In short: Rhode Island Energy serves Providence and its neighbors. Its homes paid about 28.3¢ per kWh on average in 2024 and lost only 104 minutes to outages (EIA). But Providence County carries more weather risk than the rest of the state, with five hazards rated relatively high by FEMA. Solar pays on price; backup still deserves a plan.
This page covers what is local to Providence, Cranston, Pawtucket, East Providence, Cumberland and Lincoln: the utility’s numbers and programs, county hazards, permits, historic districts and charging. Statewide rules (net metering, the REG tariff, the Renewable Energy Fund grant, the sales tax exemption and licensing) are in our Rhode Island energy guide.
Providence at a glance
- Utility: Rhode Island Energy (The Narragansett Electric Company, formerly National Grid’s Rhode Island utility) in all six of our cities. About 28.3¢ per kWh on average in 2024 for homes on its own supply (EIA-861).
- Outages (2024): about 104 minutes per customer counting major storms, 61 without; under one interruption per customer a year (EIA-861, Rhode Island Energy as a whole).
- Sun: about 3.99 kWh per square meter per day in Providence (NASA POWER, 2001 to 2020). Our rough estimate: about 1,170 kWh a year per kW of panels.
- Top hazards: Providence County’s overall risk is “relatively moderate”. Cold waves, heat waves, ice storms, lightning and inland flooding are “relatively high”; hail, hurricanes, strong wind and tornadoes are “relatively moderate” (FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025).
- Public charging: 209 ports in Providence, 50 in Cranston, 25 in East Providence, 22 in Pawtucket, 16 in Cumberland and 12 in Lincoln (AFDC, October 3, 2026).
Your utility and what it means
Rhode Island Energy delivers power in all six cities; in Providence County, only the Burrillville area has a different utility, the Pascoag Utility District. Supply comes from Rhode Island Energy’s Last Resort Service unless you choose a competitive supplier or your town runs an aggregation plan. Residential Last Resort prices are fixed for six months and reset in April and October, so compare offers each spring and fall. In 2024, about 26% of its households bought supply elsewhere (EIA-861).
- Solar: net metering or the REG tariff, plus the state grant; all on our state page. Rhode Island Energy counted 17,216 net-metered home solar systems in 2024 (EIA-861).
- ConnectedSolutions for batteries: Rhode Island Energy pays $225 per average kW your battery delivers during summer peak events, a rate Rhode Island Energy intends to hold for five summers (its 2024–2026 program guide notes the program is subject to regulatory approval). Events run June to September, 2 to 3 hours between 3 and 8 pm, no more than 60 a summer.
- ConnectedSolutions for EVs: $50 when you enroll an eligible EV or charger and $20 a year after that; you can opt out of any event.
- PowerUpRI: the state’s Office of Energy Resources and the Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank offer home charger rebates; check the PowerUpRI page for current amounts.
Backup power in Providence
Outages here are short by national standards: about 104 minutes a year with storms, and the average interruption lasted under two hours. The county ratings explain why backup still matters. Ice storms and cold waves are rated relatively high, and so are heat waves and inland flooding, so the outage that hurts is a winter one in a house that needs power for heat, or a summer one when someone at home is vulnerable to heat. In basements near rivers, a sump pump is the load to protect.
- Apartment or triple-decker unit: a portable power station covers phones, Wi-Fi, lights and a CPAP.
- House: a home battery, ideally with solar, covers typical outages and can earn ConnectedSolutions payments; a standby generator suits homes with medical needs or sump pumps that cannot stop. Use the battery backup calculator or the generator sizing tool, and compare in backup power.
Generator safety (CPSC): outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the house, exhaust away from doors, windows and vents, never in a garage or basement. Put battery-powered carbon monoxide alarms on every level. A transfer switch or interlock needs a licensed electrician and a permit; see generator installation.
Solar in Providence
By our rough estimate, each kW of panels makes about 1,170 kWh a year here. At Rhode Island Energy’s 2024 average of 28.3¢, power that offsets your own use is worth about $330 a year per kW (an estimate, not a promise). City lots are often shaded by neighbors and trees, and some homes sit in historic districts, so check your roof with the solar potential tool and test quotes in the solar savings calculator. Steps are in solar installation.
Historic districts: the Providence Historic District Commission’s solar guidelines, amended in October 2024, make panels that are visible from the street difficult to approve. They favor flat roofs behind parapets, rear roof slopes out of public view, newer additions and ground locations, with panels mounted flat to the roof. Ask the city whether your house is in a local historic district before you sign.
Batteries
Rhode Island Energy’s program guide notes that most New England outages come in winter while battery events come in summer, so an enrolled battery can stay full for winter storms. The guide also says no event is called during an outage or in the two days before a predicted severe outage. A battery without solar can join, but it can only discharge as much as the house is using, which lowers payments. See battery cost and home battery installation.
EV charging
Providence has 209 public ports, the most of any city we list in Rhode Island (AFDC, October 2026). At home, at about 30 kWh per 100 miles, charging costs roughly $8.50 per 100 miles at the 2024 average price (an estimate). Use the EV charging cost calculator; a Level 2 charger needs a 240-volt circuit, a licensed electrician and a permit, see EV charger installation.
Drive on another fuel? See every alternative fuel station in Providence: hydrogen, propane, natural gas, E85 ethanol, biodiesel and renewable diesel.
Permits and inspections
- One solar permit statewide: since January 1, 2018, every Rhode Island city and town must use the state’s single solar permit application, which covers both the building and electrical permits (state regulation 300-RICR-00-00-3).
- Providence: the Department of Inspection and Standards, 444 Westminster Street, takes building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits through its e-Permitting portal; a state e-Permitting account works there too. The city’s solar checklist asks for engineer-stamped plans and a roof-loading letter, and home systems get three inspections: rough electrical and building after the racking goes up, then final electrical.
- Cranston: Building Inspections & Zoning moved to 155 Gansett Avenue (rear) in March 2026; electrical wiring needs a permit. Pawtucket: the Zoning and Code Enforcement Office issues building and electrical permits. East Providence: the Building Inspection Division in City Hall, room 204. Cumberland and Lincoln: the town building official.
- Who does the work: a state-licensed electrician and a registered contractor; Rhode Island Energy approves interconnection, and Providence’s checklist advises applying early, even for small systems. Condo owners need association approval.
Cities we cover
- Providence
- Cranston
- Pawtucket
- East Providence
- Cumberland
- Lincoln
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Providence energy FAQ
Can I put solar panels on a house in a Providence historic district?
Sometimes. Solar is allowed by right as an accessory use citywide, but local historic districts need Historic District Commission review, and its 2024 guidelines make street-visible panels hard to approve. Rear slopes, flat roofs behind parapets, newer additions and ground mounts have the best chance.
How do I get a solar permit in Providence?
Your installer applies through the city’s e-Permitting portal using Rhode Island’s statewide solar permit application, which covers building and electrical work together. Expect engineer-stamped plans, a roof-loading letter and three inspections for a home system. Apply for Rhode Island Energy interconnection early.
How much does ConnectedSolutions pay for a home battery?
$225 per average kW the battery delivers across summer events, a rate Rhode Island Energy intends to keep for five summers. As an illustration, a battery averaging 5 kW per event would earn about $1,125 a summer. Customers of Pascoag and Block Island utilities can’t join.
Is Providence riskier than the rest of Rhode Island?
By FEMA’s county ratings, yes. Statewide, Rhode Island’s hazards rate low, but Providence County is “relatively moderate” overall, with cold waves, heat waves, ice storms, lightning and inland flooding rated relatively high. Outages are still short on average, so backup is about protecting heat, sump pumps and medical needs.
Sources
Utility areas, 2024 prices, outages, supply shopping and solar counts: EIA-861, 2024 data. Programs and supply rules: Rhode Island Energy (ConnectedSolutions battery and EV pages, 2024–2026 battery program guide, Last Resort Service page). Statewide solar permit: Rhode Island Secretary of State, 300-RICR-00-00-3. Permits and historic review: City of Providence (e-Permitting, solar checklist, Historic District Commission guidelines, October 2024), Cranston, Pawtucket, East Providence. Hazards: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025. Sun: NASA POWER, 2001 to 2020. Charging ports: AFDC Station Locator, October 3, 2026. Generator safety: CPSC. Checked October 3, 2026.