Generator installation cost in New Jersey
About $11,869 to $17,669 covers installation of a 22 kW whole house generator powered by natural gas in New Jersey. At $41.68 per hour, local electricians earn 21% more than the US average of $34.37. This rate produces an electrician price of $3,600 to $6,700.
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Installed prices in New Jersey by size
At half load, the figures use New Jersey fuel prices. Generac gives a fuel table for each model it sells. Its 18 kW and 24 kW units, and the 26 kW unit, are rated to use no more fuel each hour than the next smaller one, so what you burn per hour doesn't move in step with kW.
| Size | Natural gas, installed | Gas at half load | Propane, installed | Propane at half load | Fuel figures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 kW | $9,119 to $14,919 | $1.70/h | $9,519 to $15,519 | $3.97/h | Generac Guardian 10 kW |
| 14 kW | $10,449 to $16,249 | $3.29/h | $10,849 to $16,849 | $7.42/h | Generac Guardian 14 kW |
| 18 kW | $11,269 to $17,069 | $2.85/h | $11,669 to $17,669 | $6.96/h | Generac Guardian 18 kW |
| 22 kW | $11,869 to $17,669 | $3.44/h | $12,269 to $18,269 | $10.37/h | Generac Guardian 22 kW |
| 24 kW | $12,289 to $18,089 | $3.43/h | $12,689 to $18,689 | $10.37/h | Generac Guardian 24 kW |
| 26 kW | $12,719 to $18,519 | $3.17/h | $13,119 to $19,119 | $8.44/h | Generac Guardian 26 kW |
What makes up the 22 kW price in New Jersey
Labor costs as much as $1,200 above US average pay, and the $41.68 hourly rate ranks 7th of 51, among the highest
| Line, 22 kW | Natural gas | Propane | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Generator | $6,309 | $6,309 | Price listed by Generac for the 22 kW package, with the switch deducted |
| Transfer switch | $1,060 | $1,060 | Difference separating Generac's switch and no-switch listing prices |
| Electrician: switch, wiring, start-up | $3,600 to $6,700 | $3,600 to $6,700 | The published install ranges are set to New Jersey's $41.68 hourly wage (BLS). |
| Fuel line | $600 to $2,400 | $1,000 to $3,000 | Gas line running from the meter; propane line running from the tank |
| Pad and permit | $300 to $1,200 | $300 to $1,200 | composite pad or slab, local fees |
| Installed | $11,869 to $17,669 | $12,269 to $18,269 | propane leaves out the tank |
Fuel prices in New Jersey
| Fuel | Price | 22 kW an hour | Three days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | $16.88 per 1,000 ft³ | $3.44 | $248 |
| Propane | $4.10 a gallon | $10.37 | $746 (182 gal) |
Natural gas costs less in New Jersey. A 22 kW generator at half load uses $3.44 an hour, compared with $10.37 for propane. Residential gas ranks 13th cheapest of 51 here.
| Propane tank | Usable at 80% | 22 kW at half load | Fill at New Jersey price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 250 gal | 200 gal | 79 h | $819 |
| 500 gal | 400 gal | 158 h | $1,639 |
Power outages in New Jersey
In 2025, New Jersey customers lost power for an average of 155 minutes. That's below the US figure of 269 and ranks 41st highest of 51. Major storms accounted for 38% of the outage time. On regular days, outages lasted 96 minutes. Over the past ten years, 2020 was the worst year for outages, at 943 minutes. The ten-year average comes to 259, which means 2025 fell 104 minutes short of it.
Every year beginning in 2016
| Year | Minutes out, all events | Rank of 51 states | Without major storms |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 155 | 41st | 96 |
| 2024 | 173 | 38th | 99 |
| 2023 | 108 | 44th | 88 |
| 2022 | 90 | 46th | 79 |
| 2021 | 139 | 37th | 84 |
| 2020 | 943 | 7th | 87 |
| 2019 | 250 | 23rd | 86 |
| 2018 | 506 | 10th | 87 |
| 2017 | 86 | 50th | 71 |
| 2016 | 138 | 40th | 85 |
New Jersey utilities and their 2025 outages
| Utility | Customers | Minutes out | Outages each | Minutes per outage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Service Elec & Gas Co | 2,575,136 | 66 | 0.72 | 92 |
| Jersey Central Power & Lt Co | 1,153,378 | 391 | 2.21 | 177 |
| Atlantic City Electric Co | 573,227 | 80 | 0.73 | 110 |
| Rockland Electric Co | 73,319 | 144 | 1.30 | 111 |
Customers served by Jersey Central Power & Lt Co lost power for 391 minutes in 2025, compared with 66 minutes for Public Service Elec & Gas Co. At a 5.9 to one ratio, your local utility affects outages more than the 155 minute state figure. With customer weighting across all utilities, each customer averaged 1.12 power losses during the year. The US rate was 1.35, making the local figure lower. An average outage on Public Service Elec & Gas Co lines lasted 92 minutes, or about 1.5 hours. For a 22 kW generator at half load, that's $5.28 of gas.
New Jersey FEMA major disasters since 2016
Severe storms numbered 3, hurricanes 2 and a snowstorm 1, giving 6 major disaster declarations in all. The most recent was declared in August 2023, and COVID-19 is not counted Tropical or coastal storms accounted for 2 of the 6 declarations. The latest was Remnants Of Hurricane Ida in September 2021, and those outages run for days. Winter or ice storms accounted for 1. With a cold-weather kit, the engine keeps starting.
Morris County (5), Bergen County (4), Burlington County (4), Cape May County (4), Essex County (4), Warren County (4), Atlantic County (3) and Cumberland County (3) were named in the most declarations.
| Declared | Disaster | FEMA number |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | Severe Storm and Flooding | DR-4725 |
| September 2021 | Remnants of Hurricane Ida | DR-4614 |
| April 2021 | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm | DR-4597 |
| December 2020 | Tropical Storm Isaias | DR-4574 |
| June 2018 | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm | DR-4368 |
| March 2016 | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm | DR-4264 |
New Jersey and neighboring areas
| State | 22 kW on gas, installed | Wage | Minutes out |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $11,869 to $17,669 | $41.68 | 155 |
| Delaware | $11,169 to $15,969 | $34.02 | 104 |
| New York | $11,869 to $17,469 | $40.8 | 247 |
| Pennsylvania | $11,369 to $16,469 | $36.43 | 413 |
Of the 3 neighbors, 2 have lower installation prices. New York's installed price is highest at $11,869, while Delaware's is lowest at $11,169. Outage times show a bigger gap than prices do. Pennsylvania recorded 413 minutes in 2025, compared with 155 in New Jersey.
Wages: BLS (May 2025). Gas: EIA gas (March to August 2026). Propane: EIA propane (October 26, 2026). Outages: EIA outages. Also EIA-861, FEMA. All states.