In short: Fairmont has about 18,100 people and sits in Marion County. Monongahela Power Co serves the county, averaging 13.97¢ per kWh for homes in 2024 (EIA). Rooftop solar here makes roughly 1,120 kWh a year per kW of panels by our estimate, which is on the modest side, so price and incentives matter more.
This page covers what is local to Fairmont: its utility, outage records, sunshine, weather risks and charging. Statewide rules such as net metering, incentives and electrician licensing are in our West Virginia energy guide and the wider area is covered in the Morgantown, WV guide.
Fairmont at a glance
- Place: Fairmont, Marion County, West Virginia; about 18,063 residents (Census Bureau estimate, July 2024).
- Utility: Monongahela Power Co (investor-owned). Homes paid an average 13.97¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861); the average customer lost 462 minutes of power on normal days and 852 counting major storms, with 2.3 interruptions a year (utility-wide, not just Fairmont).
- Sun: 3.85 kWh per square meter per day on average, from 1.45 in December to 6.01 in June (NASA POWER). Our rough estimate: about 1,120 kWh a year per kW of panels.
- Climate: about 780 cooling degree-days and 5,630 heating degree-days a year (base 65°F, NASA POWER), so heating is the big load.
- Top hazards in Marion County: river and heavy-rain flooding “relatively moderate”, lightning “relatively moderate” and landslides “relatively low” (FEMA National Risk Index; overall county risk rated “relatively low”).
- Public charging: 11 ports at 3 locations in Fairmont, 9 of them DC fast (AFDC, October 20, 2026).
Your utility and what it means
Monongahela Power Co is an investor-owned utility and served about 334,588 home customers in 2024; its 13.97¢ average was below the 15.78¢ 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, Monongahela Power Co reported 462 minutes per customer without major storms in 2024, less than the statewide figure of 486 (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 West Virginia guide and then ask your utility for its current interconnection steps before you sign anything.
Backup power in Fairmont
- River and heavy-rain flooding (relatively moderate): Heavy rain can flood basements and take out power. Put sump pumps on backup power and keep equipment above the flood line.
- Lightning (relatively moderate): Lightning causes short outages and damages electronics. Surge protection and a battery that switches over automatically protect the things you care about.
- Heating load: a winter outage can stop a furnace blower, boiler pump or heat pump. List what your heat needs to run before choosing a generator or battery.
- 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 Fairmont
By our rough estimate each kW of panels makes about 1,120 kWh a year in Fairmont (NASA sunshine data times 365 days times 0.80 for system losses). Valued at Monongahela Power Co’s 2024 average of 13.97¢, that is about $156 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 6.01 and December the dimmest at 1.45, a 4.2-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.
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. Fairmont has 11 public charging ports in the federal station list including 9 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 Fairmont: 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 Fairmont building or permitting department, or from Marion County if you live outside city limits, and often a utility interconnection approval. We have not verified a local permit page for Fairmont, so check the city and county websites or ask your electrician, who will know the process. Hire only a licensed electrician or installer; the West Virginia guide lists the state licensing rules.
Nearby guides
More local guides: Morgantown, WV energy guide, Bridgeport and Clarksburg, or the whole West Virginia energy guide.
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Fairmont energy FAQ
Who is my electric company in Fairmont?
Federal data lists Monongahela Power Co as the main utility serving Marion County. Small areas can be served by a different company or a co-op, so confirm on your bill.
How much power will solar make in Fairmont?
About 1,120 kWh a year per kW of panels by our estimate, so a 6 kW system would make roughly 6,720 kWh. Shade, roof direction and tilt change this; run your address through the solar potential tool for a better number.
Will a home battery keep my heat on in an outage?
It can keep a furnace blower, boiler pump or a heat pump running for a while, but long cold outages drain a battery fast without solar to recharge it. Pair it with a generator or wood or propane heat if outages here run for days.
Do I need a permit for solar or a generator in Fairmont?
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.