In short: Prescott Valley has about 51,400 people and sits in Yavapai County. Arizona Public Service Co and Mohave Electric Cooperative, Inc. serves different parts of Yavapai County, so your utility depends on your address; their 2024 home averages range from 11.2¢ to 16.45¢ per kWh (EIA). FEMA rates Yavapai County lightning “very high”. Rooftop solar here makes roughly 1,660 kWh a year per kW of panels by our estimate, which is among the best in the country.
This page covers what is local to Prescott Valley: its utility, outage records, sunshine, weather risks and charging. Statewide rules such as net metering, incentives and electrician licensing are in our Arizona energy guide.
Prescott Valley at a glance
- Place: Prescott Valley, Yavapai County, Arizona; about 51,440 residents (Census Bureau estimate, July 2024).
- Utility: Arizona Public Service Co (investor-owned). Homes paid an average 16.45¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861); the average customer lost 81 minutes of power on normal days, with 0.9 interruptions a year (utility-wide, not just Prescott Valley).
- Utility: Mohave Electric Cooperative, Inc. (member-owned cooperative). Homes paid an average 11.2¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861); the average customer lost 118 minutes of power on normal days and 171 counting major storms (utility-wide, not just Prescott Valley).
- Sun: 5.70 kWh per square meter per day on average, from 2.93 in December to 8.55 in June (NASA POWER). Our rough estimate: about 1,660 kWh a year per kW of panels.
- Climate: about 1,510 cooling degree-days and 3,490 heating degree-days a year (base 65°F, NASA POWER), so heating and cooling both matter.
- Top hazards in Yavapai County: lightning “very high”, wildfires “relatively high” and river and heavy-rain flooding “relatively high” (FEMA National Risk Index; overall county risk rated “relatively moderate”).
- Public charging: 18 ports at 8 locations in Prescott Valley, 1 of them DC fast (AFDC, October 20, 2026).
Your utility and what it means
Arizona Public Service Co is an investor-owned utility and served about 1,256,120 home customers in 2024; its 16.45¢ average was above the 15.38¢ statewide average for July 2026. Mohave Electric Cooperative, Inc. is a member-owned cooperative utility and served about 41,009 home customers in 2024; its 11.2¢ average was below the 15.38¢ statewide average for July 2026. Those are utility-wide averages, not a quote for your address; your own bill is the real number.
For reliability, Mohave Electric Cooperative, Inc. reported 118 minutes per customer without major storms in 2024, more than the statewide figure of 72 (EIA-861). Utility-wide numbers hide a lot: a home at the end of a long rural line usually has more outages than the average.
Net metering, export rates and incentives are set at state level and by each utility. Start with the Arizona guide and then ask your utility for its current interconnection steps before you sign anything.
Backup power in Prescott Valley
- Lightning (very high): Lightning causes short outages and damages electronics. Surge protection and a battery that switches over automatically protect the things you care about.
- Wildfires (relatively high): Wildfire risk can mean planned shutoffs and smoke. A battery charged by solar gives quiet backup, and fueled generators need extra care on dry days and clear space around them.
- Short outages: a portable power station covers phones, Wi-Fi, a CPAP and lights; a home battery switches over automatically.
Size your setup with the generator sizing tool and the battery backup calculator, and compare options in backup power. Generator safety (CPSC): outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the house, exhaust away from doors and windows, never in a garage, and battery-powered carbon monoxide alarms inside. A licensed electrician should install any transfer switch, with a permit; see generator installation.
Solar in Prescott Valley
By our rough estimate each kW of panels makes about 1,660 kWh a year in Prescott Valley (NASA sunshine data times 365 days times 0.80 for system losses). Valued at Arizona Public Service Co’s 2024 average of 16.45¢, that is about $273 a year per kW if all of it offsets your own use (an estimate, not a promise). Production swings with the seasons: June is the sunniest month at 8.55 and December the dimmest at 2.93, a 2.9-to-1 gap.
Check your own roof with the solar potential tool, see solar costs and net metering vs net billing, and read the steps in solar installation.
Batteries and EV charging
A home battery earns its place when outages are frequent, when your utility pays little for exported solar, or when evening prices are high; compare in home batteries and battery costs. Prescott Valley has 18 public charging ports in the federal station list including 1 DC fast, but home charging is cheaper and easier: see the EV charging cost calculator and EV charger installation.
Drive on another fuel? See every alternative fuel station in Prescott Valley: hydrogen, propane, natural gas, E85 ethanol, biodiesel and renewable diesel.
Permits and inspections
Solar, generator transfer switches and EV chargers normally need an electrical permit from the Prescott Valley building or permitting department, or from Yavapai County if you live outside city limits, and often a utility interconnection approval. We have not verified a local permit page for Prescott Valley, so check the city and county websites or ask your electrician, who will know the process. Hire only a licensed electrician or installer; the Arizona guide lists the state licensing rules.
Nearby guides
More local guides: Prescott, or the whole Arizona energy guide.
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Prescott Valley energy FAQ
Who is my electric company in Prescott Valley?
Arizona Public Service Co and Mohave Electric Cooperative, Inc. both serve parts of Yavapai County. Which one serves you depends on your street, so check the top of your bill. Their 2024 home price averages differ (Arizona Public Service Co 16.45¢, Mohave Electric Cooperative, Inc. 11.2¢) so it matters for solar math.
How much power will solar make in Prescott Valley?
About 1,660 kWh a year per kW of panels by our estimate, so a 6 kW system would make roughly 9,960 kWh. Shade, roof direction and tilt change this; run your address through the solar potential tool for a better number.
Is a generator or a battery better for wildfires in Yavapai County?
It depends how long the outage lasts. A battery is quiet, automatic and good for short outages and for pairing with solar; a standby generator keeps going as long as it has fuel, which suits multi-day events. Many homes use a battery for everyday outages and add a generator for the rare long one.
Do I need a permit for solar or a generator in Prescott Valley?
Almost always an electrical permit for a transfer switch, solar or an EV charger, issued by the city or county where you live. Your licensed electrician or installer normally pulls it. Never connect a generator to your house wiring without a transfer switch.
Sources: EIA Form 861 (2024) for utility prices and outages; NASA POWER climatology (2001 to 2025) for sun and degree-days; FEMA National Risk Index for county hazards; AFDC station locator for public charging; Census Bureau for population. Estimates are ours and are not promises; see our editorial policy. Prices and programs change, so check each program page.