Cooperative South Carolina

Fairfield Electric Coop, Inc

167min
SAIDI 2023
2.31
SAIFI 2023
33,097
Customers

What This Utility Data Tells You

Fairfield Electric Coop, Inc is a member-owned electric cooperative operating in South Carolina under EIA identifier 5929. It reports service to approximately 33,097 customer accounts and generated about $0.08 billion in annual electric revenue, with a service footprint spanning 39 ZIP codes. As a cooperative, its governance is accountable to its ratepayer-members rather than shareholders, which often shapes rate-setting and reinvestment priorities.

In 2023, the average Fairfield Electric Coop, Inc customer experienced 166.6 minutes of power interruptions — a metric called SAIDI (System Average Interruption Duration Index). That sits within the 120–180 minute national benchmark range, indicating performance typical of U.S. distribution utilities. SAIFI — the average number of outage events per customer — was 2.31 for the same period, so customers statistically faced roughly 2 distinct interruptions that year. Excluding major event days (hurricanes, ice storms), SAIDI drops to 142.6 minutes — the gap between that figure and the headline 166.6 reveals how much weather, not day-to-day infrastructure, drove outages.

The EIA dataset includes 4 years of continuous reporting (2020–2023) for Fairfield Electric Coop, Inc, which lets you see whether reliability is trending up or down rather than judging from a single snapshot. SAIDI has increased from 158.6 to 166.6 minutes, which may reflect either worsening weather exposure or delayed grid modernization. All figures on this page come directly from EIA Form 861, the federal annual electric power industry survey, with service territory ZIPs sourced from OpenEI — you can cross-reference them with your own utility bill or use them when comparing providers before relocating.

SAIDI

167 min per year

Average outage minutes (2023)

SAIFI

2.31 interruptions/yr

Outage frequency (2023)

Customers

33,097

Served in South Carolina

SAIDI vs. National Average (180 min) 41.7%

167 minutes per customer per year

Fairfield Electric Coop, Inc SAIDI

Minutes without power per year (2023)

167 SAIDI167 SAIDINat. avg 120120SAIDI167SAIDI

Average

Reliability Trend (2020–2023)

Year SAIDI (min) SAIDI nMED SAIFI Customers
2020 158.6 81.3 1.600
2021 121.8 108.2 2.100
2022 364.7 129.4 3.500
2023 166.6 142.6 2.315

SAIDI nMED = SAIDI without major event days. Source: EIA Form 861.

Service Area

Fairfield Electric Coop, Inc serves 39 ZIP codes in South Carolina.

290142901529016290202903129036290442904529052290532905529058290612906329065290752907829126291282913029135291542916029168291802920329209292122922929230293532936429379297062972029726297292973029742

Frequently Asked Questions

How reliable is Fairfield Electric Coop, Inc?

Fairfield Electric Coop, Inc had a SAIDI of 166.6 minutes in 2023, meaning the average customer experienced about 167 minutes of outages that year. This is near the national average.

What type of utility is Fairfield Electric Coop, Inc?

Fairfield Electric Coop, Inc is classified as a Cooperative serving South Carolina. Electric cooperatives are member-owned nonprofit utilities, typically serving rural areas.

What does SAIDI mean for Fairfield Electric Coop, Inc?

SAIDI (System Average Interruption Duration Index) measures the average total minutes per year that a customer of Fairfield Electric Coop, Inc experiences power outages. A lower SAIDI indicates better reliability. The national average is roughly 120-180 minutes per year, so comparing Fairfield Electric Coop, Inc's SAIDI to that benchmark shows whether this utility is above or below average.

How many customers does Fairfield Electric Coop, Inc serve?

Fairfield Electric Coop, Inc serves approximately 33,097 customers in South Carolina. Customer count can affect reliability metrics because larger utilities may face different infrastructure challenges compared to smaller ones.

How has Fairfield Electric Coop, Inc's reliability changed over time?

Fairfield Electric Coop, Inc has 4 years of reliability data (2020-2023). SAIDI has remained relatively stable over this period. Review the trend table above for year-by-year detail.

What is SAIDI without major event days?

SAIDI "without major event days" (SAIDI nMED) excludes outages caused by hurricanes, ice storms, and other catastrophic weather events. It better reflects day-to-day infrastructure reliability rather than vulnerability to extreme weather. Both standard SAIDI and SAIDI nMED are shown in the reliability trend table above.

Utility Profile

Type
Cooperative
Customers
33,097
Annual Revenue
$0.08B
EIA ID
5929
Data Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration Form 861 annual electric power industry survey. ZIP service territory from OpenEI.

Related

Data sourced from official EIA reliability statistics and OpenEI utility rate database. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainUtility Editorial

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) Form 861. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.