In short: Inside Charlottesville, every home is on Dominion Energy (14.09¢ per kWh in 2024). Step into Albemarle County and you may be on Appalachian Power (17.02¢), Central Virginia Electric Cooperative (16.14¢), Rappahannock Electric Cooperative (14.89¢) or Dominion. Strong wind is the area’s one “Relatively High” hazard (FEMA).
This page covers Charlottesville and the surrounding Albemarle County. Statewide rules (net metering after the 2026 SCC order, the solar property tax exemption, the 2027 plug-in solar law, contractor licensing) are on our Virginia energy guide.
Charlottesville at a glance
- Dominion Energy Virginia (the whole city, part of Albemarle): 14.09¢/kWh average for homes in 2024; outages 172 minutes per customer with major events, 131 without (Virginia-wide).
- Appalachian Power (part of Albemarle): 17.02¢/kWh; 1,714 minutes with major events, 342 without.
- Central Virginia Electric Cooperative (part of Albemarle): 16.14¢/kWh; 351 minutes with or without major events.
- Rappahannock Electric Cooperative (part of Albemarle): 14.89¢/kWh; 301 minutes with major events, 189 without.
- Sun: about 4.12 kWh per square meter per day (NASA POWER, 2001 to 2020). Our rough estimate: about 1,200 kWh a year per kW of panels.
- Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index): the City is “Very Low” overall, with strong wind “Relatively High”. Albemarle is “Relatively Low”, with strong wind “Relatively High” and drought, hurricanes, inland flooding, lightning and winter weather “Relatively Moderate”.
- Public charging: 151 ports at 62 locations in Charlottesville (AFDC, October 3, 2026), more than Virginia Beach has for a far larger population.
Prices are 2024 averages from EIA-861 (home revenue divided by home sales), so they include fixed charges; the statewide price has since risen (17.55¢ in July 2026). Outage minutes are utility-wide, and Dominion reports them under a different standard from the others.
Your utility and what it means
Four utilities in one county means the same solar quote can pay back very differently on two sides of the same road. Check your bill first.
- Dominion Energy Virginia: retail net metering under the SCC rules on our state page. Dominion’s EV Charger Rewards program pays $125 for a qualifying Level 2 charger and $40 a year if you let Dominion briefly adjust charging during peak events (single-family homes on a standard rate, not the Off-Peak Plan). Check the program page; terms change.
- Appalachian Power: retail net metering kept by the SCC in 2025; homes are limited to 25 kW AC and to a system sized for no more than the previous 12 months of use, and you apply for pre-approval before buying (Appalachian Power, January 2024). Most of Virginia’s battery-paired home solar systems in 2024 were on Appalachian Power (EIA).
- Central Virginia and Rappahannock Electric cooperatives: co-ops set their own solar and EV terms under state rules. CVEC reported 835 net-metered home solar systems and Rappahannock 3,442 at the end of 2024 (EIA). Ask your co-op what it credits and what it requires before you sign.
Backup power in Charlottesville
City homes on Dominion saw about two to three hours of outages in 2024. County homes on Appalachian Power or the co-ops saw far more, from about five hours to more than a day. Strong wind, the area’s top hazard, brings down trees on lines along wooded county roads, and winter storms are “Relatively Moderate” in Albemarle.
- City homes and apartments: a portable power station or a home battery covers the short outages that are typical on Dominion.
- County homes, wells and farms: a standby generator on propane is the usual answer where natural gas is not available; size for the well pump’s starting load.
- Safety: portable generators outdoors only, 20 feet or more from the house, exhaust away from doors and windows, never in a garage (CPSC); carbon monoxide alarms on every level; a transfer switch or interlock installed by a licensed electrician with a permit.
Size your system with the generator sizing calculator or the battery backup calculator, and see our backup power guide and generator installation.
Solar in Charlottesville
A rough estimate: a 7 kW system at about 1,200 kWh per kW makes roughly 8,400 kWh a year. Valued at 2024 averages, that is about $1,190 a year on Dominion, $1,255 on Rappahannock, $1,360 on Central Virginia Electric and $1,430 on Appalachian Power. Retail net metering keeps exported energy close to full value over the year.
In Albemarle, the County’s solar ordinance (adopted July 16, 2025) allows rooftop solar by right in every zoning district; ground-mounted arrays face extra zoning steps, so ask the County before you plan one. Try our solar potential tool, then read solar panel cost and solar installation.
Batteries
With retail net metering, a battery is mainly backup. That matters most for county homes on utilities with longer outages; in the city, a battery is more about comfort than necessity. See home battery installation, home battery cost and solar battery storage.
EV charging
Charlottesville has 151 public charging ports. At home, a labelled estimate at about 30 kWh per 100 miles and 2024 average prices: about $4.23 per 100 miles on Dominion (roughly $510 a year for 12,000 miles), $4.47 on Rappahannock (about $540), $4.84 on Central Virginia Electric (about $580) and $5.11 on Appalachian Power (about $610).
Drive on another fuel? See every alternative fuel station in Charlottesville: hydrogen, propane, natural gas, E85 ethanol, biodiesel and renewable diesel.
A Level 2 charger needs an electrical permit and a licensed electrician. The federal charger credit ended for chargers placed in service after June 30, 2026. See EV charger installation and our EV charging cost calculator.
Permits and inspections
- City of Charlottesville: Neighborhood Development Services handles building permits and inspections.
- Albemarle County: Community Development, Building Inspections; zoning rules for solar are in the County’s solar ordinance.
- Your utility: interconnection approval from Dominion, Appalachian Power or your co-op before the system runs.
- Who does the work: a DPOR-licensed contractor and electrician (look them up through our state page), a licensed gas fitter for generator gas or propane lines, and HOA approval first where you have one.
Cities we cover
- Charlottesville
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Charlottesville energy FAQ
Who provides electricity in Charlottesville and Albemarle?
Dominion Energy serves the whole City of Charlottesville. Albemarle County is split among Dominion, Appalachian Power, Central Virginia Electric Cooperative and Rappahannock Electric Cooperative (EIA, 2024). Your bill shows which you have, and each sets its own prices.
Can I put solar panels on my roof in Albemarle County?
Yes. Albemarle’s solar ordinance, adopted July 16, 2025, allows building-mounted solar by right in all zoning districts. Ground-mounted systems that add new impervious area are allowed only by special exception, and only in some zoning districts, so check with the County first.
Does solar pay back faster in the county than in the city?
Often, if you are on a higher-priced utility. At 2024 averages, our rough estimate for a 7 kW system is about $1,430 a year on Appalachian Power against about $1,190 on Dominion. Check your utility’s size limits and credit rules before you compare quotes.
Is backup power worth it in Charlottesville?
It depends on your utility. Dominion customers averaged two to three hours of outages in 2024; Appalachian Power customers far more once major events are counted. Wooded county homes on wells have the strongest case for a generator.
Sources
Utility areas, prices, outages and home solar counts: EIA-861, 2024 data. Utility programs: Dominion EV Charger Rewards program site; Appalachian Power Virginia net metering package (January 2024). Hazards: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025. Sun: NASA POWER, 2001 to 2020. Charging ports: AFDC Station Locator, October 3, 2026. Zoning: Albemarle County solar ordinance. Generator safety: CPSC. Checked October 3, 2026.