Nampa, Idaho Power Outage Today

How reliable is Idaho Power service in Nampa?

Idaho Power is an investor-owned utility with 621,746 customers. In 2024 its customers averaged 1.37 interruptions and 206 minutes (about 3.4 hours) without power, so the average outage lasted about 2.5 hours.

Little of that came from major storms (about 21%). Without major event days the average is still 164 minutes, so the figure mostly reflects everyday faults: failed equipment, tree limbs, animals and vehicles hitting poles.

The typical outage was repaired in about 2.5 hours.

For comparison, Idaho as a whole averaged 233 minutes and the United States 614 minutes. That is close to the state average.

Among the 8 utilities in Idaho with at least 5,000 customers that report to the federal government, Idaho Power ranks 5th for the fewest outage minutes (1 is best). Nationally, 48% of the 926 utilities of that size reported more outage minutes in 2024.

These are the figures the utility itself reported to the US Energy Information Administration (Form EIA-861, 2024) and describe the whole service territory, not one street. Your own address can be better or worse.

Storm season and outages in Nampa

NOAA’s Storm Events Database lists 23 storm reports for Canyon County from 2015 through 2026, most often thunderstorm wind (9), flood (6), hail (4), and heavy rain (3). The busiest full year was 2017 with 6 reports and the quietest was 2015 with 1, so the risk changes a lot from one year to the next.

Reports peak in June (9 since 2015), followed by May and August. October is outside those three months, so an outage now is less likely to be weather-related.

NOAA’s own narratives name power outages in 4 storm episodes in Canyon County since 2015, most often in December. That count is a floor, since the database records outages only when a spotter or agency mentions them.

What the most common storm types in Nampa do to the grid:

• Thunderstorm wind. Straight-line wind pushes trees and limbs into distribution lines. These outages are usually local, a street or a neighborhood at a time, and crews clear them circuit by circuit.
• Heavy rain. Saturated ground topples shallow-rooted trees onto lines, and standing water slows crews trying to reach the damage.
• Flash flood. Floodwater reaches ground-level transformers, meters and low-lying substations. Utilities may shut power off ahead of the water on purpose, and wading near flooded equipment can electrocute.

Storm reports that name Nampa

Within Canyon County, 4 NOAA storm reports since 2015 name Nampa as their location or in their description: thunderstorm wind (2), heavy rain (1), and flash flood (1). That is about 17% of the county’s reports.

Who a power outage hits hardest in Nampa

68.6% of occupied homes in Nampa are heated with piped natural gas, and 29.2% with electricity (US 41.3% electric). A gas furnace still needs electricity for its blower and ignition, so a long winter outage leaves these homes cold too, though a gas supply stays on when the grid fails. Never heat a home with an oven, grill or camp stove indoors.

Residents aged 65 or older are 14.5% of the population in Nampa, close to the US share of 17.2% and 15.4% report a disability (US 13.3%). These are the households most likely to depend on powered medical equipment such as oxygen concentrators, CPAP machines and refrigerated medicine. If someone in your home does, ask Idaho Power whether it keeps a priority or medical-needs list, and register before the next storm rather than during it.

About the housing: 17.6% of the housing in Nampa was built before 1970 (US 35.5%).

Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 (housing, heating fuel, age and disability tables).

Backup power and electricity use in Nampa

The average Idaho Power home used about 916 kWh a month in 2024 (US average 892 kWh), an average draw of 1.3 kW around the clock, and paid about 11.8 cents per kWh (11.5 in the state, 15.8 nationally), roughly $108 a month.

Keeping only the essentials on (a refrigerator, router, a few lights and phone chargers, about 400 watts) through an outage that lasts the average about 2.5 hours takes about 1.0 kWh. A portable power station or a power bank covers that; a generator is more than most households here need for a typical outage.

A generator must never run indoors, in a garage or near a window; generator and food-safety rules are in the power outage guide linked below.

If the power is out in Nampa

About 100,815 people live in Nampa, the 3rd largest of the 4 Idaho cities on this site. Report the outage to the utility so a ticket exists for your address, then check Idaho Power’s outage map for an estimate. If neighbors have power and you do not, report it again: the fault may be on the line to your house alone, which is a separate repair.

Nampa power outage map

Idaho Power’s outage map has the official restoration estimate for your address; the count above comes from residents. Food and generator safety: power outage guide.

Nampa power outage questions