In short: Ithaca has about 33,800 people and sits in Tompkins County. New York State Elec & Gas Corp serves the county, averaging 18.32¢ per kWh for homes in 2024 (EIA). Rooftop solar here makes roughly 1,060 kWh a year per kW of panels by our estimate, which is on the modest side, so price and incentives matter more.
This page covers what is local to Ithaca: its utility, outage records, sunshine, weather risks and charging. Statewide rules such as net metering, incentives and electrician licensing are in our New York energy guide.
Ithaca at a glance
- Place: Ithaca, Tompkins County, New York; about 33,768 residents (Census Bureau estimate, July 2024).
- Utility: New York State Elec & Gas Corp (investor-owned). Homes paid an average 18.32¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861); the average customer lost 148 minutes of power on normal days and 655 counting major storms, with 1.3 interruptions a year (utility-wide, not just Ithaca).
- Sun: 3.62 kWh per square meter per day on average, from 1.13 in December to 5.91 in July (NASA POWER). Our rough estimate: about 1,060 kWh a year per kW of panels.
- Climate: about 480 cooling degree-days and 7,220 heating degree-days a year (base 65°F, NASA POWER), so heating is the big load.
- Top hazards in Tompkins County: river and heavy-rain flooding “relatively moderate”, lightning “relatively moderate” and ice storms “relatively moderate” (FEMA National Risk Index; overall county risk rated “relatively low”).
- Public charging: 203 ports at 70 locations in Ithaca, 30 of them DC fast (AFDC, October 20, 2026).
Your utility and what it means
New York State Elec & Gas Corp is an investor-owned utility and served about 735,192 home customers in 2024; its 18.32¢ average was below the 29.9¢ 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, New York State Elec & Gas Corp reported 148 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 New York guide and then ask your utility for its current interconnection steps before you sign anything.
Backup power in Ithaca
- River and heavy-rain flooding (relatively moderate): Heavy rain can flood basements and take out power. Put sump pumps on backup power and keep equipment above the flood line.
- Lightning (relatively moderate): 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 Ithaca
By our rough estimate each kW of panels makes about 1,060 kWh a year in Ithaca (NASA sunshine data times 365 days times 0.80 for system losses). Valued at New York State Elec & Gas Corp’s 2024 average of 18.32¢, 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: July is the sunniest month at 5.91 and December the dimmest at 1.13, a 5.2-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. Ithaca has 203 public charging ports in the federal station list including 30 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 Ithaca: 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 Ithaca building or permitting department, or from Tompkins County if you live outside city limits, and often a utility interconnection approval. We have not verified a local permit page for Ithaca, 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 York guide lists the state licensing rules.
Nearby guides
More local guides: Binghamton, or the whole New York energy guide.
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Ithaca energy FAQ
Who is my electric company in Ithaca?
Federal data lists New York State Elec & Gas Corp as the main utility serving Tompkins County. Small areas can be served by a different company or a co-op, so confirm on your bill.
How much power will solar make in Ithaca?
About 1,060 kWh a year per kW of panels by our estimate, so a 6 kW system would make roughly 6,360 kWh. Shade, roof direction and tilt change this; run your address through the solar potential tool for a better number.
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 Ithaca?
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.