Generator installation cost in Ohio
For natural gas service, a whole house 22 kW generator costs about $11,069 to $15,769 when installed in Ohio. Local electricians earn $33.09 an hour, which is 4% below the $34.37 average in the US. Their rate determines the $2,900 to $5,300 electrician price line.
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Ohio installation costs by generator size
Fuel at half load, at Ohio prices. For each model, Generac publishes a fuel table. The 26 kW, 24 kW and 18 kW models are all rated to use no more fuel per hour than the next smaller size, so hourly fuel use doesn't keep pace with kW.
| Size | Natural gas, installed | Gas at half load | Propane, installed | Propane at half load | Fuel figures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 kW | $8,319 to $13,019 | $1.80/h | $8,619 to $13,519 | $2.62/h | Generac Guardian 10 kW |
| 14 kW | $9,649 to $14,349 | $3.47/h | $9,949 to $14,849 | $4.89/h | Generac Guardian 14 kW |
| 18 kW | $10,469 to $15,169 | $3.01/h | $10,769 to $15,669 | $4.59/h | Generac Guardian 18 kW |
| 22 kW | $11,069 to $15,769 | $3.64/h | $11,369 to $16,269 | $6.83/h | Generac Guardian 22 kW |
| 24 kW | $11,489 to $16,189 | $3.62/h | $11,789 to $16,689 | $6.83/h | Generac Guardian 24 kW |
| 26 kW | $11,919 to $16,619 | $3.35/h | $12,219 to $17,119 | $5.56/h | Generac Guardian 26 kW |
What makes up a 22 kW price in Ohio?
With the hourly rate at $33.09, 28th of 51, labor runs up to $200 cheaper than it would be at US average pay.
| Line, 22 kW | Natural gas | Propane | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Generator | $6,309 | $6,309 | Generac's list price for a 22 kW bundle, 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 | $2,900 to $5,300 | $2,900 to $5,300 | published install ranges, adjusted to the Ohio hourly wage of $33.09 (BLS) |
| Fuel line | $500 to $1,900 | $800 to $2,400 | 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 | $11,069 to $15,769 | $11,369 to $16,269 | propane leaves out the tank |
Ohio fuel costs
| Fuel | Price | 22 kW an hour | Three days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | $17.82 per 1,000 ft³ | $3.64 | $262 |
| Propane | $2.70 a gallon | $6.83 | $492 (182 gal) |
Gas costs less in Ohio. At half load, a 22 kW costs $3.64 an hour on gas and $6.83 on propane. Residential gas prices here rank 16th cheapest among 51.
| Propane tank | Usable at 80% | 22 kW at half load | Fill at Ohio price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 250 gal | 200 gal | 79 h | $540 |
| 500 gal | 400 gal | 158 h | $1,080 |
Power outages in Ohio
Ohio customers lost an average of 206 minutes of power in 2025. That's below the US figure of 269 and ranks 32nd highest among 51. Major storms accounted for 37% of that time, while the figure for ordinary days was 130 minutes. At 511 minutes, 2024 was the worst year of the past ten. The ten-year average is 299, which puts 2025 at 93 minutes below it.
Each year from 2016 on
| Year | Minutes out, all events | Rank of 51 states | Without major storms |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 206 | 32nd | 130 |
| 2024 | 511 | 18th | 133 |
| 2023 | 367 | 17th | 127 |
| 2022 | 414 | 14th | 144 |
| 2021 | 245 | 24th | 136 |
| 2020 | 284 | 29th | 129 |
| 2019 | 304 | 15th | 145 |
| 2018 | 240 | 25th | 150 |
| 2017 | 247 | 25th | 142 |
| 2016 | 170 | 31st | 127 |
Ohio utilities and their 2025 outages
| Utility | Customers | Minutes out | Outages each | Minutes per outage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio Power Co | 1,543,930 | 221 | 1.22 | 181 |
| Ohio Edison Co | 1,067,297 | 244 | 1.51 | 161 |
| Duke Energy Ohio Inc | 760,555 | 178 | 1.01 | 176 |
| Cleveland Electric Illum Co | 745,881 | 196 | 1.37 | 143 |
| Dayton Power & Light Co | 619,282 | 168 | 0.99 | 169 |
Ohio Edison Co customers lost 244 minutes of power in 2025, compared with 168 minutes for Dayton Power & Light Co. The 5 largest utilities are close together at a 1.5 to one ratio, so the 206 minute state figure offers a fair guide. Customers across all utilities lost power 1.27 times during the year on a customer-weighted average, which was less often than the US average of 1.35. Customers on Ohio Power Co lines lost power for an average of 181 minutes per outage, about 3.0 hours. That use costs $10.96 in gas for a 22 kW unit at half load.
Major disasters declared by FEMA in Ohio since 2016
There were 3 floods and 2 tornadoes, making 5 major disaster declarations in all. The latest came in October 2026, and COVID-19 wasn't included. Because there have been 3 flood declarations, put the generator pad higher than the lot's local flood level. The permit office can provide this figure.
The counties named most often are Muskingum County (4), Perry County (4), Morgan County (3), Adams County (2), Athens County (2), Auglaize County (2), Belmont County (2) and Brown County (2).
| Declared | Disaster | FEMA number |
|---|---|---|
| October 2026 | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, and Landslides | DR-4945 |
| May 2024 | Tornadoes | DR-4777 |
| June 2019 | Mudslide and Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides | DR-4447 |
| April 2019 | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides | DR-4424 |
| April 2018 | Severe Storms, Landslides, and Mudslides | DR-4360 |
Ohio and the states next to it
| State | 22 kW on gas, installed | Wage | Minutes out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio | $11,069 to $15,769 | $33.09 | 206 |
| Indiana | $11,169 to $16,069 | $34.05 | 379 |
| Kentucky | $10,669 to $14,969 | $29.52 | 396 |
| Michigan | $11,269 to $16,369 | $35.5 | 609 |
| Pennsylvania | $11,369 to $16,469 | $36.43 | 413 |
| West Virginia | $10,969 to $15,669 | $32.61 | 1,013 |
2 of the 5 neighbors have lower installation costs. Kentucky has the lowest cost at $10,669, while Pennsylvania has the highest at $11,369. Prices vary less than outages. In 2025, West Virginia had 1,013 outage minutes, while this state had 206.
Sources: BLS wages (May 2025), gas data from EIA (March to August 2026), propane data from EIA (October 26, 2026), outage figures from EIA, EIA-861, FEMA. Every state.