In short: Most Portland-area homes buy power from Portland General Electric, which averaged about 18.2¢ per kWh in 2024 and recorded about 13 hours of outage per customer that year, mostly from the January 2024 ice storms. Pacific Power serves parts of Multnomah County. Energy Trust incentives and PGE rebates help with solar, batteries and EV chargers.
Below: what each utility offers, how Portland handles solar permits, and what the local sun and winter storms mean for backup, solar, batteries and charging. For statewide rules (annual net metering, the state rebate, licensing), see our Oregon energy guide.
Portland at a glance
- Utilities: Portland General Electric (PGE) is the utility EIA lists across Washington and Clackamas counties (Beaverton, Hillsboro, Tigard, Lake Oswego, Oregon City). In Multnomah County (Portland, Gresham), EIA lists both PGE and Pacific Power, so check your bill.
- Price, 2024 average: PGE about 18.2¢ per kWh; Pacific Power about 14.0¢ (EIA-861, revenue divided by sales).
- Outages, 2024: PGE 772 minutes per customer with major events, 133 without; Pacific Power (Oregon) 368 and 108 (EIA-861).
- Sun: about 3.67 kWh per square meter per day in Portland (NASA POWER, 2001–2020). Our rough estimate: about 1,070 kWh a year per kW of panels.
- Top hazards: FEMA’s National Risk Index (December 2025) rates Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties “relatively high” for ice storms, cold waves and earthquakes; Multnomah and Washington also for heat waves.
- Public charging: 747 public ports in Portland, 191 in Hillsboro, 172 in Beaverton, 106 in Tigard, 93 in Lake Oswego, 68 in Oregon City and 44 in Gresham (AFDC, October 2026).
Your utility and what it means
Portland General Electric serves about 829,000 homes in Oregon. Its 2024 home price was the highest of the state’s large utilities, which makes every kWh you avoid buying worth more. PGE customers get the state’s annual net metering (explained on the Oregon page) and can use Energy Trust of Oregon incentives. PGE’s own programs:
- Smart Battery pilot: PGE pays $1.70 per kWh your battery provides during peak events, which it expects about 10 to 15 times a year. PGE says your battery always stays available for your home during an outage. See PGE Smart Battery.
- Smart Charging and charger rebates: enroll a connected Level 2 charger or eligible EV and get up to $300 toward the charger installation (up to $1,000 if income-eligible), plus up to $1,000 (up to $5,000 if income-eligible) toward a panel upgrade to 200 amps when your panel is too small. PGE pauses charging from 5 p.m. and resumes from 9 p.m. on event days and pays a $25 reward each season you meet the rules. See PGE home charging.
Pacific Power customers also get annual net metering and Energy Trust incentives, at lower amounts than PGE’s. Its Wattsmart Battery program pays $600 per kW of battery output, up to $3,000, plus $15 per kW a year from the second year, for a four-year commitment. Its Oregon home charger rebate is for income-qualified customers only: up to $1,500 for a hardwired Level 2 charger or $500 for a 240-volt outlet bought in 2026 or later.
Energy Trust of Oregon (for PGE and Pacific Power customers, through its approved trade allies): $3,500 per home for solar in PGE territory and $2,500 in Pacific Power territory; for a battery connected to qualifying solar, $400 per kWh up to $5,000 (PGE) or $240 per kWh up to $3,000 (Pacific Power). Amounts depend on funding and change; check Energy Trust’s solar page before you sign.
Backup power in Portland
On ordinary days PGE’s record is close to the state average, about 2 hours a year. Major events multiplied it almost six times in 2024. PGE says the storms that began on January 13, 2024 brought high winds, ice and snow, peaked at 165,000 customers out, and added up to 524,600 customer outages over nine days. That is the Portland pattern: ice and wind bring down trees and lines in winter, when a home most needs heat. PGE can also call a Public Safety Power Shutoff anywhere in its territory during hot, dry, windy weather, with 24 to 48 hours’ notice; it can last from several hours to several days.
- Gas-heated homes: a home battery can run the furnace fan, fridge, lights and internet for a day or more.
- All-electric homes and heat pumps: multi-day ice storms usually call for a standby or portable generator with a transfer switch. See generator installation.
- Apartments and condos: a portable power station covers phones, Wi-Fi, lights and a CPAP.
Compare options in our backup power guide and size them with the battery backup calculator and generator sizing tool. Run a generator outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the house with the exhaust pointed away from doors and windows, and keep carbon monoxide alarms inside (CPSC).
Solar in Portland
Portland’s sun is modest and very seasonal: NASA’s averages run from about 1 kWh per square meter a day in December to 6.8 in July. Annual net metering is what makes it work, because summer surplus carries into the gray months. By our rough estimate, a 6 kW system makes about 6,400 kWh a year, worth about $1,170 at PGE’s 2024 average price or about $900 at Pacific Power’s. Those are estimates, not quotes; shade from Portland’s big trees can cut output a lot.
Check your roof with the solar potential tool and solar savings calculator, then read how solar installation works, what it costs and how net metering works.
Home batteries in Portland
With annual net metering, a battery does little for a Portland bill by itself; its job is getting through ice storms. The money side is unusually good here, though: Energy Trust’s incentive (when paired with solar) plus PGE’s Smart Battery payments or Pacific Power’s Wattsmart enrollment payment can cover a real share of the cost. Check whether you can combine them and how much funding is left. See home batteries, battery costs and battery installation.
EV charging in Portland
By our estimate at 30 kWh per 100 miles, home charging costs about $5.50 per 100 miles at PGE’s 2024 average and about $4.20 at Pacific Power’s. Shifting charging past 9 p.m., as PGE’s Smart Charging does on event days, fits a time-of-day plan. A Level 2 charger needs a 240-volt circuit and an electrical permit; PGE’s qualified chargers must be hardwired by a licensed electrician. See EV charger installation and the EV charging cost calculator.
Drive on another fuel? See every alternative fuel station in Portland: hydrogen, propane, natural gas, E85 ethanol, biodiesel and renewable diesel.
Permits and inspections
- City of Portland: Portland Permitting & Development handles solar permits online through Development Hub PDX. Its solar permits page explains the two paths: a prescriptive path for standard roofs, which does not need an Oregon-registered designer, and an engineered path (required for solar roof tiles). Usually your solar contractor applies and books inspections. Free 15-minute appointments with city staff are available.
- Suburbs: Beaverton, Hillsboro, Tigard, Lake Oswego, Gresham and Oregon City each run their own building permits; unincorporated areas go to the county.
- Utility approval: PGE or Pacific Power must approve a grid-tied solar or battery system before you switch it on.
Hire an Oregon-licensed contractor and electrician (license checks are on the state page). If you have an HOA or live in a historic or conservation district, check their rules first; Portland notes that special rules can apply in those districts.
Cities we cover
- Portland
- Beaverton
- Hillsboro
- Tigard
- Lake Oswego
- Gresham
- Oregon City
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Portland energy questions
Is my Portland home on PGE or Pacific Power?
Your bill tells you. In Washington and Clackamas counties, EIA lists PGE as the utility for the cities we cover. In Multnomah County, both PGE and Pacific Power serve customers, so a Portland or Gresham address could be either. The answer decides your price, your Energy Trust incentive and which battery and charger programs you can join.
How much does PGE pay for a home battery?
Through the Smart Battery pilot, PGE pays $1.70 per kWh your qualifying battery provides during peak events, about 10 to 15 a year, and keeps the battery available for you in an outage. Separately, Energy Trust pays $400 per kWh up to $5,000 for a battery connected to qualifying solar in PGE territory, while funding lasts.
Why were Portland outages so long in 2024?
The January 2024 storms. PGE reports 524,600 customer outages over nine days of wind, ice and snow, with 165,000 out at the first peak. Major events pushed PGE’s 2024 average to 772 minutes per customer, against 133 on ordinary days (EIA). Plan backup for a multi-day winter outage.
Do I need a permit for solar panels in Portland?
Yes. Portland Permitting & Development reviews solar through Development Hub PDX, on a prescriptive path for standard roofs or an engineered path for others, and an electrical permit covers the wiring. Your contractor normally applies and books the inspections, and PGE or Pacific Power must approve the connection.
Sources
EIA-861, 2024 (price = residential revenue ÷ sales; outages; service territory); Portland General Electric Smart Battery, home charging, Public Safety Power Shutoff pages and January 22, 2024 news release; Pacific Power Wattsmart Battery and Oregon home charger rebate pages; Energy Trust of Oregon; City of Portland Permitting & Development; NASA POWER, 2001–2020; FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025; AFDC station data; CPSC. All read October 2026. Estimates are ours and labelled.