In short: Gilbert has about 288,800 people and sits in Maricopa County. Arizona Public Service Co, Salt River Project and City of Mesa serves different parts of Maricopa County, so your utility depends on your address; their 2024 home averages range from 13.46¢ to 16.93¢ per kWh (EIA). FEMA rates Maricopa County heat waves “very high”. Rooftop solar here makes roughly 1,690 kWh a year per kW of panels by our estimate, which is among the best in the country.
This page covers what is local to Gilbert: its utility, outage records, sunshine, weather risks and charging. Statewide rules such as net metering, incentives and electrician licensing are in our Arizona energy guide and the wider area is covered in the Phoenix guide.
Gilbert at a glance
- Place: Gilbert, Maricopa County, Arizona; about 288,790 residents (Census Bureau estimate, July 2024).
- Utility: Arizona Public Service Co (investor-owned). Homes paid an average 16.45¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861); the average customer lost 81 minutes of power on normal days, with 0.9 interruptions a year (utility-wide, not just Gilbert).
- Utility: Salt River Project (public power district). Homes paid an average 13.46¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861); the average customer lost 53 minutes of power on normal days, with 0.9 interruptions a year (utility-wide, not just Gilbert).
- Utility: City of Mesa (city-owned). Homes paid an average 16.93¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861); the average customer lost 25 minutes of power on normal days and 64 counting major storms, with 0.7 interruptions a year (utility-wide, not just Gilbert).
- Sun: 5.80 kWh per square meter per day on average, from 3.04 in December to 8.50 in June (NASA POWER). Our rough estimate: about 1,690 kWh a year per kW of panels.
- Climate: about 4,110 cooling degree-days and 1,220 heating degree-days a year (base 65°F, NASA POWER), so air conditioning is the big load.
- Top hazards in Maricopa County: heat waves “very high”, river and heavy-rain flooding “very high” and hail “very high” (FEMA National Risk Index; overall county risk rated “very high”).
- Public charging: 131 ports at 42 locations in Gilbert, 37 of them DC fast (AFDC, October 20, 2026).
Your utility and what it means
Arizona Public Service Co is an investor-owned utility and served about 1,256,120 home customers in 2024; its 16.45¢ average was above the 15.38¢ statewide average for July 2026. Salt River Project is a public power district utility and served about 1,053,407 home customers in 2024; its 13.46¢ average was below the 15.38¢ statewide average for July 2026. City of Mesa is a city-owned utility and served about 15,331 home customers in 2024; its 16.93¢ average was above the 15.38¢ 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, Arizona Public Service Co reported 81 minutes per customer without major storms in 2024, more than the statewide figure of 72 (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 Arizona guide and then ask your utility for its current interconnection steps before you sign anything.
Backup power in Gilbert
- Heat waves (very high): Heat waves strain the grid just when air conditioning matters most. Decide what must stay cool, such as one room, medicine and the fridge, and size backup to that rather than the whole house.
- River and heavy-rain flooding (very high): Heavy rain can flood basements and take out power. Put sump pumps on backup power and keep equipment above the flood line.
- Cooling load: an outage in Gilbert summer means no air conditioning. A central unit is a big load; a large battery system or standby generator can run it, while a smaller setup keeps fans, a window unit or a mini-split going.
- 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 Gilbert
By our rough estimate each kW of panels makes about 1,690 kWh a year in Gilbert (NASA sunshine data times 365 days times 0.80 for system losses). Valued at Arizona Public Service Co’s 2024 average of 16.45¢, that is about $278 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 8.50 and December the dimmest at 3.04, a 2.8-to-1 gap.
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. Gilbert has 131 public charging ports in the federal station list including 37 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 Gilbert: 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 Gilbert building or permitting department, or from Maricopa County if you live outside city limits, and often a utility interconnection approval. We have not verified a local permit page for Gilbert, so check the city and county websites or ask your electrician, who will know the process. Hire only a licensed electrician or installer; the Arizona guide lists the state licensing rules.
Nearby guides
More local guides: Phoenix energy guide, Mesa, Chandler, Queen Creek and Tempe, or the whole Arizona energy guide.
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Gilbert energy FAQ
Who is my electric company in Gilbert?
Arizona Public Service Co, Salt River Project and City of Mesa all serve parts of Maricopa County. Which one serves you depends on your street, so check the top of your bill. Their 2024 home price averages differ (Arizona Public Service Co 16.45¢, Salt River Project 13.46¢, City of Mesa 16.93¢) so it matters for solar math.
How much power will solar make in Gilbert?
About 1,690 kWh a year per kW of panels by our estimate, so a 6 kW system would make roughly 10,140 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 heat waves in Maricopa 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.
Can solar and a battery run my air conditioner during an outage?
Yes if the system is sized for it. A central air conditioner needs a large battery or generator, so many people back up one room or a mini-split instead. Use the battery backup calculator to see the runtime for your appliances.
Do I need a permit for solar or a generator in Gilbert?
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.