In short: Clarksville has about 185,700 people and sits in Montgomery County. Cumberland Elec Member Corp, City of Clarksville and City of Dickson serves different parts of Montgomery County, so your utility depends on your address; their 2024 home averages range from 11.65¢ to 12.99¢ per kWh (EIA). FEMA rates Montgomery County cold waves “relatively high”. Rooftop solar here makes roughly 1,240 kWh a year per kW of panels by our estimate, which is about average for the U.S..
This page covers what is local to Clarksville: its utility, outage records, sunshine, weather risks and charging. Statewide rules such as net metering, incentives and electrician licensing are in our Tennessee energy guide.
Clarksville at a glance
- Place: Clarksville, Montgomery County, Tennessee; about 185,690 residents (Census Bureau estimate, July 2024).
- Utility: Cumberland Elec Member Corp (member-owned cooperative). Homes paid an average 12.99¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861); the average customer lost 130 minutes of power on normal days and 220 counting major storms, with 2.0 interruptions a year (utility-wide, not just Clarksville).
- Utility: City of Clarksville (city-owned). Homes paid an average 12.77¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861); the average customer lost 99 minutes of power on normal days and 205 counting major storms, with 1.8 interruptions a year (utility-wide, not just Clarksville).
- Utility: City of Dickson (city-owned). Homes paid an average 11.65¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861); the average customer lost 288 minutes of power on normal days, with 3.3 interruptions a year (utility-wide, not just Clarksville).
- Sun: 4.25 kWh per square meter per day on average, from 1.93 in December to 6.42 in June (NASA POWER). Our rough estimate: about 1,240 kWh a year per kW of panels.
- Climate: about 1,640 cooling degree-days and 4,020 heating degree-days a year (base 65°F, NASA POWER), so heating and cooling both matter.
- Top hazards in Montgomery County: cold waves “relatively high”, tornadoes “relatively high” and ice storms “relatively high” (FEMA National Risk Index; overall county risk rated “relatively moderate”).
- Public charging: 72 ports at 23 locations in Clarksville, 26 of them DC fast (AFDC, October 20, 2026).
Your utility and what it means
Cumberland Elec Member Corp is a member-owned cooperative utility and served about 100,585 home customers in 2024; its 12.99¢ average was below the 13.71¢ statewide average for July 2026. City of Clarksville is a city-owned utility and served about 75,953 home customers in 2024; its 12.77¢ average was below the 13.71¢ statewide average for July 2026. City of Dickson is a city-owned utility and served about 30,808 home customers in 2024; its 11.65¢ average was below the 13.71¢ 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, City of Dickson reported 288 minutes per customer without major storms in 2024, more than the statewide figure of 160 (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 Tennessee guide and then ask your utility for its current interconnection steps before you sign anything.
Backup power in Clarksville
- Cold waves (relatively high): Cold waves raise demand and can cause both outages and frozen pipes. Keep at least one room warm with a battery-run heater circuit or a generator.
- Tornadoes (relatively high): Tornado-season storms cut power quickly. A battery that switches on by itself, or a portable generator ready to go, covers the first night; sirens and weather radios need power too.
- 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 Clarksville
By our rough estimate each kW of panels makes about 1,240 kWh a year in Clarksville (NASA sunshine data times 365 days times 0.80 for system losses). Valued at Cumberland Elec Member Corp’s 2024 average of 12.99¢, that is about $161 a year per kW if all of it offsets your own use (an estimate, not a promise). Production swings with the seasons: June is the sunniest month at 6.42 and December the dimmest at 1.93, a 3.3-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. Hail and storm exposure are worth raising with installers and your insurer.
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. Clarksville has 72 public charging ports in the federal station list including 26 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 Clarksville: 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 Clarksville building or permitting department, or from Montgomery County if you live outside city limits, and often a utility interconnection approval. We have not verified a local permit page for Clarksville, so check the city and county websites or ask your electrician, who will know the process. Hire only a licensed electrician or installer; the Tennessee guide lists the state licensing rules.
Nearby guides
More local guides: Nashville-Davidson, or the whole Tennessee energy guide.
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Clarksville energy FAQ
Who is my electric company in Clarksville?
Cumberland Elec Member Corp, City of Clarksville and City of Dickson all serve parts of Montgomery County. Which one serves you depends on your street, so check the top of your bill. Their 2024 home price averages differ (Cumberland Elec Member Corp 12.99¢, City of Clarksville 12.77¢, City of Dickson 11.65¢) so it matters for solar math.
How much power will solar make in Clarksville?
About 1,240 kWh a year per kW of panels by our estimate, so a 6 kW system would make roughly 7,440 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 cold waves in Montgomery 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 Clarksville?
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.