Generator installation cost in Hawaii
About $12,169 to $18,269 covers installation in Hawaii for a 22 kW whole house generator that runs on natural gas. Here, electricians earn $44.65 an hour, which is 30% higher than the US average of $34.37. That rate sets the electrician line at $3,900 to $7,100.
Is 22 kW right for your house? Size your home with three questions.
Installed price in Hawaii by generator size
Hawaii prices and fuel at half load. Generac provides a fuel table for every model. Models at 18 kW, 24 kW and 26 kW each have an hourly fuel rating no higher than the next smaller model. Fuel use per hour doesn't rise directly with kW.
| Size | Natural gas, installed | Gas at half load | Propane, installed | Propane at half load | Fuel figures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 kW | $9,419 to $15,519 | $6.80/h | $9,819 to $16,119 | $2.65/h | Generac Guardian 10 kW |
| 14 kW | $10,749 to $16,849 | $13.13/h | $11,149 to $17,449 | $4.94/h | Generac Guardian 14 kW |
| 18 kW | $11,569 to $17,669 | $11.38/h | $11,969 to $18,269 | $4.64/h | Generac Guardian 18 kW |
| 22 kW | $12,169 to $18,269 | $13.74/h | $12,569 to $18,869 | $6.91/h | Generac Guardian 22 kW |
| 24 kW | $12,589 to $18,689 | $13.67/h | $12,989 to $19,289 | $6.91/h | Generac Guardian 24 kW |
| 26 kW | $13,019 to $19,119 | $12.66/h | $13,419 to $19,719 | $5.62/h | Generac Guardian 26 kW |
What makes up the 22 kW price in Hawaii
The $44.65 hourly wage ranks 3rd of 51 and is among the highest, so labor can run up to $1,600 above the amount at US average pay.
| Line, 22 kW | Natural gas | Propane | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Generator | $6,309 | $6,309 | 22 kW bundle's Generac list price, without the switch |
| Transfer switch | $1,060 | $1,060 | Difference between Generac's prices with and without the switch |
| Electrician: switch, wiring, start-up | $3,900 to $7,100 | $3,900 to $7,100 | Published installation ranges use a Hawaii hourly wage of $44.65 (BLS) |
| Fuel line | $600 to $2,600 | $1,000 to $3,200 | The gas line runs from the meter; the propane line runs from the tank. |
| Pad and permit | $300 to $1,200 | $300 to $1,200 | composite pad or slab, local fees |
| Installed | $12,169 to $18,269 | $12,569 to $18,869 | propane leaves out the tank |
Hawaii fuel costs
| Fuel | Price | 22 kW an hour | Three days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | $67.33 per 1,000 ft³ | $13.74 | $989 |
| Propane | $2.73 a gallon | $6.91 | $497 (182 gal) |
At these prices, propane is the cheaper fuel in Hawaii. For a 22 kW generator at half load, propane costs $6.91 an hour, compared with $13.74 for natural gas. Hawaii's propane price ranks 23rd cheapest among 51. Propane pricing uses the regional EIA U.S. average, which includes Hawaii.
| Propane tank | Usable at 80% | 22 kW at half load | Fill at the U.S. average price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 250 gal | 200 gal | 79 h | $546 |
| 500 gal | 400 gal | 158 h | $1,092 |
Power outages in Hawaii
In 2025, Hawaii customers averaged 335 minutes without power. That exceeded 269 minutes in the US and placed Hawaii 15th highest among 51. The ordinary-day figure was 202 minutes, while major storms caused 40% of that time. Among the past ten years, 2024 ranked worst at 383 minutes. The ten-year average was 229 minutes, and 2025 came in 106 minutes above it.
Every year beginning in 2016
| Year | Minutes out, all events | Rank of 51 states | Without major storms |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 335 | 15th | 202 |
| 2024 | 383 | 21st | 219 |
| 2023 | 249 | 26th | not reported |
| 2022 | not reported | not reported | |
| 2021 | not reported | not reported | |
| 2020 | 124 | 42nd | 97 |
| 2019 | 182 | 34th | 113 |
| 2018 | 198 | 29th | 152 |
| 2017 | 254 | 23rd | 112 |
| 2016 | 109 | 48th | 83 |
Hawaii utilities and their 2025 outages
| Utility | Customers | Minutes out | Outages each | Minutes per outage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaiian Electric Co Inc | 309,996 | 202 | 1.41 | 143 |
| Hawaii Electric Light Co Inc | 90,876 | 379 | 2.90 | 131 |
| Maui Electric Co Ltd | 71,786 | 481 | 2.86 | 168 |
| Kauai Island Utility Cooperative | 35,470 | 335 | 3.45 | 97 |
In 2025, customers of Maui Electric Co Ltd lost power for 481 minutes, compared with 202 for Hawaiian Electric Co Inc. The 2.4 to one difference means your street's utility matters more than the state's 335 minute figure. Using all utilities and weighting by customer count, customers lost power 3.45 times that year. The US rate was 1.35, so the local result was higher. Outages on Hawaiian Electric Co Inc lines lasted 143 minutes on average. That's about 2.4 hours, equal to $16.45 in propane for running a 22 kW generator at half load.
Major disasters in Hawaii since 2016, listed by FEMA
Flood declarations totaled 4, while hurricanes accounted for 3 and severe storms for 2. Another 1 was an earthquake, 1 a landslide, 1 a volcanic eruption and 1 a wildfire. That made 13 major disaster declarations in all, with the latest issued in October 2026 and COVID-19 excluded. Tropical or coastal storms accounted for 3 of the 13 declarations. Hurricane Lowell was the latest, in October 2026, and outages from those storms run for days. Of the declarations, 1 involved a wildfire. Utilities in fire-prone areas also cut power lines on purpose during high winds, but those shutoffs never appear as declarations. Because 4 flood declarations occurred, place your generator pad higher than the local flood level. The permit office can provide that level for your lot.
The most frequently named counties are Maui County (8), Hawaii County (6), Kauai County (5) and Honolulu County (4).
| Declared | Disaster | FEMA number |
|---|---|---|
| October 2026 | Hurricane Lowell | DR-4952 |
| October 2026 | Hurricane Lala | DR-4951 |
| September 2026 | Earthquake | DR-4936 |
| April 2026 | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides | DR-4909 |
| June 2024 | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides | DR-4793 |
| August 2023 | Wildfires and High Winds | DR-4724 |
Sources cover BLS wages (May 2025), gas figures from EIA (March to August 2026) and propane figures from EIA (October 26, 2026). Outage records from EIA, EIA-861, FEMA and Data covering all states are also included.