In short: Fresno has about 550,100 people and sits in Fresno County. Southern California Edison Co and Pacific Gas & Electric Co. serves different parts of Fresno County, so your utility depends on your address; their 2024 home averages range from 32.43¢ to 39.62¢ per kWh (EIA). FEMA rates Fresno County drought “very high”. Rooftop solar here makes roughly 1,590 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 Fresno: its utility, outage records, sunshine, weather risks and charging. Statewide rules such as net metering, incentives and electrician licensing are in our California energy guide.
Fresno at a glance
- Place: Fresno, Fresno County, California; about 550,105 residents (Census Bureau estimate, July 2024).
- Utility: Southern California Edison Co (investor-owned). Homes paid an average 32.43¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861); the average customer lost 100 minutes of power on normal days and 158 counting major storms, with 0.9 interruptions a year (utility-wide, not just Fresno).
- Utility: Pacific Gas & Electric Co. (investor-owned). Homes paid an average 39.62¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861); the average customer lost 276 minutes of power on normal days and 509 counting major storms, with 1.8 interruptions a year (utility-wide, not just Fresno).
- Sun: 5.44 kWh per square meter per day on average, from 2.24 in December to 8.46 in June (NASA POWER). Our rough estimate: about 1,590 kWh a year per kW of panels.
- Climate: about 2,540 cooling degree-days and 2,020 heating degree-days a year (base 65°F, NASA POWER), so air conditioning is the big load.
- Top hazards in Fresno County: drought “very high”, earthquakes “relatively high” and river and heavy-rain flooding “relatively high” (FEMA National Risk Index; overall county risk rated “relatively high”).
- Public charging: 497 ports at 181 locations in Fresno, 212 of them DC fast (AFDC, October 20, 2026).
Your utility and what it means
Southern California Edison Co is an investor-owned utility and served about 3,219,520 home customers in 2024; its 32.43¢ average was below the 33.61¢ statewide average for July 2026. Pacific Gas & Electric Co. is an investor-owned utility and served about 1,856,780 home customers in 2024; its 39.62¢ average was above the 33.61¢ 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, Pacific Gas & Electric Co. reported 276 minutes per customer without major storms in 2024, more than the statewide figure of 158 (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 California guide and then ask your utility for its current interconnection steps before you sign anything.
Backup power in Fresno
- Drought (very high): Drought raises fire and heat risk and strains wells. If you rely on a well pump, include it in your backup plan.
- Earthquakes (relatively high): Earthquake risk is mainly about secure mounting and gas shut-off for generators; ask the installer to follow local seismic requirements.
- Cooling load: an outage in Fresno 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 Fresno
By our rough estimate each kW of panels makes about 1,590 kWh a year in Fresno (NASA sunshine data times 365 days times 0.80 for system losses). Valued at Southern California Edison Co’s 2024 average of 32.43¢, that is about $516 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 8.46 and December the dimmest at 2.24, a 3.8-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. Fresno has 497 public charging ports in the federal station list including 212 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 Fresno: 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 Fresno building or permitting department, or from Fresno County if you live outside city limits, and often a utility interconnection approval. We have not verified a local permit page for Fresno, so check the city and county websites or ask your electrician, who will know the process. Hire only a licensed electrician or installer; the California guide lists the state licensing rules.
Nearby guides
More local guides: see all of California, or the whole California energy guide.
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Fresno energy FAQ
Who is my electric company in Fresno?
Southern California Edison Co and Pacific Gas & Electric Co. both serve parts of Fresno County. Which one serves you depends on your street, so check the top of your bill. Their 2024 home price averages differ (Southern California Edison Co 32.43¢, Pacific Gas & Electric Co. 39.62¢) so it matters for solar math.
How much power will solar make in Fresno?
About 1,590 kWh a year per kW of panels by our estimate, so a 6 kW system would make roughly 9,540 kWh. Shade, roof direction and tilt change this; run your address through the solar potential tool for a better number.
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 Fresno?
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.