CFU Electric Reliability Exceeds Regional Benchmarks

Power was available to CFU customers 99.999% of the time.

CFU customers enjoy a highly reliable electric system. Power is available more often, outages are shorter and service is restored more quickly than average.

Each year, the Energy Information Administration releases reliability numbers for each state including the percentage of time power is available and the length of an average power outage. In 2025, CFU exceeded the benchmark in both.

In 2025, power was available to CFU customers 99.999% of the time with the average electric outage lasting 69 minutes. This is the amount of time from when the outage first occurs to when our line workers restore service. 

By contrast, peer utilities in Iowa experienced an average outage of 101 minutes. The national average is 120 minutes.
CFU's reliability metrics are not due to chance. 

The Electric Utility works hard to provide customers with safe and reliable power.

This starts with reinvesting in local electric generation and infrastructure. CFU is a public utility which means we do not maximize profits for shareholders. Revenues are reinvested to continue to deliver the reliable and affordable power our customers expect.

Last year the Electric Utility replaced more than 33,200 feet of power lines including almost 18,500 that were moved underground to reduce exposure to weather and animals and improve reliability.

CFU is also advancing plans to build the Viking Energy Center, which will replace aging infrastructure with efficient electric generation designed to support our community's energy needs for decades to come.

Beyond updating infrastructure to reduce outages altogether, CFU also works to minimize the length of outages. As a municipal utility, CFU electric crews live and work locally. This means they are able to respond quickly if an outage occurs and resolve it swiftly.