In short: Nashville-Davidson has about 705,000 people and sits in Davidson County. Nashville Electric Service serves the county, averaging 13.47¢ per kWh for homes in 2024 (EIA). FEMA rates Davidson County earthquakes “relatively high”. Rooftop solar here makes roughly 1,240 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 Nashville-Davidson: 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.
Nashville-Davidson at a glance
- Place: Nashville-Davidson, Davidson County, Tennessee; about 704,963 residents (Census Bureau estimate, July 2024).
- Utility: Nashville Electric Service (city-owned). Homes paid an average 13.47¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861); the average customer lost 87 minutes of power on normal days, with 1.0 interruptions a year (utility-wide, not just Nashville-Davidson).
- Sun: 4.23 kWh per square meter per day on average, from 1.92 in December to 6.34 in June (NASA POWER). Our rough estimate: about 1,240 kWh a year per kW of panels.
- Climate: about 1,660 cooling degree-days and 3,820 heating degree-days a year (base 65°F, NASA POWER), so heating and cooling both matter.
- Top hazards in Davidson County: earthquakes “relatively high”, river and heavy-rain flooding “relatively high” and tornadoes “relatively high” (FEMA National Risk Index; overall county risk rated “relatively high”).
Your utility and what it means
Nashville Electric Service is a city-owned utility and served about 417,640 home customers in 2024; its 13.47¢ average was close to 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, Nashville Electric Service reported 87 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 Nashville-Davidson
- Earthquakes (relatively high): Earthquake risk is mainly about secure mounting and gas shut-off for generators; ask the installer to follow local seismic requirements.
- River and heavy-rain flooding (relatively high): Heavy rain can flood basements and take out power. Put sump pumps on backup power and keep equipment above the flood line.
- 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 Nashville-Davidson
By our rough estimate each kW of panels makes about 1,240 kWh a year in Nashville-Davidson (NASA sunshine data times 365 days times 0.80 for system losses). Valued at Nashville Electric Service’s 2024 average of 13.47¢, that is about $167 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 6.34 and December the dimmest at 1.92, a 3.3-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 Nashville-Davidson, 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 Nashville-Davidson: 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 Nashville-Davidson building or permitting department, or from Davidson County if you live outside city limits, and often a utility interconnection approval. We have not verified a local permit page for Nashville-Davidson, 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: Brentwood, Hendersonville, Franklin and Smyrna, or the whole Tennessee energy guide.
Get help
Are you a licensed installer in Nashville-Davidson? Join SolutionEnergy and get requests from homeowners and businesses →
Tell us about your project and we will connect you with a licensed, independent installer who serves the Nashville-Davidson area. It is free, there is no obligation, and only the installer you choose gets your details. Read how it works.
Nashville-Davidson energy FAQ
Who is my electric company in Nashville-Davidson?
Federal data lists Nashville Electric Service as the main utility serving Davidson County. Small areas can be served by a different company or a co-op, so confirm on your bill.
How much power will solar make in Nashville-Davidson?
About 1,240 kWh a year per kW of panels by our estimate, so a 6 kW system would make roughly 7,440 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 Davidson 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 Nashville-Davidson?
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.