In short: Pocatello has about 58,200 people and sits in Bannock County. Idaho Power Co and PacifiCorp serves different parts of Bannock County, so your utility depends on your address; their 2024 home averages range from 11.76¢ to 12.11¢ per kWh (EIA). FEMA rates Bannock County winter weather “relatively high”. Rooftop solar here makes roughly 1,330 kWh a year per kW of panels by our estimate, which is good for solar.
This page covers what is local to Pocatello: its utility, outage records, sunshine, weather risks and charging. Statewide rules such as net metering, incentives and electrician licensing are in our Idaho energy guide.
Pocatello at a glance
- Place: Pocatello, Bannock County, Idaho; about 58,231 residents (Census Bureau estimate, July 2024).
- Utility: Idaho Power Co (investor-owned). Homes paid an average 11.76¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861); the average customer lost 164 minutes of power on normal days and 206 counting major storms, with 1.2 interruptions a year (utility-wide, not just Pocatello).
- Utility: PacifiCorp (investor-owned). Homes paid an average 12.11¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861); the average customer lost 129 minutes of power on normal days and 265 counting major storms, with 1.3 interruptions a year (utility-wide, not just Pocatello).
- Sun: 4.54 kWh per square meter per day on average, from 1.47 in December to 7.52 in July (NASA POWER). Our rough estimate: about 1,330 kWh a year per kW of panels.
- Climate: about 680 cooling degree-days and 7,260 heating degree-days a year (base 65°F, NASA POWER), so heating is the big load.
- Top hazards in Bannock County: winter weather “relatively high”, wildfires “relatively moderate” and cold waves “relatively moderate” (FEMA National Risk Index; overall county risk rated “relatively low”).
- Public charging: 21 ports at 8 locations in Pocatello, 13 of them DC fast (AFDC, October 20, 2026).
Your utility and what it means
Idaho Power Co is an investor-owned utility and served about 525,751 home customers in 2024; its 11.76¢ average was below the 13.73¢ statewide average for July 2026. PacifiCorp is an investor-owned utility and served about 74,170 home customers in 2024; its 12.11¢ average was below the 13.73¢ 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, Idaho Power Co reported 164 minutes per customer without major storms in 2024, less than the statewide figure of 174 (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 Idaho guide and then ask your utility for its current interconnection steps before you sign anything.
Backup power in Pocatello
- Winter weather (relatively high): Winter storms and cold snaps combine outages with heating demand. Plan for the furnace blower or heat pump, not just lights, and keep a fuel supply you can reach in snow.
- Wildfires (relatively moderate): Wildfire risk can mean planned shutoffs and smoke. A battery charged by solar gives quiet backup, and fueled generators need extra care on dry days and clear space around them.
- Heating load: a winter outage can stop a furnace blower, boiler pump or heat pump. List what your heat needs to run before choosing a generator or battery.
- 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 Pocatello
By our rough estimate each kW of panels makes about 1,330 kWh a year in Pocatello (NASA sunshine data times 365 days times 0.80 for system losses). Valued at Idaho Power Co’s 2024 average of 11.76¢, that is about $156 a year per kW if all of it offsets your own use (an estimate, not a promise). Production swings with the seasons: July is the sunniest month at 7.52 and December the dimmest at 1.47, a 5.1-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. Pocatello has 21 public charging ports in the federal station list including 13 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 Pocatello: 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 Pocatello building or permitting department, or from Bannock County if you live outside city limits, and often a utility interconnection approval. We have not verified a local permit page for Pocatello, so check the city and county websites or ask your electrician, who will know the process. Hire only a licensed electrician or installer; the Idaho guide lists the state licensing rules.
Nearby guides
More local guides: see all of Idaho, or the whole Idaho energy guide.
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Pocatello energy FAQ
Who is my electric company in Pocatello?
Idaho Power Co and PacifiCorp both serve parts of Bannock County. Which one serves you depends on your street, so check the top of your bill. Their 2024 home price averages differ (Idaho Power Co 11.76¢, PacifiCorp 12.11¢) so it matters for solar math.
How much power will solar make in Pocatello?
About 1,330 kWh a year per kW of panels by our estimate, so a 6 kW system would make roughly 7,980 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 winter weather in Bannock 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.
Will a home battery keep my heat on in an outage?
It can keep a furnace blower, boiler pump or a heat pump running for a while, but long cold outages drain a battery fast without solar to recharge it. Pair it with a generator or wood or propane heat if outages here run for days.
Do I need a permit for solar or a generator in Pocatello?
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.