In short: St. Petersburg has about 267,100 people and sits in Pinellas County. Duke Energy Florida, LLC and Tampa Electric Co serves different parts of Pinellas County, so your utility depends on your address; their 2024 home averages range from 14.67¢ to 16.63¢ per kWh (EIA). FEMA rates Pinellas County lightning “very high”. Rooftop solar here makes roughly 1,490 kWh a year per kW of panels by our estimate, which is good for solar.
This page covers what is local to St. Petersburg: its utility, outage records, sunshine, weather risks and charging. Statewide rules such as net metering, incentives and electrician licensing are in our Florida energy guide.
St. Petersburg at a glance
- Place: St. Petersburg, Pinellas County, Florida; about 267,102 residents (Census Bureau estimate, July 2024).
- Utility: Duke Energy Florida, LLC (investor-owned). Homes paid an average 16.63¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861); the average customer lost 84 minutes of power on normal days and 2,500 counting major storms, with 1.0 interruptions a year (utility-wide, not just St. Petersburg).
- Utility: Tampa Electric Co (investor-owned). Homes paid an average 14.67¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861); the average customer lost 70 minutes of power on normal days and 4,240 counting major storms, with 1.0 interruptions a year (utility-wide, not just St. Petersburg).
- Sun: 5.12 kWh per square meter per day on average, from 3.29 in December to 6.81 in May (NASA POWER). Our rough estimate: about 1,490 kWh a year per kW of panels.
- Climate: about 3,440 cooling degree-days and 510 heating degree-days a year (base 65°F, NASA POWER), so air conditioning is the big load.
- Top hazards in Pinellas County: lightning “very high”, coastal flooding “very high” and tornadoes “very high” (FEMA National Risk Index; overall county risk rated “relatively high”).
- Public charging: 147 ports at 45 locations in St. Petersburg, 55 of them DC fast (AFDC, October 20, 2026).
Your utility and what it means
Duke Energy Florida, LLC is an investor-owned utility and served about 1,793,067 home customers in 2024; its 16.63¢ average was above the 15.03¢ statewide average for July 2026. Tampa Electric Co is an investor-owned utility and served about 757,280 home customers in 2024; its 14.67¢ average was close to the 15.03¢ 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, Duke Energy Florida, LLC reported 84 minutes per customer without major storms in 2024, more than the statewide figure of 66 (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 Florida guide and then ask your utility for its current interconnection steps before you sign anything.
Backup power in St. Petersburg
- 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.
- Coastal flooding (very high): Coastal flooding means keeping batteries, generators and electrical panels above flood level; ask a licensed electrician about elevating equipment.
- Cooling load: an outage in St. Petersburg summer means no air conditioning. A central unit is a big load; a large battery system or standby generator can run it, while a smaller setup keeps fans, a window unit or a mini-split going.
- 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 St. Petersburg
By our rough estimate each kW of panels makes about 1,490 kWh a year in St. Petersburg (NASA sunshine data times 365 days times 0.80 for system losses). Valued at Duke Energy Florida, LLC’s 2024 average of 16.63¢, that is about $248 a year per kW if all of it offsets your own use (an estimate, not a promise). Production swings with the seasons: May is the sunniest month at 6.81 and December the dimmest at 3.29, a 2.1-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. Hail and storm exposure are worth raising with installers and your insurer.
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. St. Petersburg has 147 public charging ports in the federal station list including 55 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 St. Petersburg: 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 St. Petersburg building or permitting department, or from Pinellas County if you live outside city limits, and often a utility interconnection approval. We have not verified a local permit page for St. Petersburg, so check the city and county websites or ask your electrician, who will know the process. Hire only a licensed electrician or installer; the Florida guide lists the state licensing rules.
Nearby guides
More local guides: Clearwater, or the whole Florida energy guide.
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St. Petersburg energy FAQ
Who is my electric company in St. Petersburg?
Duke Energy Florida, LLC and Tampa Electric Co both serve parts of Pinellas County. Which one serves you depends on your street, so check the top of your bill. Their 2024 home price averages differ (Duke Energy Florida, LLC 16.63¢, Tampa Electric Co 14.67¢) so it matters for solar math.
How much power will solar make in St. Petersburg?
About 1,490 kWh a year per kW of panels by our estimate, so a 6 kW system would make roughly 8,940 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 coastal flooding in Pinellas 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.
Can solar and a battery run my air conditioner during an outage?
Yes if the system is sized for it. A central air conditioner needs a large battery or generator, so many people back up one room or a mini-split instead. Use the battery backup calculator to see the runtime for your appliances.
Do I need a permit for solar or a generator in St. Petersburg?
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.