Generator installation cost in Pennsylvania
Installed in Pennsylvania, a natural gas whole house generator at 22 kW costs about $11,369 to $16,469. Here an electrician earns $36.43 an hour, 6% more than the average of $34.37 in the US. That rate is what sets the electrician line of the price, between $3,200 and $5,800.
Does 22 kW fit your needs? Three sizing questions help you decide.
What each size costs to install in Pennsylvania
Fuel costs at half load, based on Pennsylvania prices. For every model, Generac lists fuel use in a table. The 26 kW, 18 kW and 24 kW units are rated to burn no more each hour than the next smaller size, so hourly fuel use doesn't climb in step with the kW rating.
| Size | Natural gas, installed | Gas at half load | Propane, installed | Propane at half load | Fuel figures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 kW | $8,619 to $13,719 | $2.32/h | $8,919 to $14,319 | $3.11/h | Generac Guardian 10 kW |
| 14 kW | $9,949 to $15,049 | $4.48/h | $10,249 to $15,649 | $5.81/h | Generac Guardian 14 kW |
| 18 kW | $10,769 to $15,869 | $3.88/h | $11,069 to $16,469 | $5.46/h | Generac Guardian 18 kW |
| 22 kW | $11,369 to $16,469 | $4.69/h | $11,669 to $17,069 | $8.12/h | Generac Guardian 22 kW |
| 24 kW | $11,789 to $16,889 | $4.66/h | $12,089 to $17,489 | $8.12/h | Generac Guardian 24 kW |
| 26 kW | $12,219 to $17,319 | $4.32/h | $12,519 to $17,919 | $6.61/h | Generac Guardian 26 kW |
How the 22 kW price in Pennsylvania breaks down
With an hourly wage of $36.43 that ranks 14th of 51, labor runs up to $300 above what US average pay would cost.
| Line, 22 kW | Natural gas | Propane | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Generator | $6,309 | $6,309 | The 22 kW bundle at Generac's list price, without the switch |
| Transfer switch | $1,060 | $1,060 | the gap separating Generac's listings that include the switch from those that don't |
| Electrician: switch, wiring, start-up | $3,200 to $5,800 | $3,200 to $5,800 | Install ranges as published, matched to the $36.43 an hour Pennsylvania wage (BLS) |
| Fuel line | $500 to $2,100 | $800 to $2,700 | The gas line starts at the meter, the propane line at the tank |
| Pad and permit | $300 to $1,200 | $300 to $1,200 | composite pad or slab, local fees |
| Installed | $11,369 to $16,469 | $11,669 to $17,069 | propane leaves out the tank |
Pennsylvania fuel costs
| Fuel | Price | 22 kW an hour | Three days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | $22.97 per 1,000 ft³ | $4.69 | $337 |
| Propane | $3.21 a gallon | $8.12 | $585 (182 gal) |
Pennsylvania gas runs cheaper than propane: $4.69 an hour for a 22 kW at half load, compared with $8.12 on propane. For residential gas, this state ranks 32nd cheapest of 51.
| Propane tank | Usable at 80% | 22 kW at half load | Fill at Pennsylvania price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 250 gal | 200 gal | 79 h | $642 |
| 500 gal | 400 gal | 158 h | $1,284 |
Pennsylvania outages
In 2025, customers in Pennsylvania averaged 413 minutes without power. The US figure is 269, and the state ranks 9th highest of 51. Major storms account for 67% of it, while ordinary days account for 136 minutes. Of the last ten years, 2018 was the worst, at 564 minutes. The ten-year average sits at 295, and 2025 came in 118 minutes above it.
Each year since 2016
| Year | Minutes out, all events | Rank of 51 states | Without major storms |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 413 | 9th | 136 |
| 2024 | 353 | 22nd | 132 |
| 2023 | 265 | 23rd | 126 |
| 2022 | 208 | 29th | 125 |
| 2021 | 223 | 25th | 125 |
| 2020 | 355 | 20th | 108 |
| 2019 | 253 | 22nd | 131 |
| 2018 | 564 | 9th | 123 |
| 2017 | 185 | 34th | 108 |
| 2016 | 132 | 43rd | 105 |
Pennsylvania utilities and their 2025 outages
| Utility | Customers | Minutes out | Outages each | Minutes per outage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Co | 2,084,958 | 647 | 2.02 | 320 |
| PECO Energy Co | 1,698,536 | 328 | 1.12 | 293 |
| PPL Electric Utilities Corp | 1,477,678 | 198 | 0.97 | 204 |
| Duquesne Light Co | 617,922 | 856 | 1.27 | 674 |
| UGI Utilities, Inc | 62,704 | 56 | 0.58 | 97 |
In 2025, Duquesne Light Co customers were without power for 856 minutes, against 56 for UGI Utilities, Inc. That 15.3 to one gap makes your street's utility count more than the state's 413 minute figure. The customer-weighted average across all utilities was 1.42 power outages per customer that year, compared with 1.35 across the US. Customers here lost power more often. Customers on FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Co lines had outages that averaged 320 minutes, or about 5.3 hours. For a 22 kW generator at half load, that amount of runtime costs $25.03 in gas.
Major FEMA disasters in Pennsylvania since 2016
In all, 5 major disasters have been declared: 1 tropical storm, 1 snowstorm, 1 severe storm, 1 hurricane and 1 flood, with COVID-19 left out. The latest came in September 2024. Among the 5, 2 involved tropical or coastal storms, and Tropical Storm Debby in September 2024 came most recently. Outages from storms like that last for days. 1 of them was a winter or ice storm, and a cold-weather kit is what keeps the engine starting.
Lycoming County (3), Northampton County (3), Schuylkill County (3), Sullivan County (3), Bedford County (2), Bradford County (2), Bucks County (2) and Chester County (2) are named in the most of them.
| Declared | Disaster | FEMA number |
|---|---|---|
| September 2024 | Tropical Storm Debby | DR-4815 |
| September 2021 | Remnants of Hurricane Ida | DR-4618 |
| November 2018 | Severe Storms and Flooding | DR-4408 |
| December 2016 | Severe Storms and Flooding | DR-4292 |
| March 2016 | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm | DR-4267 |
Pennsylvania together with its neighbors
| State | 22 kW on gas, installed | Wage | Minutes out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | $11,369 to $16,469 | $36.43 | 413 |
| Delaware | $11,169 to $15,969 | $34.02 | 104 |
| Maryland | $11,369 to $16,469 | $36.28 | 178 |
| New Jersey | $11,869 to $17,669 | $41.68 | 155 |
| New York | $11,869 to $17,469 | $40.8 | 247 |
| Ohio | $11,069 to $15,769 | $33.09 | 206 |
| West Virginia | $10,969 to $15,669 | $32.61 | 1,013 |
Of the 6 neighbors, 3 install for less. The lowest cost is West Virginia's $10,969, while New Jersey and New York sit highest at $11,869. Outage times vary more than prices do. West Virginia recorded 1,013 minutes in 2025, while here it was 413.
Sources: BLS wages (May 2025), EIA propane (October 26, 2026), EIA gas (March through August 2026), EIA outages, EIA-861, FEMA. Every state.