In short: Salem has about 25,900 people and sits in Salem County. City of Salem serves the county, averaging 15.11¢ per kWh for homes in 2024 (EIA). Rooftop solar here makes roughly 1,200 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 Salem: its utility, outage records, sunshine, weather risks and charging. Statewide rules such as net metering, incentives and electrician licensing are in our Virginia energy guide and the wider area is covered in the Roanoke guide.
Salem at a glance
- Place: Salem, Salem County, Virginia; about 25,908 residents (Census Bureau estimate, July 2024).
- Utility: City of Salem (city-owned). Homes paid an average 15.11¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861); the average customer lost 27 minutes of power on normal days, with 0.2 interruptions a year (utility-wide, not just Salem).
- Sun: 4.11 kWh per square meter per day on average, from 1.90 in December to 6.14 in June (NASA POWER). Our rough estimate: about 1,200 kWh a year per kW of panels.
- Climate: about 920 cooling degree-days and 4,970 heating degree-days a year (base 65°F, NASA POWER), so heating and cooling both matter.
- Top hazards in Salem County: river and heavy-rain flooding “relatively low”, strong winds “relatively low” and lightning “relatively low” (FEMA National Risk Index; overall county risk rated “very low”).
- Public charging: 38 ports at 9 locations in Salem, 21 of them DC fast (AFDC, October 20, 2026).
Your utility and what it means
City of Salem is a city-owned utility and served about 11,298 home customers in 2024; its 15.11¢ average was below the 17.55¢ 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, City of Salem reported 27 minutes per customer without major storms in 2024, less than the statewide figure of 166 (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 Virginia guide and then ask your utility for its current interconnection steps before you sign anything.
Backup power in Salem
- River and heavy-rain flooding (relatively low): Heavy rain can flood basements and take out power. Put sump pumps on backup power and keep equipment above the flood line.
- Strong winds (relatively low): 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.
- 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 Salem
By our rough estimate each kW of panels makes about 1,200 kWh a year in Salem (NASA sunshine data times 365 days times 0.80 for system losses). Valued at City of Salem’s 2024 average of 15.11¢, that is about $181 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 6.14 and December the dimmest at 1.90, 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.
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. Salem has 38 public charging ports in the federal station list including 21 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 Salem: 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 Salem building or permitting department, or from Salem County if you live outside city limits, and often a utility interconnection approval. We have not verified a local permit page for Salem, so check the city and county websites or ask your electrician, who will know the process. Hire only a licensed electrician or installer; the Virginia guide lists the state licensing rules.
Nearby guides
More local guides: Roanoke energy guide and Blacksburg, or the whole Virginia energy guide.
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Salem energy FAQ
Who is my electric company in Salem?
Federal data lists City of Salem as the main utility serving Salem 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 Salem?
About 1,200 kWh a year per kW of panels by our estimate, so a 6 kW system would make roughly 7,200 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 Salem?
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.