Generator installation cost in Missouri
In Missouri, installing a whole house generator that runs on natural gas and provides 22 kW costs about $11,169 to $16,169. The local electrician wage of $34.77 an hour is 1% higher than the US average of $34.37. It sets the electrician part of the price at $3,000 to $5,600.
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Missouri installation costs by generator size
Fuel at half load, using Missouri prices. For each model, Generac provides a fuel table. The 26 kW, 18 kW and 24 kW models have hourly burn ratings no higher than those for the next size down, so fuel use per hour doesn't increase in step with kW.
| Size | Natural gas, installed | Gas at half load | Propane, installed | Propane at half load | Fuel figures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 kW | $8,419 to $13,419 | $2.57/h | $8,719 to $13,919 | $2.17/h | Generac Guardian 10 kW |
| 14 kW | $9,749 to $14,749 | $4.97/h | $10,049 to $15,249 | $4.04/h | Generac Guardian 14 kW |
| 18 kW | $10,569 to $15,569 | $4.31/h | $10,869 to $16,069 | $3.80/h | Generac Guardian 18 kW |
| 22 kW | $11,169 to $16,169 | $5.20/h | $11,469 to $16,669 | $5.65/h | Generac Guardian 22 kW |
| 24 kW | $11,589 to $16,589 | $5.17/h | $11,889 to $17,089 | $5.65/h | Generac Guardian 24 kW |
| 26 kW | $12,019 to $17,019 | $4.79/h | $12,319 to $17,519 | $4.60/h | Generac Guardian 26 kW |
Missouri price breakdown for a 22 kW generator
Pay here is $34.77 an hour, which ranks 22nd of 51, so labor comes to as much as $100 above US average pay.
| Line, 22 kW | Natural gas | Propane | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Generator | $6,309 | $6,309 | Generac bundle list price for the 22 kW model, minus the switch |
| Transfer switch | $1,060 | $1,060 | Difference between Generac's listed prices with and without the switch |
| Electrician: switch, wiring, start-up | $3,000 to $5,600 | $3,000 to $5,600 | Published installation ranges based on Missouri's hourly wage of $34.77 (BLS) |
| Fuel line | $500 to $2,000 | $800 to $2,500 | The gas line starts at the meter; the propane line starts at the tank. |
| Pad and permit | $300 to $1,200 | $300 to $1,200 | composite pad or slab, local fees |
| Installed | $11,169 to $16,169 | $11,469 to $16,669 | propane leaves out the tank |
Missouri fuel costs
| Fuel | Price | 22 kW an hour | Three days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | $25.48 per 1,000 ft³ | $5.20 | $374 |
| Propane | $2.23 a gallon | $5.65 | $407 (182 gal) |
Gas is cheaper in Missouri: at half load, a 22 kW generator costs $5.20 an hour on gas, compared with $5.65 on propane. Here, residential gas ranks 38th cheapest of 51.
| Propane tank | Usable at 80% | 22 kW at half load | Fill at Missouri price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 250 gal | 200 gal | 79 h | $447 |
| 500 gal | 400 gal | 158 h | $894 |
Power outages in Missouri
In 2025, customers in Missouri averaged 466 minutes without power. That exceeds the US figure of 269 and ranks 8th highest of 51. Major storms accounted for 75% of the outage time, while ordinary days accounted for 116 minutes. Of the last ten years, 2025 was the worst. The ten-year average was 256 minutes.
Since 2016, every year
| Year | Minutes out, all events | Rank of 51 states | Without major storms |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 466 | 8th | 116 |
| 2024 | 213 | 34th | 107 |
| 2023 | 379 | 16th | 104 |
| 2022 | 150 | 40th | 97 |
| 2021 | 268 | 22nd | 98 |
| 2020 | 154 | 38th | 97 |
| 2019 | 261 | 19th | 114 |
| 2018 | 151 | 35th | 92 |
| 2017 | 307 | 20th | 91 |
| 2016 | 215 | 19th | 87 |
Missouri utilities and their 2025 outages
| Utility | Customers | Minutes out | Outages each | Minutes per outage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union Electric Co | 1,284,472 | 594 | 1.18 | 503 |
| Evergy Missouri West | 350,586 | 184 | 1.49 | 123 |
| Evergy Metro | 313,505 | 178 | 1.50 | 119 |
| Empire District Electric Co | 160,704 | 167 | 1.10 | 152 |
| City Utilities of Springfield | 127,805 | 1,288 | 2.27 | 567 |
City Utilities of Springfield customers lost power for 1,288 minutes in 2025, while Empire District Electric Co customers lost 167 minutes. At 7.7 to one, the company serving your street matters more than the state's 466 minute figure. Across all utilities, the customer-weighted average was 1.59 power losses per customer during the year. That's more often than the US average of 1.35. On Union Electric Co lines, each outage averaged 503 minutes, or about 8.4 hours. During that time, a 22 kW generator at half load would use $43.61 of gas.
Missouri FEMA major disasters since 2016
There were 15 severe storms and 4 floods, for 19 major disaster declarations in all. The latest was in September 2026, and COVID-19 wasn't included. Because there have been 4 flood declarations, set the generator pad higher than the local flood level. The permit office can tell you that level for your lot.
The counties named most often were Scott County (10), Bollinger County (9), New Madrid County (9), Howell County (8), Ozark County (8), Reynolds County (8), Shannon County (8) and Wayne County (8).
| Declared | Disaster | FEMA number |
|---|---|---|
| September 2026 | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding | DR-4939 |
| August 2026 | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding | DR-4929 |
| June 2026 | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding | DR-4924 |
| July 2025 | Severe Storms and Flooding | DR-4885 |
| June 2025 | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding | DR-4877 |
| June 2025 | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding | DR-4876 |
Neighboring states and Missouri
| State | 22 kW on gas, installed | Wage | Minutes out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Missouri | $11,169 to $16,169 | $34.77 | 466 |
| Arkansas | $10,269 to $14,169 | $25.71 | 475 |
| Iowa | $10,769 to $15,269 | $30.38 | 183 |
| Illinois | $12,169 to $18,269 | $44.34 | 146 |
| Kansas | $11,069 to $15,769 | $33.27 | 193 |
| Kentucky | $10,669 to $14,969 | $29.52 | 396 |
| Nebraska | $10,769 to $15,269 | $30.75 | 543 |
| Oklahoma | $10,769 to $15,269 | $30.49 | 297 |
| Tennessee | $10,769 to $15,269 | $30.55 | 228 |
Of 8 neighboring states, 7 have lower installation costs. Arkansas has the lowest cost at $10,269, while Illinois has the highest at $12,169. Prices differ less than outage times. Nebraska's 2025 outage total was 543 minutes, while Missouri recorded 466.
Sources: EIA gas (March to August 2026), EIA-861, FEMA, BLS wages (May 2025), EIA propane (October 26, 2026), EIA outages. All states.