In short: Meridian has about 33,500 people and sits in Lauderdale County. Mississippi Power Co and East Mississippi Elec Pwr Assn serves different parts of Lauderdale County, so your utility depends on your address; their 2024 home averages range from 14.26¢ to 14.47¢ per kWh (EIA). FEMA rates Lauderdale County cold waves “relatively high”. Rooftop solar here makes roughly 1,340 kWh a year per kW of panels by our estimate, which is good for solar.
This page covers what is local to Meridian: its utility, outage records, sunshine, weather risks and charging. Statewide rules such as net metering, incentives and electrician licensing are in our Mississippi energy guide.
Meridian at a glance
- Place: Meridian, Lauderdale County, Mississippi; about 33,549 residents (Census Bureau estimate, July 2024).
- Utility: Mississippi Power Co (investor-owned). Homes paid an average 14.47¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861); the average customer lost 82 minutes of power on normal days and 124 counting major storms, with 0.9 interruptions a year (utility-wide, not just Meridian).
- Utility: East Mississippi Elec Pwr Assn (member-owned cooperative). Homes paid an average 14.26¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861); the average customer lost 468 minutes of power on normal days and 663 counting major storms, with 2.8 interruptions a year (utility-wide, not just Meridian).
- Sun: 4.58 kWh per square meter per day on average, from 2.40 in December to 6.36 in June (NASA POWER). Our rough estimate: about 1,340 kWh a year per kW of panels.
- Climate: about 2,430 cooling degree-days and 2,440 heating degree-days a year (base 65°F, NASA POWER), so heating and cooling both matter.
- Top hazards in Lauderdale County: cold waves “relatively high”, tornadoes “relatively high” and lightning “relatively high” (FEMA National Risk Index; overall county risk rated “relatively moderate”).
- Public charging: 32 ports at 6 locations in Meridian, 25 of them DC fast (AFDC, October 20, 2026).
Your utility and what it means
Mississippi Power Co is an investor-owned utility and served about 157,437 home customers in 2024; its 14.47¢ average was close to the 14.54¢ statewide average for July 2026. East Mississippi Elec Pwr Assn is a member-owned cooperative utility and served about 9,885 home customers in 2024; its 14.26¢ average was close to the 14.54¢ 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, East Mississippi Elec Pwr Assn reported 468 minutes per customer without major storms in 2024, more than the statewide figure of 266 (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 Mississippi guide and then ask your utility for its current interconnection steps before you sign anything.
Backup power in Meridian
- Cold waves (relatively high): Cold waves raise demand and can cause both outages and frozen pipes. Keep at least one room warm with a battery-run heater circuit or a generator.
- Tornadoes (relatively high): Tornado-season storms cut power quickly. A battery that switches on by itself, or a portable generator ready to go, covers the first night; sirens and weather radios need power too.
- 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 Meridian
By our rough estimate each kW of panels makes about 1,340 kWh a year in Meridian (NASA sunshine data times 365 days times 0.80 for system losses). Valued at Mississippi Power Co’s 2024 average of 14.47¢, that is about $194 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 6.36 and December the dimmest at 2.40, a 2.7-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. Meridian has 32 public charging ports in the federal station list including 25 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 Meridian: 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 Meridian building or permitting department, or from Lauderdale County if you live outside city limits, and often a utility interconnection approval. We have not verified a local permit page for Meridian, so check the city and county websites or ask your electrician, who will know the process. Hire only a licensed electrician or installer; the Mississippi guide lists the state licensing rules.
Nearby guides
More local guides: see all of Mississippi, or the whole Mississippi energy guide.
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Meridian energy FAQ
Who is my electric company in Meridian?
Mississippi Power Co and East Mississippi Elec Pwr Assn both serve parts of Lauderdale County. Which one serves you depends on your street, so check the top of your bill. Their 2024 home price averages differ (Mississippi Power Co 14.47¢, East Mississippi Elec Pwr Assn 14.26¢) so it matters for solar math.
How much power will solar make in Meridian?
About 1,340 kWh a year per kW of panels by our estimate, so a 6 kW system would make roughly 8,040 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 cold waves in Lauderdale 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.
Do I need a permit for solar or a generator in Meridian?
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.