<span>Failure rates of rural power systems are statistically studied based on lightning parameters and a two-state weather model (normal and <span>adverse). Lightning information is matched with geographical coordinates of 251,024 power transformers in a vast area in central <span>Colombia. An important portion of transformers present failure rates 45 times higher than normal, and very large overhead lines, <span>representing a high portion of the total system, present very high failure rates over 75 times higher than in normal weather conditions.</span></span></span><br /><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></span>