In short: Utah pairs strong sun, about 4.8 kWh per square meter a day in Salt Lake City, with cheap power at 13.1 cents per kWh (July 2026) and a reliable grid. Exports earn only about 4 to 5 cents, so the smart play is self-use: plug-in solar is legal, and Rocky Mountain Power pays for enrolled batteries.
Utah is also one of the places where home solar is already common: EIA counted about 81,000 residential systems in its 2024 net metering data, some 8,600 of them paired with batteries. If you are thinking about joining them, the rules have changed since most of those neighbors signed up. Here is how the numbers work in 2026.
Utah at a glance
- Residential electricity price: 13.12 cents per kWh in July 2026, about 28% below the U.S. average of 18.31 cents, and slightly lower than July 2025’s 13.45 cents (EIA, preliminary). The 2026 average through July was 13.16 cents.
- Outages, 2024: about 120 minutes per customer with major events and 107 without; roughly one interruption per customer (EIA-861).
- Solar resource: 4.80 kWh per square meter per day at Salt Lake City and 4.95 near the state’s center (NASA POWER), or roughly 1,400 kWh a year per kW of panels by our estimate.
- Net metering: net billing. Rocky Mountain Power customers who applied after October 30, 2020 get an export credit under Schedule 137, about 4.86 cents per kWh in summer and 4.03 cents in winter from March 1, 2026.
- Plug-in (balcony) solar law: in force. HB 340 (2025) allows up to 1,200 W into a standard 120 V outlet with no interconnection agreement, effective May 7, 2025.
- Electric vehicles: about 68,400 battery-electric and 19,200 plug-in hybrid vehicles through 2025; 3,189 public charging ports at 1,008 locations, 1,018 of them DC fast (AFDC, October 2026).
- Largest utilities (2024): PacifiCorp, operating as Rocky Mountain Power, serves about 80% of customers; Provo, St. George and Lehi run their own city utilities.
- Top weather hazards: winter weather and wildfire, both rated relatively high for expected annual loss; ice storms very low (FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025).
- Public safety power shutoffs: yes. Rocky Mountain Power runs them in Utah and held events in southern and central Utah in June 2025.
Backup power in Utah
Utah’s grid is steady: major events added only about 13 minutes to the 2024 average. The real exception is wildfire. On hot, dry, windy days Rocky Mountain Power may switch off lines in high-risk areas on purpose, and those shutoffs can last until crews inspect the lines. If you live in the canyons, foothills or rural southern and central Utah, plan for an outage of a day or more in the summer heat, with air conditioning, a fridge and perhaps a well pump to keep running.
For valley homes, the main risk is winter storms, which FEMA rates relatively high. Here is how the options line up:
- Home battery: silent, no fumes, and in Utah partly paid for by the utility program described below. A natural fit for planned shutoffs, which come with advance notice so the battery can be full. Check runtime in our battery backup calculator.
- Generator: the most hours per dollar for long outages. During red-flag fire weather, be careful with hot exhaust near dry grass. Keep it outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the house, away from windows and doors, and never in a garage (CPSC). Connect through a transfer switch installed by a licensed electrician. Size it with the generator sizing tool.
- Portable power station: for phones, a CPAP and lights, and it can recharge from a plug-in solar panel. See portable power.
More detail in our generators and home batteries guides.
Solar in Utah
Utah’s sun is among the better resources outside the desert Southwest. By our rough estimate a 6 kW array would make around 8,400 kWh a year. If you used it all at home at 13.12 cents, that is worth about $1,100 a year. But power you export earns the Schedule 137 credit of roughly 4 to 5 cents. If half the output went to the grid at about 4.5 cents, the year’s value would be closer to $740. Those are estimates, not promises; your roof, usage pattern and rate plan decide the result.
So size panels to your daytime use, think about adding a battery, and be wary of any quote that values exports at the retail rate. Utah’s state solar tax credit (RESTC) no longer covers residential solar installed after 2023, and the federal credit ended for home systems finished after December 31, 2025. Read net metering and net billing explained, compare prices in solar panel cost, try the solar potential tool and start from the solar guide.
Plug-in solar is legal in Utah
Utah was among the first states to allow plug-in (balcony) solar. Under HB 340, a system of up to 1,200 W can plug into a standard 120 V outlet without an interconnection agreement. These devices are excluded from net metering, so power you export earns nothing. By our rough estimate, a well-placed 1,200 W kit could make up to about 1,700 kWh a year in Utah sun, worth up to about $220 at the July 2026 price if your home uses it all; balcony and vertical mounting produce less. Check Rocky Mountain Power’s portable solar page for current rules.
Home batteries in Utah
Utah is one of the few states where the utility pays toward a home battery. Rocky Mountain Power’s Wattsmart Battery program, under terms effective June 15, 2026, offers a one-time enrollment incentive of $1,000 for a single battery system under 10 kW or $2,000 for 10 kW or larger, then yearly bill credits ($15 per kW a year capped at $100 in years 2 to 4, and $50 per kW capped at $250 from year 5). In return you make a multi-year commitment and the utility can draw on your battery during grid events. Check the program page before buying; amounts change.
With exports earning only a few cents, a battery also lets solar owners keep their midday power for the evening. Compare prices in home battery cost and options in the batteries hub.
EV charging in Utah
About 68,400 battery-electric cars share 3,189 public ports in Utah, roughly 21 per port, and about a third of those ports are DC fast chargers. Most charging happens at home, where Utah’s price makes it cheap: at 30 kWh per 100 miles (a typical figure on fueleconomy.gov labels), about $3.90 per 100 miles at 13.12 cents, or roughly $470 for 12,000 miles a year (our estimate, before charging losses). Winter cold along the Wasatch Front raises use. The federal charger credit ended for equipment placed in service after June 30, 2026; ask Rocky Mountain Power or your city utility about EV rates. See home EV charging and the EV charging cost calculator.
Drive on another fuel? See every alternative fuel station in Utah: hydrogen, propane, natural gas, E85 ethanol, biodiesel and renewable diesel.
Off-grid, small wind and micro-hydro
Utah’s wind is weak for small turbines at typical sites: about 3.6 meters per second at 50 meters near Salt Lake City and 3.2 at 10 meters near the center (NASA POWER), below the Department of Energy’s practical 4.5 m/s threshold. Only a measured, exceptional site makes sense. The state’s RESTC still offers 25% of the cost, up to $2,000, for residential wind and small hydro systems, but all credits end for systems placed in service after January 1, 2028; check the Office of Energy Development’s page. For cabins, solar plus batteries is the usual answer: see off-grid power, wind energy and hydroelectric power.
Licensing and permits
Electricians, electrical contractors and solar PV contractors are licensed statewide by the Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL). Check a license with DOPL’s license lookup. Permits come from your city or county; grid-tied solar and batteries also need Rocky Mountain Power’s or your city utility’s interconnection approval.
Local guides in Utah
Utilities, rates, outage records, permit offices and local programs for each area:
Where we cover in Utah
- Salt Lake Valley: Salt Lake City, West Jordan, South Jordan, Sandy, Draper, Herriman
- Utah County: Lehi, Provo, Orem, American Fork
- Ogden: Ogden, Layton
- St. George: St. George, Washington
- Northern Utah: Logan
Local pages will follow as we verify local information and installers.
Get quotes in Utah
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Frequently asked questions
Does Utah still have net metering?
Not for new Rocky Mountain Power customers. Those who applied after October 30, 2020 are on net billing under Schedule 137: you use your solar power at home first, and exports earn a credit of about 4.86 cents per kWh in summer and 4.03 cents in winter (from March 2026). City utilities such as Provo or St. George set their own terms.
Is balcony solar legal in Utah?
Yes. HB 340, in effect since May 7, 2025, lets you plug a solar system of up to 1,200 W into a standard 120 V outlet without an interconnection agreement. These devices do not qualify for net metering, so exported power earns nothing. Use a certified kit and check Rocky Mountain Power’s portable solar page.
Does Rocky Mountain Power pay for home batteries?
Yes, through the Wattsmart Battery program. From June 15, 2026, Utah customers can get $1,000 for a single battery system under 10 kW or $2,000 for 10 kW or more, plus yearly bill credits, in return for letting the utility use the battery during grid events. Terms change, so check the program page first.
Is there a Utah solar tax credit in 2026?
Not for home solar panels. Utah’s Renewable Energy Systems Tax Credit stopped covering residential solar PV installed after 2023. It still offers 25% up to $2,000 for residential wind, geothermal, hydro and biomass systems until it ends for systems placed in service after January 1, 2028. The federal credit ended after 2025.
What causes power shutoffs in Utah?
Mostly wildfire risk. Rocky Mountain Power can switch off lines in high-risk areas during dangerous fire weather, as it did in southern and central Utah in June 2025. Sign up for outage alerts, keep a battery or power station charged during fire season, and plan for an outage that may last until lines are inspected.
Sources
Prices: EIA Electric Power Monthly, July 2026 (preliminary). Outages, utilities and solar adoption: EIA-861, 2024. Solar and wind resource: NASA POWER, 2001 to 2020 averages; kWh and dollar figures are our estimates. Hazards: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025. EVs and charging: AFDC, read October 3, 2026. Export credit: Utah Public Service Commission tariff filing. Plug-in solar, shutoffs and battery program: Rocky Mountain Power. Tax credit: Utah Office of Energy Development. Licensing: Utah DOPL. All checked October 2026.