In short: Washington homes paid about 14.7 cents per kWh in July 2026, 20% under the U.S. average, but major storms pushed 2024 outages to about 624 minutes per customer, four times the ordinary-day figure. With 236,400 EVs, retail net metering and wildfire shutoffs east of the Cascades, backup and charging lead the list.
Washington is really two energy climates. West of the Cascades, Seattle-area homes deal with gray winters, wind and ice storms that drop trees on lines. East of the mountains, Spokane and the Tri-Cities get more sun and face wildfire season, when utilities may cut power on purpose. This page uses the state’s own numbers to sort out what fits where.
Washington at a glance
- Residential electricity price: 14.71 cents per kWh in July 2026 (U.S. average 18.31 cents), up from 13.45 cents in July 2025 (EIA, preliminary). The 2026 average through July was 14.40 cents.
- Outages, 2024: about 624 minutes per customer with major events, 159 without; 1.75 interruptions per customer with major events and 1.09 without (EIA-861).
- Solar resource: 3.42 kWh per square meter per day at Seattle and 3.76 near the state’s center (NASA POWER). That is roughly 1,000 kWh a year per kW of panels in Seattle by our estimate, more east of the Cascades.
- Net metering: full retail. State law (RCW 80.60) requires utilities to offer it until June 30, 2029, or until they reach 4% of their 1996 peak; Puget Sound Energy has passed 4% but still offers one-to-one credits under Schedule 150 until a successor is adopted.
- Plug-in (balcony) solar law: none found as of October 2026.
- Electric vehicles: about 236,400 battery-electric and 57,100 plug-in hybrid vehicles through 2025; 9,038 public charging ports at 3,168 locations, 2,365 of them DC fast (AFDC, October 2026).
- Largest utilities (2024): Puget Sound Energy (33% of customers), Seattle City Light (14%), Snohomish County PUD (10%) and Avista (7%).
- Top weather hazards: ice storms and wildfire rated relatively high for expected annual loss; winter weather, cold waves and heat waves relatively moderate (FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025).
- Public safety power shutoffs: yes. Puget Sound Energy, Avista, Pacific Power and Chelan PUD have programs; Avista ran shutoffs in August 2026.
Backup power in Washington
On ordinary days, Washington’s grid is middle of the pack: about 159 minutes and one interruption per customer in 2024. Major events added roughly 465 minutes on top, which tells you the risk comes in big, rare storms. FEMA’s ratings point the same way, with ice storms and wildfire at the top. For a west-side home that means windstorms and ice bringing down tree-lined distribution lines in the cold months; for an east-side home, summer and fall shutoffs during fire weather, sometimes in the heat.
- Puget Sound and the west side: outages arrive in winter, when solar output is lowest, so a battery charged from the grid (or a generator) is the realistic backup. Know how your home is heated before sizing. Try our battery backup calculator.
- Spokane, Tri-Cities and wildfire areas: shutoffs come with warnings, giving time to top off a battery; summer sun can recharge it with solar. In a long shutoff, a generator adds hours, but hot exhaust and dry grass don’t mix: run it on gravel or pavement.
- Generators everywhere: outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the house, exhaust away from doors and windows, never in a garage (CPSC); connected only through a transfer switch or interlock installed by a licensed electrician. Size one with the generator sizing tool.
- Apartments: a portable power station covers phones, lights, Wi-Fi and a CPAP.
Compare options in our generators and home batteries guides.
Solar in Washington
Seattle gets less sun than almost any large U.S. city in our data (only Anchorage is lower), and Washington’s price is modest, so solar here is a long-term, not a quick, payback. By our rough estimate, a 6 kW array in Seattle would make around 6,000 kWh a year, worth about $880 at 14.71 cents. Near the center of the state, where NASA’s average is 3.76, the same array might make roughly 6,600 kWh, worth about $970. Retail net metering helps a lot here: summer surplus earns credits you use in the dark winter months. These are estimates, not promises.
Even so, about 59,000 Washington homes had net-metered solar in 2024, according to EIA. A confirmed state benefit trims the price: solar systems up to 100 kW AC are fully exempt from sales and use tax through December 31, 2029 (RCW 82.08.962). That exemption ends on January 1, 2030, and the federal credit already ended for home systems finished after December 31, 2025. Watch the net metering timeline: the state requirement runs to June 30, 2029 or the 4% cap, whichever comes first, and PSE has already passed the cap, so a successor tariff is coming for its customers.
Washington has no plug-in solar law; ask your utility before using a balcony kit. Read our net metering guide, compare prices in solar panel cost, check your roof with the solar potential tool and start from the solar guide.
Home batteries in Washington
With retail net metering still in place, a battery doesn’t earn much by shifting solar, so in Washington it is mostly about resilience. EIA counted about 2,600 battery-paired home solar systems in 2024. A battery is strongest for short winter outages and planned wildfire shutoffs; for a week-long ice storm outage in December, it will need a generator or careful load limits. The sales tax exemption above covers solar, not batteries on their own, and we found no state battery rebate to confirm; ask your utility about any program. See home battery cost and the batteries hub.
EV charging in Washington
Washington has by far the most EVs of the states on this list: about 236,400 battery-electric cars, roughly 26 for every one of its 9,038 public ports. That makes home charging the default. At 30 kWh per 100 miles (a typical figure on fueleconomy.gov labels) and 14.71 cents, charging costs about $4.40 per 100 miles, roughly $530 for 12,000 miles a year (our estimate, before losses). A Level 2 charger needs a 240-volt circuit installed by a licensed electrician; in Seattle, the city handles electrical permits and inspections. The federal charger credit ended for equipment placed in service after June 30, 2026; ask your utility about EV rates. See home EV charging and the EV charging cost calculator.
Drive on another fuel? See every alternative fuel station in Washington: hydrogen, propane, natural gas, E85 ethanol, biodiesel and renewable diesel.
Off-grid, small wind and micro-hydro
NASA’s long-term wind averages for Washington are low at typical sites, about 3.6 meters per second at 50 meters and 2.2 at 10 meters, below the Department of Energy’s practical 4.5 m/s threshold. Exposed ridges and the Columbia Gorge can differ, but only a measured site justifies a turbine. Off-grid cabins in the Cascades often rely on solar plus batteries with a generator for winter; small streams may support micro-hydro, but we have no state data on it yet and water rights apply. See off-grid power, wind energy and hydroelectric power.
Licensing and permits
The Washington Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) Electrical Program licenses electrical contractors and electricians statewide. Use L&I’s Verify a Contractor tool before you hire. Electrical permits and inspections come from L&I in most places, though some cities, Seattle among them, run their own. Your utility or PUD approves interconnection for grid-tied solar and batteries.
Local guides in Washington
Utilities, rates, outage records, permit offices and local programs for each area:
Where we cover in Washington
- Seattle–Tacoma: Seattle, Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland, Everett, Lynnwood, Renton, Kent, Tacoma, Puyallup, Olympia
- Spokane: Spokane, Spokane Valley
- Vancouver: Vancouver
- Tri-Cities: Kennewick, Pasco, Richland
- Bellingham: Bellingham
Local pages will follow as we verify local information and installers.
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Frequently asked questions
Does Washington have net metering?
Yes, at the full retail rate. RCW 80.60 requires utilities to offer it until June 30, 2029, or until net-metered capacity reaches 4% of their 1996 peak. Puget Sound Energy has passed that 4% but still offers one-to-one credits under Schedule 150 until a successor tariff is adopted. Other utilities and PUDs follow the same law.
Is there a solar sales tax exemption in Washington?
Yes. Under RCW 82.08.962, solar systems up to 100 kW AC are fully exempt from sales and use tax from July 1, 2019 through December 31, 2029. The exemption expires on January 1, 2030. Your installer should not charge sales tax on a qualifying system; check the law’s page for details, as rules can change.
Is solar worth it in Seattle?
It can be, but slowly. By our estimate, a 6 kW array in Seattle makes about 6,000 kWh a year, worth around $880 at 14.71 cents per kWh. Retail net metering carries summer surplus into winter, and the sales tax exemption lowers the price. Shade from tall trees is the biggest local factor, so get a site assessment.
Which Washington utilities use public safety power shutoffs?
Puget Sound Energy, Avista, Pacific Power and Chelan PUD all have programs, and Avista ran shutoffs in August 2026. They can switch off lines during dangerous fire weather and restore power after inspection. Sign up for your utility’s alerts and keep backup ready during fire season, especially east of the Cascades.
How much does it cost to charge an EV at home in Washington?
About $4.40 per 100 miles at the July 2026 average of 14.71 cents per kWh, assuming 30 kWh per 100 miles, or roughly $530 for 12,000 miles a year (our estimate). Charging losses, winter efficiency and time-of-use rates will change the real number, so check your utility’s rate options.
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. Net metering and sales tax: Revised Code of Washington. Shutoffs: Avista and utility programs. Licensing: Washington L&I. All checked October 2026.