. 

This index provides, in part, a description of each State’s reporting requirements; which reliability indices, if any, must be reported by utilities; and instructions for accessing current and historic Reliability Reports, where available.