In short: Most Lawrence homes buy power from Evergy Kansas Central, at about 14.3¢ per kWh in 2024, with 318 outage minutes per customer (EIA). Douglas County’s one “very high” FEMA hazard is winter weather. Unlike most of Kansas, Lawrence licenses electricians itself, which makes checking an installer simple.
This page covers Lawrence. Statewide rules, such as the Kansas net metering law and the 10-year property tax exemption for solar, are in our Kansas energy guide. Topeka, 25 miles west, shares Evergy’s programs and has its own page.
Lawrence at a glance
- Evergy Kansas Central: serves the city. About 14.3¢ per kWh for homes, averaged over 2024; 318 outage minutes per customer with major events and 102 without; 1.7 interruptions a year (EIA-861, 2024).
- Around the city: FreeState Electric Cooperative serves rural Douglas County (about 16.4¢ per kWh), and the nearby towns of Eudora and Baldwin City run their own utilities.
- Sun: about 4.4 kWh per square meter a day (NASA POWER, 2001 to 2020), or roughly 1,280 kWh a year per kW of panels by our estimate.
- Top hazards: Douglas County is “very high” for winter weather and “relatively high” for ice storms, lightning, strong wind and tornadoes; its overall risk is rated relatively low (FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025).
- Public charging: 22 ports at 13 locations in Lawrence (AFDC data, October 3, 2026).
Your utility and what it means
- Evergy net metering: home systems up to 150 kW AC in Kansas, capped at what your last 12 months of use would need: yearly kWh ÷ 8,760 ÷ 0.144, about 7.9 kW for 10,000 kWh a year. Exported power offsets power you buy within each bill, and a surplus credit expires after 12 months. Kansas applications carry a $100 fee and need a production meter, and Evergy changes the meter only after a passed city or county inspection.
- Evergy EV rebate: $500 toward a 240-volt EV outlet or hardwired charger with a residential EV or time-of-use rate, or $250 without one, for EV owners or lessees using a certified electrician; until funds run out or March 14, 2027. See the program page.
- Evergy Solar Subscription: fixed-price shares of utility solar for Kansas Central customers who don’t net meter, a fit for renters and shaded homes. See the subscription page.
- FreeState, Eudora or Baldwin City: FreeState says it does not offer net metering, only parallel generation with its approval and a $700 application fee per its page. City utilities aren’t required to net meter either; get the rules in writing.
Backup power in Lawrence
On July 31, 2024, storms with winds as high as 90 mph cut power to 117,000 Evergy customers, and Evergy listed Lawrence with Salina, Topeka and the Kansas City metro as the hardest-hit areas. Winter is the other risk: FEMA’s only “very high” rating for Douglas County is winter weather, and ice storms rate relatively high. Plan for an outage of a day or more in the cold, when the furnace blower and sump pump matter most.
A natural-gas standby generator covers long outages. A home battery starts on its own and keeps chosen circuits running quietly. For apartments and student rentals, a portable power station keeps phones, laptops, Wi-Fi and a CPAP machine going without any wiring. Compare options in backup power and size yours with the generator sizing tool or the battery backup calculator.
Safety: the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says to run a generator outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the house, with exhaust away from windows, doors and vents, and never in a garage. Install battery-backed carbon monoxide alarms. A licensed electrician should install the transfer switch; see generator installation.
Solar in Lawrence
At about 1,280 kWh a year per kW, each kW of panels would offset roughly $180 a year at Evergy Kansas Central’s 2024 average price (estimate, assuming all of it replaces power you would buy). Size the system to your own use, since Evergy’s cap won’t allow more. Ask for a roof and electrical panel check with each quote, since older roofs or panels may need work first.
Large-scale solar is coming to Douglas County too. In April 2024 the county approved a permit for the Kansas Sky Energy Center, an up to 159-megawatt solar project on 1,105 acres north of Lawrence that Evergy would build, own and operate. It doesn’t change your own rooftop math, but it is part of Evergy’s supply plans here. Use the solar potential tool and the solar savings calculator, and read solar installation and how net metering works.
Batteries in Lawrence
With Evergy’s monthly netting, a battery adds little to solar savings. It earns its place as quiet backup through a storm or a winter outage, and for moving use off peak on a time-of-use rate. Read home battery installation and home battery cost.
EV charging in Lawrence
Lawrence has only 22 public ports (AFDC data, October 3, 2026), so home charging is the practical choice for most drivers. At about 30 kWh per 100 miles and 14.3¢, it costs about $4.30 per 100 miles (estimate), less off-peak. Try the EV charging cost calculator and read EV charger installation.
Drive on another fuel? See every alternative fuel station in Lawrence: hydrogen, propane, natural gas, E85 ethanol, biodiesel and renewable diesel.
Permits and inspections
- Permits: Planning and Development Services requires a building permit before work starts on nearly all construction, including new electrical circuits and electrical equipment. City inspectors check the work in stages, and you can follow the permit on the city’s online portal.
- Licensing: the city licenses building and trade contractors, and electrical workers for a licensed contractor must be certified master or journeyman electricians. Roofing contractors need a city roofing license with at least $1 million of liability insurance. Ask installers for their Lawrence license and confirm it at (785) 832-7700.
- Outside city limits: ask Douglas County which permits apply. Gas standby generators involve gas work too, and HOAs usually need written approval.
Cities we cover
- Lawrence
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Lawrence energy FAQ
How do I check a solar installer’s license in Lawrence?
Kansas has no state electrician license, but Lawrence does license contractors, and electricians working for them must be certified master or journeyman. Ask for the company’s Lawrence license and call Building Safety at (785) 832-7700 to confirm it. If the job includes roof work, the roofer needs a city roofing license too.
What is the Kansas Sky Energy Center?
A utility-scale solar project of up to 159 megawatts on 1,105 acres north of Lawrence. Douglas County approved its 25-year conditional use permit in April 2024, and Evergy would build, own and operate it. It is separate from rooftop solar: it doesn’t change Evergy’s net metering rules for your home.
I rent in Lawrence. What can I do?
For backup, a portable power station needs no wiring or landlord approval. For clean power, Evergy Kansas Central customers can buy Solar Subscription shares at a fixed price instead of installing panels. Anything wired in, such as an EV charger circuit, needs the owner’s consent and a city permit.
Was Lawrence hit by the 2024 windstorm?
Yes. Evergy named Lawrence among the hardest-hit areas of the July 31, 2024 storm, which brought winds up to 90 mph and cut power to 117,000 customers across its Kansas and Missouri area. Most were restored within two days.
Sources
Utilities, prices, outages and solar counts: U.S. Energy Information Administration, EIA-861 data for 2024. Evergy net metering guide, 2026 installer guide, Kansas EV charging rebate terms, Solar Subscription page and news releases of August 1 and 2, 2024, read October 3, 2026. FreeState Electric Cooperative renewables page. City of Lawrence building permit and contractor licensing pages; Douglas County news on the Kansas Sky Energy Center (2024), checked October 3, 2026. Sun: NASA POWER, 2001 to 2020. Hazards: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025. Charging: Alternative Fuels Data Center, October 3, 2026. Generator safety: CPSC.