In short: Parkersburg has about 28,800 people and sits in Wood County. Monongahela Power Co serves the county, averaging 13.97¢ per kWh for homes in 2024 (EIA). Rooftop solar here makes roughly 1,140 kWh a year per kW of panels by our estimate, which is on the modest side, so price and incentives matter more.
This page covers what is local to Parkersburg: its utility, outage records, sunshine, weather risks and charging. Statewide rules such as net metering, incentives and electrician licensing are in our West Virginia energy guide.
Parkersburg at a glance
- Place: Parkersburg, Wood County, West Virginia; about 28,834 residents (Census Bureau estimate, July 2024).
- Utility: Monongahela Power Co (investor-owned). Homes paid an average 13.97¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861); the average customer lost 462 minutes of power on normal days and 852 counting major storms, with 2.3 interruptions a year (utility-wide, not just Parkersburg).
- Sun: 3.89 kWh per square meter per day on average, from 1.47 in December to 6.07 in June (NASA POWER). Our rough estimate: about 1,140 kWh a year per kW of panels.
- Climate: about 1,070 cooling degree-days and 5,300 heating degree-days a year (base 65°F, NASA POWER), so heating and cooling both matter.
- Top hazards in Wood County: river and heavy-rain flooding “relatively moderate”, lightning “relatively moderate” and ice storms “relatively moderate” (FEMA National Risk Index; overall county risk rated “relatively low”).
- Public charging: 14 ports at 6 locations in Parkersburg, 7 of them DC fast (AFDC, October 20, 2026).
Your utility and what it means
Monongahela Power Co is an investor-owned utility and served about 334,588 home customers in 2024; its 13.97¢ average was below the 15.78¢ 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, Monongahela Power Co reported 462 minutes per customer without major storms in 2024, less than the statewide figure of 486 (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 West Virginia guide and then ask your utility for its current interconnection steps before you sign anything.
Backup power in Parkersburg
- River and heavy-rain flooding (relatively moderate): Heavy rain can flood basements and take out power. Put sump pumps on backup power and keep equipment above the flood line.
- Lightning (relatively moderate): Lightning causes short outages and damages electronics. Surge protection and a battery that switches over automatically protect the things you care about.
- 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 Parkersburg
By our rough estimate each kW of panels makes about 1,140 kWh a year in Parkersburg (NASA sunshine data times 365 days times 0.80 for system losses). Valued at Monongahela Power Co’s 2024 average of 13.97¢, that is about $159 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 6.07 and December the dimmest at 1.47, a 4.1-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.
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. Parkersburg has 14 public charging ports in the federal station list including 7 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 Parkersburg: 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 Parkersburg building or permitting department, or from Wood County if you live outside city limits, and often a utility interconnection approval. We have not verified a local permit page for Parkersburg, so check the city and county websites or ask your electrician, who will know the process. Hire only a licensed electrician or installer; the West Virginia guide lists the state licensing rules.
Nearby guides
More local guides: Vienna, or the whole West Virginia energy guide.
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Parkersburg energy FAQ
Who is my electric company in Parkersburg?
Federal data lists Monongahela Power Co as the main utility serving Wood 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 Parkersburg?
About 1,140 kWh a year per kW of panels by our estimate, so a 6 kW system would make roughly 6,840 kWh. Shade, roof direction and tilt change this; run your address through the solar potential tool for a better number.
Do I need a permit for solar or a generator in Parkersburg?
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.