Generator installation cost in Tennessee
In Tennessee, the installed price for a 22 kW whole house generator using natural gas is about $10,769 to $15,269. Electricians in Tennessee earn $30.55 an hour, which is 11% under the US average of $34.37. This rate puts the electrician portion at $2,700 to $4,900.
Is 22 kW the right fit? Size your house with three questions.
Installed prices in Tennessee by size
Tennessee prices and fuel at half load According to Generac's fuel tables, models rated at 18 kW, 24 kW and 26 kW consume no more fuel each hour than the next smaller model. Hourly fuel use therefore 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 | $8,019 to $12,519 | $1.86/h | $8,319 to $12,919 | $3.18/h | Generac Guardian 10 kW |
| 14 kW | $9,349 to $13,849 | $3.59/h | $9,649 to $14,249 | $5.93/h | Generac Guardian 14 kW |
| 18 kW | $10,169 to $14,669 | $3.11/h | $10,469 to $15,069 | $5.57/h | Generac Guardian 18 kW |
| 22 kW | $10,769 to $15,269 | $3.75/h | $11,069 to $15,669 | $8.29/h | Generac Guardian 22 kW |
| 24 kW | $11,189 to $15,689 | $3.73/h | $11,489 to $16,089 | $8.29/h | Generac Guardian 24 kW |
| 26 kW | $11,619 to $16,119 | $3.46/h | $11,919 to $16,519 | $6.75/h | Generac Guardian 26 kW |
What makes up the 22 kW price in Tennessee
The $30.55 an hour wage ranks 37th of 51, so labor costs come to up to $600 less than labor at US average pay
| Line, 22 kW | Natural gas | Propane | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Generator | $6,309 | $6,309 | Generac's list price for the 22 kW bundle without the switch |
| Transfer switch | $1,060 | $1,060 | Difference between Generac's prices with and without the switch |
| Electrician: switch, wiring, start-up | $2,700 to $4,900 | $2,700 to $4,900 | The published installation ranges reflect Tennessee's hourly wage of $30.55 (BLS). |
| Fuel line | $400 to $1,800 | $700 to $2,200 | Gas line connected to the meter; propane line connected to the tank |
| Pad and permit | $300 to $1,200 | $300 to $1,200 | composite pad or slab, local fees |
| Installed | $10,769 to $15,269 | $11,069 to $15,669 | propane leaves out the tank |
What fuel costs in Tennessee
| Fuel | Price | 22 kW an hour | Three days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | $18.39 per 1,000 ft³ | $3.75 | $270 |
| Propane | $3.28 a gallon | $8.29 | $597 (182 gal) |
Gas costs less in Tennessee. At half load, a 22 kW generator costs $3.75 an hour on gas, compared with $8.29 on propane. Residential gas prices rank 19th cheapest of 51 here.
| Propane tank | Usable at 80% | 22 kW at half load | Fill at Tennessee price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 250 gal | 200 gal | 79 h | $655 |
| 500 gal | 400 gal | 158 h | $1,311 |
Power outages in Tennessee
In 2025, Tennessee customers averaged 228 minutes without power. The US figure was 269, placing Tennessee 28th highest of 51. That total included 35% caused by major storms. The figure for ordinary days was 147 minutes. The ten-year period had its worst result in 2023, when outages reached 927 minutes. With a ten-year average of 411, 2025 finished 183 minutes under that figure.
Each year since 2016
| Year | Minutes out, all events | Rank of 51 states | Without major storms |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 228 | 28th | 147 |
| 2024 | 289 | 28th | 170 |
| 2023 | 927 | 4th | 193 |
| 2022 | 428 | 13th | 194 |
| 2021 | 317 | 19th | 152 |
| 2020 | 618 | 9th | 145 |
| 2019 | 253 | 21st | 160 |
| 2018 | 218 | 27th | 146 |
| 2017 | 622 | 9th | 142 |
| 2016 | 213 | 20th | 142 |
Tennessee utilities and their 2025 outages
| Utility | Customers | Minutes out | Outages each | Minutes per outage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Memphis | 430,114 | 349 | 2.23 | 156 |
| Middle Tennessee E M C | 355,220 | 50 | 0.93 | 54 |
| Knoxville Utilities Board | 225,030 | 274 | 1.26 | 217 |
| Cumberland Elec Member Corp | 113,563 | 221 | 2.67 | 83 |
| City of Clarksville | 86,998 | 117 | 1.18 | 99 |
In 2025, customers of City of Memphis went without power for 349 minutes, compared with 50 minutes for Middle Tennessee E M C. The 6.9 to one difference means the utility serving your street has more weight than the statewide figure of 228 minutes. After weighting all utilities by customer count, customers lost power 1.54 times per year on average. That rate exceeds the US average of 1.35. City of Memphis outages lasted an average of 156 minutes, or about 2.6 hours. For a 22 kW generator at half load, that uses $9.78 of gas.
Since 2016, FEMA has declared major disasters in Tennessee.
Severe storms (13), tornadoes (3), floods (2), winter storms (2), ice storms (1), tropical storms (1) and wildfires (1) add up to 23 major disaster declarations in all. The newest came in February 2026, and COVID-19 is not counted. Of the 23 declarations, 1 involved a tropical or coastal storm. Tropical Storm Helene, from October 2024, was the latest, and those outages run for days. Winter, snow or ice storms accounted for 3 events. The engine keeps starting when you use a cold-weather kit. A wildfire accounted for 1 disaster. In fire country, utilities also shut off lines on purpose during high winds, but these shutoffs never appear as declarations.
The most frequently named counties were Davidson County (9), Cheatham County (8), Decatur County (8), Dickson County (8), Henderson County (8), Shelby County (8), Tipton County (8) and Hardin County (7).
| Declared | Disaster | FEMA number |
|---|---|---|
| February 2026 | Severe Winter Storm | DR-4898 |
| June 2025 | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding | DR-4878 |
| October 2024 | Tropical Storm Helene | DR-4832 |
| June 2024 | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding | DR-4792 |
| December 2023 | Severe Storms and Tornadoes | DR-4751 |
| September 2023 | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornado | DR-4742 |
Tennessee along with its neighbors
| State | 22 kW on gas, installed | Wage | Minutes out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | $10,769 to $15,269 | $30.55 | 228 |
| Alabama | $10,469 to $14,569 | $27.65 | 270 |
| Arkansas | $10,269 to $14,169 | $25.71 | 475 |
| Georgia | $10,669 to $14,969 | $29.37 | 269 |
| Kentucky | $10,669 to $14,969 | $29.52 | 396 |
| Missouri | $11,169 to $16,169 | $34.77 | 466 |
| Mississippi | $10,469 to $14,669 | $27.88 | 524 |
| North Carolina | $10,469 to $14,569 | $27.33 | 192 |
| Virginia | $10,969 to $15,669 | $32.62 | 763 |
Installation costs are lower in 6 of 8 neighbors. Missouri has the highest installation cost at $11,169, while Arkansas has the lowest at $10,269. The larger gap is in outages, not price. Virginia recorded 763 minutes in 2025, compared with 228 locally.
Sources: BLS wages (May 2025), EIA gas data (March to August 2026), EIA propane data (October 26, 2026), EIA outage data, EIA-861, FEMA. All states.