In short: St. George gets Utah’s strongest sun, about 5.4 kWh per square meter a day, and cheap, reliable power: the city utility charged about 11.4¢ per kWh in 2024 with about 30 minutes of outages per customer, and Dixie Power about 8.9¢. Neither is Rocky Mountain Power, so the state’s usual solar and battery rules don’t apply.
Which side of the Virgin River you live on can decide your utility. Below: each utility’s solar rules, what the heat means for batteries and backup, and how permits work. For statewide topics (the plug-in solar law, the state tax credit, contractor licensing), see our Utah energy guide.
St. George at a glance
- St. George Energy Services: the city’s own utility, serving roughly the part of St. George north of the Virgin River. About 11.4¢ per kWh for homes in 2024; 30 minutes without power per customer with major events and 19 without (EIA-861, 2024).
- Dixie Power: a member-owned cooperative serving St. George south of the river (areas annexed in the 1980s) and parts of Washington. About 8.9¢ per kWh; 27 minutes out, about one outage every two years.
- Washington City Power: the City of Washington’s own utility for much of that city. It files a short EIA form, so no home price or outage figure is published.
- Sun: about 5.40 kWh per square meter per day (NASA POWER, 2001–2020), 8.4 in June and 2.4 in December. Our rough estimate: about 1,580 kWh a year per kW of panels; the city’s own example is higher, about 5,190 kWh a year from a 3 kW system.
- Top hazards: FEMA’s National Risk Index (December 2025) rates Washington County “very high” for lightning and “relatively high” for flooding and wildfire.
- Public charging: 79 ports at 21 locations in St. George and 40 at 8 in Washington (AFDC, October 2026).
Your utility and what it means
St. George Energy Services. The city has offered net metering since 2005. A two-way meter nets what you use against what you send back, and kWh credits carry from month to month. If you still have credits in December, you can ask for them to be paid on your January bill at the city’s Renewable Power Rate, listed in its net metering fee appendix. Solar customers pay a one-time application fee, a meter fee and a monthly Solar Reliability Fee based on the kWh their system produces. A system may not exceed your home’s peak needs. Read the city’s net metering page and its program document before you sign.
The city utility runs its own gas plant mainly for summer demand, plus diesel plants on standby and a small hydro plant, which helps explain its short outage record.
Dixie Power. Solar customers sign a Dixie Power net meter agreement directly with the co-op. Dixie also sells credits from its own solar arrays with no upfront cost, an alternative to rooftop panels. Its optional Time-of-Day rate applies from June to September: about 5.2¢ per kWh off-peak and 11.0¢ from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. Members on that rate can get a rebate of up to $300 on a Level 2 EV charger. See Dixie Power’s Time-of-Day page.
Washington City Power. Solar in its area needs a notarized Renewable Resource Agreement with the city’s power department. Call the department (435-656-6329) for its current terms.
Backup power in St. George
Outages here are short and rare, about half an hour a year. The risk that matters is timing: a summer outage in St. George heat is a health issue for older people and anyone with medical needs, and the city’s utility says it cannot restore one home ahead of a whole area. Lightning, flash floods and wildfire are the county’s main hazards.
- Keep cool for a few hours: a home battery can run fans, the fridge and a medical device; central air conditioning needs a large battery or more than one.
- Longer outages: a standby generator on a transfer switch, installed by a licensed electrician. See generator installation.
- Phones and CPAP: a portable power station.
Compare options in our backup power guide and size them with the battery backup calculator and generator sizing tool. Run a generator outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the house, and keep hot exhaust away from dry brush (CPSC).
Solar in St. George
Each kW of panels makes about 1,580 kWh a year by our rough estimate. Used at home, that is worth about $180 at the city utility’s 2024 average price, or about $141 at Dixie Power’s lower price. Because of the Solar Reliability Fee, and because December credits are paid at the Renewable Power Rate rather than banked, size a city system to what you use and ask installers to show savings after those fees. These are estimates, not quotes.
St. George requires solar contractors to hold a city business license and to have taken the city’s pre-qualified solar contractor class; call 435-627-4095 for the list. The city also suggests getting more than one bid. Heat lowers panel output a little in summer and dust builds up, so ask about cleaning. Try the solar potential tool and solar savings calculator, and read how solar installation works, solar cost and net metering explained.
Home batteries in St. George
Rocky Mountain Power’s battery incentive does not apply here, and neither the city nor Dixie Power lists a battery rebate. With month-to-month netting, a battery’s value in St. George is mostly backup. If you add one to solar, the city reviews the system under its more detailed Level 2 process and asks for a full wiring diagram. Batteries lose life in heat, so keep them out of a hot garage or choose a model rated for it. See home batteries, battery costs and battery installation.
EV charging in St. George
At about 30 kWh per 100 miles, home charging costs about $3.40 per 100 miles at the city utility’s 2024 average price and about $2.70 at Dixie Power’s, or about $1.55 off-peak on Dixie’s summer Time-of-Day rate (our estimates). Dixie members on that rate can claim up to $300 toward a Level 2 charger within 180 days of buying it. A Level 2 charger needs a 240-volt circuit and a permit. See EV charger installation and the EV charging cost calculator.
Drive on another fuel? See every alternative fuel station in St. George: hydrogen, propane, natural gas, E85 ethanol, biodiesel and renewable diesel.
Permits and inspections
- St. George: apply through the Building Department’s online portal; the net metering application goes in the same way. The utility’s engineer reviews it, the building permit is issued, the city inspects, and then the meters are set and the system is approved to operate. A notarized Net Metering Agreement is required.
- Washington: since 2023, solar permits can only be filed by installers approved by Washington City Power, with plans pre-approved by an approved third-party reviewer. Dixie Power customers there upload Dixie’s net meter agreement. See the city’s solar permit requirements.
- HOAs: Washington requires an HOA approval letter with every solar permit for a home in an HOA; elsewhere, get written approval before you sign.
Cities we cover
- St. George
- Washington
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St. George energy questions
Who is my electric utility in St. George?
Roughly, north of the Virgin River it is the city’s Energy Services Department; south of the river it is Dixie Power. In Washington, it is Washington City Power or Dixie Power depending on the address. Your bill tells you, and it decides your solar rules.
Does St. George still have net metering?
Yes, for city power customers. Credits carry month to month, and leftover December credits can be paid on the January bill at the city’s Renewable Power Rate. There is a monthly Solar Reliability Fee based on what your system produces, plus one-time application and meter fees.
Does Dixie Power offer an EV charger rebate?
Yes, up to $300 on a Level 2 charger for residential members on the Time-of-Day rate, applied for within 180 days of purchase, one per household. Check Dixie Power’s rebate page first, since programs change.
Can any solar company install in St. George?
No. The city requires a Utah-licensed electrical contractor with a St. George business license who has completed its pre-qualified solar contractor class. In Washington, the installer must be approved by Washington City Power before filing for a permit.
Sources
EIA-861, 2024 data (price = residential revenue ÷ sales); City of St. George Energy Services pages on net metering, power generation and frequent questions, and its Renewable Net Metering Program (revised April 2025); Dixie Power pages on its solar program, rebates, EV charger rebate and Time-of-Day rate; Washington City solar permit requirements; NASA POWER, 2001–2020; FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025; AFDC station data; CPSC. All read October 2026. Estimates are ours and labelled.