In short: Kingsport has about 57,100 people and sits in Sullivan County. Johnson City, Kingsport Power Co and City of Bristol serves different parts of Sullivan County, so your utility depends on your address; their 2024 home averages range from 10.81¢ to 12.84¢ per kWh (EIA). FEMA rates Sullivan County strong winds “relatively high”. Rooftop solar here makes roughly 1,230 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 Kingsport: 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.
Kingsport at a glance
- Place: Kingsport, Sullivan County, Tennessee; about 57,109 residents (Census Bureau estimate, July 2024).
- Utility: Johnson City (city-owned). Homes paid an average 12.41¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861); the average customer lost 152 minutes of power on normal days and 659 counting major storms, with 1.2 interruptions a year (utility-wide, not just Kingsport).
- Utility: Kingsport Power Co (investor-owned). Homes paid an average 12.84¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861); the average customer lost 165 minutes of power on normal days and 1,028 counting major storms, with 1.2 interruptions a year (utility-wide, not just Kingsport).
- Utility: City of Bristol (city-owned). Homes paid an average 10.81¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861); the average customer lost 86 minutes of power on normal days and 545 counting major storms, with 1.6 interruptions a year (utility-wide, not just Kingsport).
- Sun: 4.22 kWh per square meter per day on average, from 1.98 in December to 6.19 in June (NASA POWER). Our rough estimate: about 1,230 kWh a year per kW of panels.
- Climate: about 1,090 cooling degree-days and 4,340 heating degree-days a year (base 65°F, NASA POWER), so heating and cooling both matter.
- Top hazards in Sullivan County: strong winds “relatively high”, lightning “relatively high” and landslides “relatively moderate” (FEMA National Risk Index; overall county risk rated “relatively low”).
- Public charging: 13 ports at 3 locations in Kingsport, none of them DC fast (AFDC, October 20, 2026).
Your utility and what it means
Johnson City is a city-owned utility and served about 72,205 home customers in 2024; its 12.41¢ average was below the 13.71¢ statewide average for July 2026. Kingsport Power Co is an investor-owned utility and served about 43,159 home customers in 2024; its 12.84¢ average was below the 13.71¢ statewide average for July 2026. City of Bristol is a city-owned utility and served about 29,622 home customers in 2024; its 10.81¢ 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, Kingsport Power Co reported 165 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 Kingsport
- Strong winds (relatively high): High winds knock out lines on ordinary days. A battery or portable power station handles the common short outages; add a generator for multi-day repairs.
- Lightning (relatively high): Lightning causes short outages and damages electronics. Surge protection and a battery that switches over automatically protect the things you care about.
- 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 Kingsport
By our rough estimate each kW of panels makes about 1,230 kWh a year in Kingsport (NASA sunshine data times 365 days times 0.80 for system losses). Valued at Johnson City’s 2024 average of 12.41¢, that is about $153 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 6.19 and December the dimmest at 1.98, a 3.1-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. Kingsport has 13 public charging ports in the federal station list (none of them 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 Kingsport: 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 Kingsport building or permitting department, or from Sullivan County if you live outside city limits, and often a utility interconnection approval. We have not verified a local permit page for Kingsport, 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: Johnson City, or the whole Tennessee energy guide.
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Kingsport energy FAQ
Who is my electric company in Kingsport?
Johnson City, Kingsport Power Co and City of Bristol all serve parts of Sullivan County. Which one serves you depends on your street, so check the top of your bill. Their 2024 home price averages differ (Johnson City 12.41¢, Kingsport Power Co 12.84¢, City of Bristol 10.81¢) so it matters for solar math.
How much power will solar make in Kingsport?
About 1,230 kWh a year per kW of panels by our estimate, so a 6 kW system would make roughly 7,380 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 strong winds in Sullivan 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 Kingsport?
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.