In short: Farmington has about 46,300 people and sits in San Juan County. Public Service Co of NM, City of Farmington and Jemez Mountains Elec Coop, Inc serves different parts of San Juan County, so your utility depends on your address; their 2024 home averages range from 12.69¢ to 15.57¢ per kWh (EIA). FEMA rates San Juan County drought “relatively high”. Rooftop solar here makes roughly 1,620 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 Farmington: its utility, outage records, sunshine, weather risks and charging. Statewide rules such as net metering, incentives and electrician licensing are in our New Mexico energy guide.
Farmington at a glance
- Place: Farmington, San Juan County, New Mexico; about 46,262 residents (Census Bureau estimate, July 2024).
- Utility: Public Service Co of NM (investor-owned). Homes paid an average 15.57¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861); the average customer lost 124 minutes of power on normal days and 279 counting major storms, with 1.0 interruptions a year (utility-wide, not just Farmington).
- Utility: City of Farmington (city-owned). Homes paid an average 12.69¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861) (utility-wide, not just Farmington).
- Utility: Jemez Mountains Elec Coop, Inc (member-owned cooperative). Homes paid an average 15.36¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861); the average customer lost 1,045 minutes of power on normal days and 1,877 counting major storms, with 3.6 interruptions a year (utility-wide, not just Farmington).
- Sun: 5.54 kWh per square meter per day on average, from 2.64 in December to 8.40 in June (NASA POWER). Our rough estimate: about 1,620 kWh a year per kW of panels.
- Climate: about 780 cooling degree-days and 5,700 heating degree-days a year (base 65°F, NASA POWER), so heating is the big load.
- Top hazards in San Juan County: drought “relatively high”, lightning “relatively high” and winter weather “relatively high” (FEMA National Risk Index; overall county risk rated “relatively moderate”).
- Public charging: 30 ports at 12 locations in Farmington, 18 of them DC fast (AFDC, October 20, 2026).
Your utility and what it means
Public Service Co of NM is an investor-owned utility and served about 492,945 home customers in 2024; its 15.57¢ average was below the 16.09¢ statewide average for July 2026. City of Farmington is a city-owned utility and served about 35,990 home customers in 2024; its 12.69¢ average was below the 16.09¢ statewide average for July 2026. Jemez Mountains Elec Coop, Inc is a member-owned cooperative utility and served about 28,093 home customers in 2024; its 15.36¢ average was below the 16.09¢ 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, Jemez Mountains Elec Coop, Inc reported 1,045 minutes per customer without major storms in 2024, more than the statewide figure of 156 (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 New Mexico guide and then ask your utility for its current interconnection steps before you sign anything.
Backup power in Farmington
- Drought (relatively high): Drought raises fire and heat risk and strains wells. If you rely on a well pump, include it in your backup plan.
- Lightning (relatively high): Lightning causes short outages and damages electronics. Surge protection and a battery that switches over automatically protect the things you care about.
- 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 Farmington
By our rough estimate each kW of panels makes about 1,620 kWh a year in Farmington (NASA sunshine data times 365 days times 0.80 for system losses). Valued at Public Service Co of NM’s 2024 average of 15.57¢, that is about $252 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 8.40 and December the dimmest at 2.64, 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. Farmington has 30 public charging ports in the federal station list including 18 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 Farmington: 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 Farmington building or permitting department, or from San Juan County if you live outside city limits, and often a utility interconnection approval. We have not verified a local permit page for Farmington, so check the city and county websites or ask your electrician, who will know the process. Hire only a licensed electrician or installer; the New Mexico guide lists the state licensing rules.
Nearby guides
More local guides: see all of New Mexico, or the whole New Mexico energy guide.
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Farmington energy FAQ
Who is my electric company in Farmington?
Public Service Co of NM, City of Farmington and Jemez Mountains Elec Coop, Inc all serve parts of San Juan County. Which one serves you depends on your street, so check the top of your bill. Their 2024 home price averages differ (Public Service Co of NM 15.57¢, City of Farmington 12.69¢, Jemez Mountains Elec Coop, Inc 15.36¢) so it matters for solar math.
How much power will solar make in Farmington?
About 1,620 kWh a year per kW of panels by our estimate, so a 6 kW system would make roughly 9,720 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 San Juan 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 Farmington?
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.