In short: Jackson has about 69,300 people and sits in Madison County. Southwest Tennessee E M C, City of Jackson and Gibson Electric Members Corp serves different parts of Madison County, so your utility depends on your address; their 2024 home averages range from 11.97¢ to 13.0¢ per kWh (EIA). FEMA rates Madison County earthquakes “relatively high”. Rooftop solar here makes roughly 1,280 kWh a year per kW of panels by our estimate, which is good for solar.
This page covers what is local to Jackson: its utility, outage records, sunshine, weather risks and charging. Statewide rules such as net metering, incentives and electrician licensing are in our Tennessee energy guide.
Jackson at a glance
- Place: Jackson, Madison County, Tennessee; about 69,303 residents (Census Bureau estimate, July 2024).
- Utility: Southwest Tennessee E M C (member-owned cooperative). Homes paid an average 12.9¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861) (utility-wide, not just Jackson).
- Utility: City of Jackson (city-owned). Homes paid an average 11.97¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861); the average customer lost 115 minutes of power on normal days, with 1.1 interruptions a year (utility-wide, not just Jackson).
- Utility: Gibson Electric Members Corp (member-owned cooperative). Homes paid an average 13.0¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861); the average customer lost 140 minutes of power on normal days and 312 counting major storms, with 2.4 interruptions a year (utility-wide, not just Jackson).
- Sun: 4.38 kWh per square meter per day on average, from 2.07 in December to 6.54 in June (NASA POWER). Our rough estimate: about 1,280 kWh a year per kW of panels.
- Climate: about 1,840 cooling degree-days and 3,590 heating degree-days a year (base 65°F, NASA POWER), so heating and cooling both matter.
- Top hazards in Madison County: earthquakes “relatively high”, tornadoes “relatively high” and cold waves “relatively high” (FEMA National Risk Index; overall county risk rated “relatively moderate”).
- Public charging: 55 ports at 10 locations in Jackson, 35 of them DC fast (AFDC, October 20, 2026).
Your utility and what it means
Southwest Tennessee E M C is a member-owned cooperative utility and served about 43,750 home customers in 2024; its 12.9¢ average was below the 13.71¢ statewide average for July 2026. City of Jackson is a city-owned utility and served about 31,856 home customers in 2024; its 11.97¢ average was below the 13.71¢ statewide average for July 2026. Gibson Electric Members Corp is a member-owned cooperative utility and served about 29,331 home customers in 2024; its 13.0¢ average was below the 13.71¢ 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, Gibson Electric Members Corp reported 140 minutes per customer without major storms in 2024, less than the statewide figure of 160 (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 Tennessee guide and then ask your utility for its current interconnection steps before you sign anything.
Backup power in Jackson
- Earthquakes (relatively high): Earthquake risk is mainly about secure mounting and gas shut-off for generators; ask the installer to follow local seismic requirements.
- Tornadoes (relatively 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.
- 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 Jackson
By our rough estimate each kW of panels makes about 1,280 kWh a year in Jackson (NASA sunshine data times 365 days times 0.80 for system losses). Valued at Southwest Tennessee E M C’s 2024 average of 12.9¢, that is about $165 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 6.54 and December the dimmest at 2.07, a 3.2-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. Jackson has 55 public charging ports in the federal station list including 35 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 Jackson: 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 Jackson building or permitting department, or from Madison County if you live outside city limits, and often a utility interconnection approval. We have not verified a local permit page for Jackson, so check the city and county websites or ask your electrician, who will know the process. Hire only a licensed electrician or installer; the Tennessee guide lists the state licensing rules.
Nearby guides
More local guides: see all of Tennessee, or the whole Tennessee energy guide.
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Jackson energy FAQ
Who is my electric company in Jackson?
Southwest Tennessee E M C, City of Jackson and Gibson Electric Members Corp all serve parts of Madison County. Which one serves you depends on your street, so check the top of your bill. Their 2024 home price averages differ (Southwest Tennessee E M C 12.9¢, City of Jackson 11.97¢, Gibson Electric Members Corp 13.0¢) so it matters for solar math.
How much power will solar make in Jackson?
About 1,280 kWh a year per kW of panels by our estimate, so a 6 kW system would make roughly 7,680 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 Madison 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 Jackson?
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.