Generator installation cost in New Mexico
The installed price in New Mexico is about $10,569 to $14,869 for a whole house generator on natural gas at 22 kW. Local electricians make $28.66 an hour, 17% under the US average of $34.37. That pay level drives the price's electrician line, $2,500 to $4,600.
Not sure if 22 kW fits? Three questions to size your house.
Installed cost by size in New Mexico
Fuel at half load, at New Mexico prices. Generac lists fuel use for every model. Sizes 18 kW, 24 kW, 26 kW are rated so they burn no more per hour than the size below, so fuel per hour doesn't climb in step with kW.
| Size | Natural gas, installed | Gas at half load | Propane, installed | Propane at half load | Fuel figures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 kW | $7,819 to $12,119 | $1.09/h | $8,119 to $12,519 | $2.94/h | Generac Guardian 10 kW |
| 14 kW | $9,149 to $13,449 | $2.11/h | $9,449 to $13,849 | $5.48/h | Generac Guardian 14 kW |
| 18 kW | $9,969 to $14,269 | $1.83/h | $10,269 to $14,669 | $5.15/h | Generac Guardian 18 kW |
| 22 kW | $10,569 to $14,869 | $2.21/h | $10,869 to $15,269 | $7.66/h | Generac Guardian 22 kW |
| 24 kW | $10,989 to $15,289 | $2.20/h | $11,289 to $15,689 | $7.66/h | Generac Guardian 24 kW |
| 26 kW | $11,419 to $15,719 | $2.04/h | $11,719 to $16,119 | $6.24/h | Generac Guardian 26 kW |
How the 22 kW price adds up in New Mexico
The $28.66 hourly rate ranks 44th of 51 and is among the lowest. Labor costs are no more than $900 below what they would be at the US average wage rate.
| Line, 22 kW | Natural gas | Propane | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Generator | $6,309 | $6,309 | Generac list price of the 22 kW bundle, less the switch |
| Transfer switch | $1,060 | $1,060 | the gap between what Generac's listings show with the switch and without it |
| Electrician: switch, wiring, start-up | $2,500 to $4,600 | $2,500 to $4,600 | Published installation ranges based on New Mexico's $28.66 hourly wage (BLS) |
| Fuel line | $400 to $1,700 | $700 to $2,100 | A gas line runs from the meter, while the propane line comes from the tank. |
| Pad and permit | $300 to $1,200 | $300 to $1,200 | composite pad or slab, local fees |
| Installed | $10,569 to $14,869 | $10,869 to $15,269 | propane leaves out the tank |
What fuel costs in New Mexico
| Fuel | Price | 22 kW an hour | Three days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | $10.83 per 1,000 ft³ | $2.21 | $159 |
| Propane | $3.03 a gallon | $7.66 | $552 (182 gal) |
In New Mexico, gas runs cheaper: at half load, a 22 kW unit costs $2.21 an hour versus $7.66 on propane. For residential gas, this state ranks 2nd cheapest of 51. Propane pricing uses the EIA Gulf Coast average, a regional figure that includes New Mexico.
| Propane tank | Usable at 80% | 22 kW at half load | Fill at the Gulf Coast average price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 250 gal | 200 gal | 79 h | $606 |
| 500 gal | 400 gal | 158 h | $1,211 |
Power outages in New Mexico
Customers in New Mexico averaged 162 minutes without power in 2025, below the US figure of 269 and the 40th highest of 51. Major storms accounted for 12% of that time, while ordinary days totaled 143 minutes. The ten-year average is 165. In 2025, outages ran 3 minutes below it, and 2024 had the highest figure of the last ten years, 273 minutes.
Every year from 2016 on
| Year | Minutes out, all events | Rank of 51 states | Without major storms |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 162 | 40th | 143 |
| 2024 | 273 | 30th | 152 |
| 2023 | 156 | 34th | 124 |
| 2022 | 175 | 35th | 125 |
| 2021 | 204 | 29th | 120 |
| 2020 | 140 | 39th | 114 |
| 2019 | 158 | 37th | 122 |
| 2018 | 133 | 39th | 124 |
| 2017 | 121 | 43rd | 115 |
| 2016 | 130 | 44th | 102 |
New Mexico utilities and their 2025 outages
| Utility | Customers | Minutes out | Outages each | Minutes per outage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Service Co of NM | 557,399 | 125 | 0.94 | 133 |
| Southwestern Public Service Co | 119,830 | 235 | 1.43 | 164 |
| El Paso Electric Co | 110,962 | 116 | 1.24 | 94 |
| City of Farmington | 45,167 | 75 | 0.59 | 127 |
| Kit Carson Electric Coop, Inc | 31,125 | 305 | 2.33 | 131 |
In 2025, Kit Carson Electric Coop, Inc customers went 305 minutes without power, against 75 for City of Farmington. Compared with the 162 minute state figure, the utility on your street matters more at a 4.1 to one ratio. On average, a customer lost power 1.20 times over the year (all utilities, customer-weighted), which is below the 1.35 seen across the US. Public Service Co of NM customers saw outages averaging 133 minutes, about 2.2 hours, which equals $4.90 of gas used by a 22 kW at half load.
Major FEMA disasters in New Mexico since 2016
Major disaster declarations totaled 8: 5 for floods, 2 for wildfires and 1 for a severe storm. COVID-19 is not counted, and the latest declaration was in October 2026. 2 of them were wildfires. In fire country, utilities also cut power on purpose when winds are high, and those shutoffs never appear as declarations. Because there are 5 flood declarations, set the generator pad higher than the local flood level; the permit office can give that level for your lot.
The counties named in most of them: Otero County (2), Lincoln County (3).
| Declared | Disaster | FEMA number |
|---|---|---|
| October 2026 | Severe Storms and Flooding | DR-4954 |
| June 2026 | Severe Storms and Flooding | DR-4918 |
| July 2025 | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides | DR-4886 |
| November 2024 | Severe Storm and Flooding | DR-4843 |
| August 2024 | Severe Storms and Flooding | DR-4809 |
| June 2024 | South Fork Fire, Salt Fire, and Flooding | DR-4795 |
New Mexico and nearby areas
| State | 22 kW on gas, installed | Wage | Minutes out |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | $10,569 to $14,869 | $28.66 | 162 |
| Arizona | $10,769 to $15,269 | $30.88 | 69 |
| Colorado | $10,969 to $15,569 | $31.88 | 273 |
| Oklahoma | $10,769 to $15,269 | $30.49 | 297 |
| Texas | $10,569 to $14,869 | $28.5 | 211 |
| Utah | $10,869 to $15,369 | $31.39 | 117 |
No neighboring state has a lower installation cost than New Mexico; Texas has the same cost, while Colorado begins $400 higher. Prices vary less than outages do: in 2025 Oklahoma logged 297 minutes, against 162 here.
Source list: BLS wages (May 2025), EIA gas data (March to August 2026), EIA propane data (October 26, 2026), EIA outage records, EIA-861, FEMA. Every state.