In short: Grants Pass has about 39,500 people and sits in Josephine County. PacifiCorp serves the county, averaging 14.02¢ per kWh for homes in 2024 (EIA). FEMA rates Josephine County wildfires “relatively high”. Rooftop solar here makes roughly 1,300 kWh a year per kW of panels by our estimate, which is good for solar.
This page covers what is local to Grants Pass: its utility, outage records, sunshine, weather risks and charging. Statewide rules such as net metering, incentives and electrician licensing are in our Oregon energy guide.
Grants Pass at a glance
- Place: Grants Pass, Josephine County, Oregon; about 39,468 residents (Census Bureau estimate, July 2024).
- Utility: PacifiCorp (investor-owned). Homes paid an average 14.02¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861); the average customer lost 108 minutes of power on normal days and 368 counting major storms, with 0.9 interruptions a year (utility-wide, not just Grants Pass).
- Sun: 4.45 kWh per square meter per day on average, from 1.36 in December to 7.89 in July (NASA POWER). Our rough estimate: about 1,300 kWh a year per kW of panels.
- Climate: about 630 cooling degree-days and 4,970 heating degree-days a year (base 65°F, NASA POWER), so heating and cooling both matter.
- Top hazards in Josephine County: wildfires “relatively high”, earthquakes “relatively moderate” and river and heavy-rain flooding “relatively moderate” (FEMA National Risk Index; overall county risk rated “relatively moderate”).
- Public charging: 53 ports at 16 locations in Grants Pass, 31 of them DC fast (AFDC, October 20, 2026).
Your utility and what it means
PacifiCorp is an investor-owned utility and served about 547,235 home customers in 2024; its 14.02¢ average was below the 15.97¢ 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, PacifiCorp reported 108 minutes per customer without major storms in 2024, less than the statewide figure of 131 (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 Oregon guide and then ask your utility for its current interconnection steps before you sign anything.
Backup power in Grants Pass
- Wildfires (relatively high): 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.
- Earthquakes (relatively moderate): Earthquake risk is mainly about secure mounting and gas shut-off for generators; ask the installer to follow local seismic requirements.
- 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 Grants Pass
By our rough estimate each kW of panels makes about 1,300 kWh a year in Grants Pass (NASA sunshine data times 365 days times 0.80 for system losses). Valued at PacifiCorp’s 2024 average of 14.02¢, that is about $182 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 7.89 and December the dimmest at 1.36, a 5.8-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. Grants Pass has 53 public charging ports in the federal station list including 31 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 Grants Pass: 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 Grants Pass building or permitting department, or from Josephine County if you live outside city limits, and often a utility interconnection approval. We have not verified a local permit page for Grants Pass, so check the city and county websites or ask your electrician, who will know the process. Hire only a licensed electrician or installer; the Oregon guide lists the state licensing rules.
Nearby guides
More local guides: Medford, or the whole Oregon energy guide.
Get help
Are you a licensed installer in Grants Pass? Join SolutionEnergy and get requests from homeowners and businesses →
Tell us about your project and we will connect you with a licensed, independent installer who serves the Grants Pass area. It is free, there is no obligation, and only the installer you choose gets your details. Read how it works.
Grants Pass energy FAQ
Who is my electric company in Grants Pass?
Federal data lists PacifiCorp as the main utility serving Josephine 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 Grants Pass?
About 1,300 kWh a year per kW of panels by our estimate, so a 6 kW system would make roughly 7,800 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 wildfires in Josephine 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 Grants Pass?
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.