In short: Across the state line from Memphis, DeSoto County homes are on Entergy Mississippi or Northcentral Electric, a TVA power distributor, not on Memphis’s MLGW. Entergy charged about 13.2¢ per kWh in 2024 and its customers lost 692 minutes of power; Northcentral charged about 12.5¢ with 241 minutes.
This page covers Southaven, Olive Branch and Hernando. The two utilities follow different rules, so your bill decides most of what follows. For Mississippi’s statewide rules and contractor licensing, see our Mississippi energy guide; for Memphis itself, see our Memphis guide.
Memphis suburbs at a glance
- Entergy Mississippi: serves Southaven, Hernando and parts of Olive Branch. About 13.21¢ per kWh for homes (2024 average); 692 minutes without power per customer counting major events, 332 on normal days, about 2.3 interruptions (EIA-861, 2024).
- Northcentral Electric Cooperative: distributes TVA power in eastern DeSoto County, including much of Olive Branch, and in Marshall, Tate and Lafayette counties. About 12.52¢ per kWh; 241 minutes of outages in 2024, the same with or without major-event days, about 2.1 interruptions.
- Sun: 4.51 kWh per square meter per day in Southaven (NASA POWER, 2001 to 2020), about 1,320 kWh a year per kW of panels by our rough estimate.
- Top hazards: cold waves, lightning and tornadoes rated “relatively high” in DeSoto County, with no hazard rated “very high” (FEMA National Risk Index).
- Public charging: 21 public ports in Southaven, 11 in Hernando and 10 in Olive Branch (AFDC, October 3, 2026), plus the larger Memphis network across the line.
Your utility and what it means
Entergy Mississippi. Entergy has offered net metering under the Mississippi Public Service Commission’s rules since 2016. Solar used at home saves the retail price, and exports earn the PSC credit, reported at about 5.5¢ per kWh for Entergy Mississippi (see the state page; confirm the current figure). According to its net metering page, home systems up to 20 kW apply online as Level 1, may not offset more than 110% of the past year’s use, and pay a one-time fee of $95 with an existing smart meter or $135 without one. Excess credits carry over month to month.
Northcentral Electric Cooperative. Northcentral buys its power from TVA, and its rules and regulations send unresolved billing and service disputes to TVA’s complaint process, not to the Mississippi PSC. We could not find Northcentral’s rooftop solar terms on its website, so ask the co-op in writing how it connects and credits solar before you sign a contract. Do not assume the PSC’s export credit, or Entergy’s, applies to you.
Not MLGW. Neighbors in Memphis follow MLGW’s rules, which are different again. If a solar or generator company quotes “Memphis-area” savings, make sure it used your Mississippi utility’s price and rules.
Backup power in the Memphis suburbs
Outages here come from winter cold and spring storms more than hurricanes. Entergy Mississippi’s 2024 average of 692 minutes, about 11.5 hours, is above the Mississippi average of 567, and its customers saw about two interruptions a year. In January 2026, an ice storm caused about 87,000 outages across Entergy’s Mississippi territory; the hardest-hit areas were around Grenada, well south of DeSoto County, but the storm shows how widely ice can spread damage. Northcentral’s customers averaged a shorter 241 minutes.
- Winter outages: FEMA rates cold waves “relatively high” here. A gas furnace’s blower can run on a modest generator through a transfer switch or on a home battery; a heat pump needs much more. Size it with the generator sizing calculator.
- Thunderstorm and tornado outages: a home battery switches over automatically and covers the fridge, lights, internet and medical devices for hours. Check sizes with the battery backup calculator.
- Light needs: a portable power station is the simple start. Compare options in backup power.
Entergy cannot reconnect a home whose meter base, conduit or weatherhead is damaged until a licensed electrician repairs it. Run a generator outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the house and never in a garage, with carbon monoxide alarms on each level. See generator installation.
Solar in the Memphis suburbs
Each kW of panels makes about 1,320 kWh a year here by our estimate. Used at home, that is worth about $174 a year on Entergy Mississippi and about $165 on Northcentral at 2024 prices. Exports earn much less: on Entergy, the reported 5.5¢ would make a fully exported kW worth about $73, and on Northcentral the export value depends on terms you need to get in writing. These are estimates, not promises.
Size the system to your daytime use and keep within Entergy’s 110% limit. Grid-tied panels shut off in an outage unless paired with a battery. The federal 25D credit ended for systems completed after 2025. Try the solar potential calculator and read solar costs and solar installation.
Home batteries in the Memphis suburbs
Where exports earn only a few cents, a battery lets you use your own midday solar in the evening, and it covers the region’s storm outages without anyone touching a switch. Ask your utility how it treats a battery in your interconnection application. For multi-day ice storms, pair it with a generator. See battery installation and home battery cost.
EV charging in the Memphis suburbs
Local public charging is thin, with 21 ports in Southaven, 11 in Hernando and 10 in Olive Branch, so home charging matters. At about 30 kWh per 100 miles, 100 miles cost about $3.95 on Entergy Mississippi and about $3.75 on Northcentral at 2024 prices (estimates). 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 Southaven: hydrogen, propane, natural gas, E85 ethanol, biodiesel and renewable diesel.
Permits and inspections
- Southaven: the Building Department takes permit applications through its online portal; contractors must show an active Mississippi contractor’s license for the trade and register with the city.
- Olive Branch: the Building Department publishes permit forms, including a residential electrical permit application.
- Hernando: the Building Department (Office of Planning) takes residential permits online.
- Unincorporated DeSoto County: DeSoto County permits.
Mississippi has no statewide electrician license, so check what your city requires and ask for the installer’s license numbers (state contractor lookup on the Mississippi page). In HOA neighborhoods, check rules on panels and generator placement first.
Cities we cover
- Southaven
- Olive Branch
- Hernando
Get help in the Memphis suburbs
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Memphis suburbs energy FAQ
Is my power from MLGW if I live in Southaven or Olive Branch?
No. MLGW serves Memphis and Shelby County in Tennessee. In DeSoto County, homes are served by Entergy Mississippi or by Northcentral Electric Cooperative, a TVA distributor. Your bill shows which.
Does Northcentral Electric offer net metering?
We could not find Northcentral’s rooftop solar terms published online. It distributes TVA power and refers unresolved disputes to TVA rather than the Mississippi PSC, so ask the co-op in writing how solar is connected and credited before you buy.
How reliable is power in DeSoto County?
Entergy Mississippi customers averaged 692 minutes without power in 2024 including major events, and Northcentral customers 241 minutes (EIA-861). FEMA rates cold waves, lightning and tornadoes as relatively high risks in the county.
What does Entergy Mississippi charge to connect solar?
A one-time fee of $95 if you already have an advanced meter, or $135 if Entergy needs to install one. Home systems up to 20 kW apply online and may not offset more than 110% of the past year’s use.
Sources
U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-861 for 2024 (sales, reliability, service territories), read October 3, 2026. Entergy Mississippi net metering page and January 2026 storm updates; Northcentral Electric Cooperative website and rules, read October 3, 2026. Southaven, Olive Branch, Hernando and DeSoto County permit pages. FEMA National Risk Index. NASA POWER, 2001 to 2020. AFDC Station Locator, October 3, 2026.