In short: Tyler has about 112,200 people and sits in Smith County. Southwestern Electric Power Co, Upshur Rural Elec Coop Corp and Wood County Electric Coop, Inc serves different parts of Smith County, so your utility depends on your address; their 2024 home averages range from 12.03¢ to 12.83¢ per kWh (EIA). FEMA rates Smith County lightning “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 Tyler: 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.
Tyler at a glance
- Place: Tyler, Smith County, Texas; about 112,219 residents (Census Bureau estimate, July 2024).
- Utility: Southwestern Electric Power Co (investor-owned). Homes paid an average 12.03¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861); the average customer lost 235 minutes of power on normal days and 1,057 counting major storms, with 2.0 interruptions a year (utility-wide, not just Tyler).
- Utility: Upshur Rural Elec Coop Corp (member-owned cooperative). Homes paid an average 12.4¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861); the average customer lost 1,249 minutes of power on normal days, with 6.9 interruptions a year (utility-wide, not just Tyler).
- Utility: Wood County Electric Coop, Inc (member-owned cooperative). Homes paid an average 12.83¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861); the average customer lost 1,052 minutes of power on normal days and 1,362 counting major storms, with 2.3 interruptions a year (utility-wide, not just Tyler).
- Sun: 4.65 kWh per square meter per day on average, from 2.52 in December to 6.61 in July (NASA POWER). Our rough estimate: about 1,360 kWh a year per kW of panels.
- Climate: about 2,760 cooling degree-days and 2,320 heating degree-days a year (base 65°F, NASA POWER), so air conditioning is the big load.
- Top hazards in Smith County: lightning “relatively high”, cold waves “relatively high” and strong winds “relatively high” (FEMA National Risk Index; overall county risk rated “relatively moderate”).
- Public charging: 56 ports at 17 locations in Tyler, 32 of them DC fast (AFDC, October 20, 2026).
Your utility and what it means
Southwestern Electric Power Co is an investor-owned utility and served about 156,271 home customers in 2024; its 12.03¢ average was below the 15.88¢ statewide average for July 2026. Upshur Rural Elec Coop Corp is a member-owned cooperative utility and served about 44,415 home customers in 2024; its 12.4¢ average was below the 15.88¢ statewide average for July 2026. Wood County Electric Coop, Inc is a member-owned cooperative utility and served about 35,793 home customers in 2024; its 12.83¢ 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, Upshur Rural Elec Coop Corp reported 1,249 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 Tyler
- 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.
- 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.
- Cooling load: an outage in Tyler 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 Tyler
By our rough estimate each kW of panels makes about 1,360 kWh a year in Tyler (NASA sunshine data times 365 days times 0.80 for system losses). Valued at Southwestern Electric Power Co’s 2024 average of 12.03¢, that is about $164 a year per kW if all of it offsets your own use (an estimate, not a promise). Production swings with the seasons: July is the sunniest month at 6.61 and December the dimmest at 2.52, a 2.6-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. Tyler has 56 public charging ports in the federal station list including 32 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 Tyler: 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 Tyler building or permitting department, or from Smith County if you live outside city limits, and often a utility interconnection approval. We have not verified a local permit page for Tyler, 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: see all of Texas, or the whole Texas energy guide.
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Tyler energy FAQ
Who is my electric company in Tyler?
Southwestern Electric Power Co, Upshur Rural Elec Coop Corp and Wood County Electric Coop, Inc all serve parts of Smith County. Which one serves you depends on your street, so check the top of your bill. Their 2024 home price averages differ (Southwestern Electric Power Co 12.03¢, Upshur Rural Elec Coop Corp 12.4¢, Wood County Electric Coop, Inc 12.83¢) so it matters for solar math.
How much power will solar make in Tyler?
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 cold waves in Smith 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 Tyler?
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.