In short: Most Tulsa-area homes are on PSO, which charged about 12.7 cents per kWh in 2024 and averaged 189 minutes without power per customer, below the state’s 271 (EIA). FEMA rates ice storms, strong wind and tornadoes “very high” in Tulsa County. PSO wants your solar or battery approved before you hire anyone, and offers a cheaper overnight EV rate.
This page covers Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Owasso, Bixby and Jenks. Statewide rules on net billing, licensing and incentives are in our Oklahoma energy guide.
Tulsa at a glance
- Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO, part of AEP): serves most of the metro; about 12.7¢ per kWh for homes, averaged over 2024; 189 minutes without power per customer with major storms, 117 without them; about 1.5 interruptions a year (EIA-861, 2024).
- Co-ops at the edges: Verdigris Valley Electric Cooperative (including parts of the Owasso area), about 11.9¢ but 607 minutes with major events (362 without) and about 2.6 interruptions; Lake Region Electric, about 12.0¢ and 340 minutes; East Central Oklahoma Electric, about 12.0¢ and 286 minutes. EIA also lists OG&E in parts of Tulsa County (EIA-861, 2024).
- Sun: about 4.5 kWh per square meter a day (NASA POWER, 2001 to 2020), or roughly 1,310 kWh a year per kW of panels by our estimate, a little less than Oklahoma City.
- Top hazards: Tulsa County is “very high” for ice storms, strong wind and tornadoes, and “relatively high” for cold waves, hail, heat waves, lightning, river flooding and winter weather (FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025).
- Public charging: 264 ports at 57 locations in Tulsa, 65 in Broken Arrow, 18 in Owasso and 10 in Jenks (AFDC data, October 3, 2026).
Prices above are 2024 averages across all months. For the current statewide price, see the state guide.
Your utility and what it means
- PSO solar plans: two choices. The Net Energy Billing Option (NEBO) is a time-of-day plan with a higher price from 2 to 7 p.m. on weekdays, June to October; your use and your solar output are netted, and PSO pays you for any excess beyond what it delivered that month. The Standard Purchase Schedule bills what PSO delivers and credits excess on the current bill at a price set each year. See PSO solar.
- PSO approval first: solar, wind and battery storage that run alongside the grid must be reviewed and approved. PSO “strongly” recommends getting an approved interconnection application before committing to any vendor, so you know about upgrades and costs. Equipment must meet IEEE 1547-2018, and you need a visible, lockable disconnect. You apply through PowerClerk, and PSO issues a Permission to Operate letter after testing. See installing generating equipment.
- PSO EV rate: a lower price for charging from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. all year, with a 2 to 7 p.m. peak to avoid from June to October; it needs a smart (AMI) meter. See the PSO EV rate. We found no PSO rebate for a home charger.
- PSO Power Hours: $50 for enrolling a Wi-Fi thermostat and $25 per thermostat at the end of summer for letting PSO trim use at peak times.
- Co-op members: Verdigris Valley, Lake Region and East Central set their own interconnection rules; ask before you design a system.
Backup power in Tulsa
PSO’s 2024 record was better than the state as a whole, but Tulsa County’s “very high” ratings for ice storms, strong wind and tornadoes describe the outages that last. Straight-line winds and tornadoes break poles in minutes; ice brings down lines and trees across whole neighborhoods in freezing weather. Verdigris Valley members, including some homes around Owasso, averaged just over ten hours of outages in 2024, so they have the most reason to plan.
A portable power station covers phones, a weather radio and medical devices. A home battery switches on instantly and can run the furnace fan, fridge and lights for hours. For outages lasting days, a generator on a transfer switch, or a natural gas standby unit, runs as long as the fuel does. Compare them in backup power options and size with the generator sizing tool or battery backup calculator. PSO says a backup generator used only during outages needs no PSO approval, unless you connect it at the PSO meter.
Safety: the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says to run a generator outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the house, exhaust away from windows, doors and vents, never in a garage. Fit battery-backed carbon monoxide alarms. A licensed electrician should install the transfer switch; see generator installation.
Solar in Tulsa
At about 1,310 kWh a year per kW and PSO’s 2024 average of 12.7¢, each kW of panels would offset roughly $165 a year if all of it replaces power you would buy, and a 6 kW system about $1,000 a year (estimates). Exports are worth less, and on NEBO the value of each kilowatt-hour depends on when it is made, so a system sized to your daytime use, and a quote that models PSO’s actual plan, matter more than panel count. PSO had 4,237 net-metered home solar systems across its Oklahoma territory in 2024 (EIA-861).
Check your roof in the solar potential tool, test quotes in the solar savings calculator, and read solar installation and net metering and net billing.
Batteries in Tulsa
On PSO’s NEBO plan, a battery can hold midday solar for the 2 to 7 p.m. summer peak, when power costs more, and it keeps the house running through short outages. PSO reviews battery storage like any other generating equipment, so get its approval first. For a multi-day ice storm, pair the battery with solar or a generator. See home battery installation and home battery cost.
EV charging in Tulsa
Tulsa has 264 public charging ports and Broken Arrow 65 (AFDC data, October 3, 2026). At home, about 30 kWh per 100 miles at PSO’s 2024 average of 12.7¢ is roughly $3.82 per 100 miles, about $460 for 12,000 miles a year, and less if you charge overnight on the EV rate (estimates). Use the EV charging cost calculator and read EV charger installation.
Drive on another fuel? See every alternative fuel station in Tulsa: hydrogen, propane, natural gas, E85 ethanol, biodiesel and renewable diesel.
Permits and inspections
- City of Tulsa: Development Services runs the Permit Center at 175 E. 2nd Street, with an online self-service portal at cityoftulsa.org/permitting. Electrical, mechanical and plumbing work is permitted separately and pulled by licensed contractors. Questions: (918) 596-9456. We found no solar-specific checklist.
- Broken Arrow: Permitting and Licensing in Community Development.
- Owasso, Bixby, Jenks and unincorporated Tulsa County: ask your city or the county.
- Utility and HOA: PSO or your co-op must approve the connection; many subdivisions also need HOA approval.
Cities we cover
- Tulsa
- Broken Arrow
- Owasso
- Bixby
- Jenks
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Tulsa energy FAQ
Should I get PSO approval before signing a solar contract?
PSO strongly recommends it. Its interconnection review shows any upgrades, costs or changes your system needs. Apply through PSO’s PowerClerk portal, wait for approval, then install, pass inspection and get PSO’s Permission to Operate letter.
What is the difference between NEBO and SPS?
NEBO nets your use against your solar on a time-of-day plan with a 2 to 7 p.m. summer weekday peak, and PSO pays for excess beyond what it delivered. SPS bills what PSO delivers and credits excess at a price set yearly. Ask your installer to model both.
Is there a cheaper rate for charging an EV in Tulsa?
Yes. PSO’s EV rate charges less from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. all year, with a higher 2 to 7 p.m. peak from June to October. It requires a smart meter. Check PSO’s page for current prices.
Do I need PSO approval for a backup generator?
Not for one used only during outages, PSO says. If you want it connected at the PSO meter, you need PSO’s approval. Either way, a licensed electrician should install a transfer switch so it can never feed the grid.
Sources
Utilities, prices, outages and net-metered homes: U.S. Energy Information Administration, EIA-861 data for 2024. PSO solar, generating equipment, EV rate and time-of-day pages; City of Tulsa Development Services pages and residential permit guide; all read October 3, 2026. Sun: NASA POWER, 2001 to 2020. Hazards: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025. Charging: Alternative Fuels Data Center, October 3, 2026. Generator safety: CPSC.