In short: Katy has about 27,700 people and sits in Waller County. Entergy Texas Inc., Mid-South Electric Coop Assn and San Bernard Electric Coop, Inc serves different parts of Waller County, so your utility depends on your address; their 2024 home averages range from 13.66¢ to 14.16¢ per kWh (EIA). FEMA rates Waller County drought “relatively high”. Rooftop solar here makes roughly 1,360 kWh a year per kW of panels by our estimate, which is good for solar.
This page covers what is local to Katy: its utility, outage records, sunshine, weather risks and charging. Statewide rules such as net metering, incentives and electrician licensing are in our Texas energy guide and the wider area is covered in the Houston guide.
Katy at a glance
- Place: Katy, Waller County, Texas; about 27,741 residents (Census Bureau estimate, July 2024).
- Utility: Entergy Texas Inc. (investor-owned). Homes paid an average 13.66¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861); the average customer lost 305 minutes of power on normal days and 1,728 counting major storms, with 2.1 interruptions a year (utility-wide, not just Katy).
- Utility: Mid-South Electric Coop Assn (member-owned cooperative). Homes paid an average 14.08¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861); the average customer lost 101 minutes of power on normal days and 1,459 counting major storms, with 1.0 interruptions a year (utility-wide, not just Katy).
- Utility: San Bernard Electric Coop, Inc (member-owned cooperative). Homes paid an average 14.16¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861); the average customer lost 162 minutes of power on normal days and 1,238 counting major storms, with 1.7 interruptions a year (utility-wide, not just Katy).
- Sun: 4.65 kWh per square meter per day on average, from 2.64 in December to 6.29 in June (NASA POWER). Our rough estimate: about 1,360 kWh a year per kW of panels.
- Climate: about 3,160 cooling degree-days and 1,480 heating degree-days a year (base 65°F, NASA POWER), so air conditioning is the big load.
- Top hazards in Waller County: drought “relatively high”, tornadoes “relatively high” and hurricanes “relatively moderate” (FEMA National Risk Index; overall county risk rated “relatively low”).
- Public charging: 139 ports at 32 locations in Katy, 68 of them DC fast (AFDC, October 20, 2026).
Your utility and what it means
Entergy Texas Inc. is an investor-owned utility and served about 457,369 home customers in 2024; its 13.66¢ average was below the 15.88¢ statewide average for July 2026. Mid-South Electric Coop Assn is a member-owned cooperative utility and served about 36,267 home customers in 2024; its 14.08¢ average was below the 15.88¢ statewide average for July 2026. San Bernard Electric Coop, Inc is a member-owned cooperative utility and served about 31,774 home customers in 2024; its 14.16¢ average was below the 15.88¢ 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, Entergy Texas Inc. reported 305 minutes per customer without major storms in 2024, more than the statewide figure of 129 (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 Texas guide and then ask your utility for its current interconnection steps before you sign anything.
Backup power in Katy
- Drought (relatively high): Drought raises fire and heat risk and strains wells. If you rely on a well pump, include it in your backup plan.
- 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.
- Cooling load: an outage in Katy summer means no air conditioning. A central unit is a big load; a large battery system or standby generator can run it, while a smaller setup keeps fans, a window unit or a mini-split going.
- 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 Katy
By our rough estimate each kW of panels makes about 1,360 kWh a year in Katy (NASA sunshine data times 365 days times 0.80 for system losses). Valued at Entergy Texas Inc.’s 2024 average of 13.66¢, that is about $186 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 6.29 and December the dimmest at 2.64, a 2.4-to-1 gap.
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. Katy has 139 public charging ports in the federal station list including 68 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 Katy: 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 Katy building or permitting department, or from Waller County if you live outside city limits, and often a utility interconnection approval. We have not verified a local permit page for Katy, so check the city and county websites or ask your electrician, who will know the process. Hire only a licensed electrician or installer; the Texas guide lists the state licensing rules.
Nearby guides
More local guides: Houston energy guide, Sugar Land, The Woodlands, Spring and Pearland, or the whole Texas energy guide.
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Katy energy FAQ
Who is my electric company in Katy?
Entergy Texas Inc., Mid-South Electric Coop Assn and San Bernard Electric Coop, Inc all serve parts of Waller County. Which one serves you depends on your street, so check the top of your bill. Their 2024 home price averages differ (Entergy Texas Inc. 13.66¢, Mid-South Electric Coop Assn 14.08¢, San Bernard Electric Coop, Inc 14.16¢) so it matters for solar math.
How much power will solar make in Katy?
About 1,360 kWh a year per kW of panels by our estimate, so a 6 kW system would make roughly 8,160 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 tornadoes in Waller 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.
Can solar and a battery run my air conditioner during an outage?
Yes if the system is sized for it. A central air conditioner needs a large battery or generator, so many people back up one room or a mini-split instead. Use the battery backup calculator to see the runtime for your appliances.
Do I need a permit for solar or a generator in Katy?
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.