In short: Indianapolis city has about 891,500 people and sits in Marion County. Duke Energy Indiana, LLC and AES Indiana serves different parts of Marion County, so your utility depends on your address; their 2024 home averages range from 12.75¢ to 13.75¢ per kWh (EIA). FEMA rates Marion County tornadoes “very high”. Rooftop solar here makes roughly 1,170 kWh a year per kW of panels by our estimate, which is about average for the U.S..
This page covers what is local to Indianapolis city: its utility, outage records, sunshine, weather risks and charging. Statewide rules such as net metering, incentives and electrician licensing are in our Indiana energy guide.
Indianapolis city at a glance
- Place: Indianapolis city, Marion County, Indiana; about 891,484 residents (Census Bureau estimate, July 2024).
- Utility: Duke Energy Indiana, LLC (investor-owned). Homes paid an average 12.75¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861); the average customer lost 113 minutes of power on normal days and 296 counting major storms, with 0.9 interruptions a year (utility-wide, not just Indianapolis city).
- Utility: AES Indiana (investor-owned). Homes paid an average 13.75¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861); the average customer lost 87 minutes of power on normal days and 247 counting major storms, with 1.1 interruptions a year (utility-wide, not just Indianapolis city).
- Sun: 4.00 kWh per square meter per day on average, from 1.56 in December to 6.28 in June (NASA POWER). Our rough estimate: about 1,170 kWh a year per kW of panels.
- Climate: about 910 cooling degree-days and 5,710 heating degree-days a year (base 65°F, NASA POWER), so heating is the big load.
- Top hazards in Marion County: tornadoes “very high”, strong winds “very high” and lightning “very high” (FEMA National Risk Index; overall county risk rated “relatively high”).
Your utility and what it means
Duke Energy Indiana, LLC is an investor-owned utility and served about 796,265 home customers in 2024; its 12.75¢ average was below the 16.73¢ statewide average for July 2026. AES Indiana is an investor-owned utility and served about 469,499 home customers in 2024; its 13.75¢ average was below the 16.73¢ 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 Indiana, LLC reported 113 minutes per customer without major storms in 2024, less than the statewide figure of 121 (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 Indiana guide and then ask your utility for its current interconnection steps before you sign anything.
Backup power in Indianapolis city
- Tornadoes (very high): Tornado-season storms cut power quickly. A battery that switches on by itself, or a portable generator ready to go, covers the first night; sirens and weather radios need power too.
- Strong winds (very high): High winds knock out lines on ordinary days. A battery or portable power station handles the common short outages; add a generator for multi-day repairs.
- Heating load: a winter outage can stop a furnace blower, boiler pump or heat pump. List what your heat needs to run before choosing a generator or battery.
- 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 Indianapolis city
By our rough estimate each kW of panels makes about 1,170 kWh a year in Indianapolis city (NASA sunshine data times 365 days times 0.80 for system losses). Valued at Duke Energy Indiana, LLC’s 2024 average of 12.75¢, that is about $149 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 6.28 and December the dimmest at 1.56, a 4.0-to-1 gap, so a battery or a bigger system helps in winter.
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. The federal station list shows few or no public chargers listed under Indianapolis city, so a home charger matters more here: see the EV charging cost calculator and EV charger installation.
Drive on another fuel? See every alternative fuel station in Indianapolis city: 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 Indianapolis city building or permitting department, or from Marion County if you live outside city limits, and often a utility interconnection approval. We have not verified a local permit page for Indianapolis city, so check the city and county websites or ask your electrician, who will know the process. Hire only a licensed electrician or installer; the Indiana guide lists the state licensing rules.
Nearby guides
More local guides: Greenwood, Carmel, Fishers and Westfield, or the whole Indiana energy guide.
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Indianapolis city energy FAQ
Who is my electric company in Indianapolis city?
Duke Energy Indiana, LLC and AES Indiana both serve parts of Marion County. Which one serves you depends on your street, so check the top of your bill. Their 2024 home price averages differ (Duke Energy Indiana, LLC 12.75¢, AES Indiana 13.75¢) so it matters for solar math.
How much power will solar make in Indianapolis city?
About 1,170 kWh a year per kW of panels by our estimate, so a 6 kW system would make roughly 7,020 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 tornadoes in Marion 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.
Will a home battery keep my heat on in an outage?
It can keep a furnace blower, boiler pump or a heat pump running for a while, but long cold outages drain a battery fast without solar to recharge it. Pair it with a generator or wood or propane heat if outages here run for days.
Do I need a permit for solar or a generator in Indianapolis city?
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.