Generator installation cost in Texas
The total installed cost in Texas is about $10,569 to $14,869 for a 22 kW whole house generator running on natural gas. Electricians here earn $28.5 an hour, which is 17% less than the $34.37 average in the US. Their wage sets the electrician charge at $2,500 to $4,600 within the price.
Unsure whether 22 kW is right for your house? Size your house in three questions.
Total installed cost in Texas by size
At half load, the fuel figures use Texas prices. Generac provides a fuel table for each of its models. Units at 18 kW, 24 kW and 26 kW are rated so that running an hour burns no more than the next size down, which is why hourly fuel use doesn't increase in step with the kW rating.
| Size | Natural gas, installed | Gas at half load | Propane, installed | Propane at half load | Fuel figures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 kW | $7,819 to $12,119 | $3.11/h | $8,119 to $12,519 | $3.08/h | Generac Guardian 10 kW |
| 14 kW | $9,149 to $13,449 | $6.01/h | $9,449 to $13,849 | $5.76/h | Generac Guardian 14 kW |
| 18 kW | $9,969 to $14,269 | $5.21/h | $10,269 to $14,669 | $5.41/h | Generac Guardian 18 kW |
| 22 kW | $10,569 to $14,869 | $6.29/h | $10,869 to $15,269 | $8.05/h | Generac Guardian 22 kW |
| 24 kW | $10,989 to $15,289 | $6.26/h | $11,289 to $15,689 | $8.05/h | Generac Guardian 24 kW |
| 26 kW | $11,419 to $15,719 | $5.80/h | $11,719 to $16,119 | $6.55/h | Generac Guardian 26 kW |
Parts of the 22 kW price in Texas
Electricians earn $28.5 an hour, ranking 45th of 51 and among the lowest rates. This makes labor cost up to $900 less than at the US average pay.
| Line, 22 kW | Natural gas | Propane | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Generator | $6,309 | $6,309 | Generac's 22 kW bundle list price, minus the switch |
| Transfer switch | $1,060 | $1,060 | Difference between Generac's prices with and without the switch |
| Electrician: switch, wiring, start-up | $2,500 to $4,600 | $2,500 to $4,600 | The published installation ranges reflect an hourly Texas wage of $28.5 (BLS). |
| Fuel line | $400 to $1,700 | $700 to $2,100 | The meter supplies the gas line, while the tank supplies the propane line. |
| 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 |
Texas fuel costs
| Fuel | Price | 22 kW an hour | Three days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | $30.84 per 1,000 ft³ | $6.29 | $453 |
| Propane | $3.18 a gallon | $8.05 | $579 (182 gal) |
Natural gas costs less in Texas. At half load, a 22 kW unit uses $6.29 an hour on gas, compared with $8.05 on propane. Here, residential gas ranks 48th cheapest among 51.
| Propane tank | Usable at 80% | 22 kW at half load | Fill at Texas price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 250 gal | 200 gal | 79 h | $636 |
| 500 gal | 400 gal | 158 h | $1,272 |
Power outages in Texas
Texas customers averaged 211 minutes without power in 2025. That's below the US figure of 269 and ranks 31st highest of 51. Major storms accounted for 29% of that outage time, while the average for ordinary days was 150 minutes. In 2024, outages reached 1,614 minutes, the highest total of the past ten years. Compared with the 566-minute ten-year average, 2025 was 355 minutes lower.
Each year since 2016
| Year | Minutes out, all events | Rank of 51 states | Without major storms |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 211 | 31st | 150 |
| 2024 | 1,614 | 3rd | 153 |
| 2023 | 583 | 11th | 150 |
| 2022 | 205 | 30th | 154 |
| 2021 | 1,496 | 3rd | 175 |
| 2020 | 419 | 17th | 133 |
| 2019 | 255 | 20th | 141 |
| 2018 | 170 | 31st | 130 |
| 2017 | 487 | 11th | 135 |
| 2016 | 217 | 18th | 133 |
Texas utilities and their 2025 outages
| Utility | Customers | Minutes out | Outages each | Minutes per outage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC | 4,084,817 | 232 | 1.55 | 150 |
| CenterPoint Energy | 2,898,292 | 193 | 1.95 | 99 |
| City of San Antonio | 940,662 | 111 | 1.54 | 72 |
| AEP Texas Central Company | 921,564 | 205 | 1.76 | 116 |
| Austin Energy | 575,518 | 182 | 1.29 | 141 |
Customers of Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC averaged 232 minutes without power in 2025, compared with 111 minutes for City of San Antonio. A 2.1 to one comparison makes the utility on your street more important than the 211 minute state figure. Across all utilities, the customer-weighted average was 1.78 power losses per year, which was more often than the 1.35 reported across the US. An outage on Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC lines lasted an average of 150 minutes, about 2.5 hours. That's $15.70 in gas for a 22 kW generator at half load.
Texas FEMA major disasters since 2016
Declarations covered 1 ice storm, 3 hurricanes, 1 winter storm, 1 severe storm and 11 floods. There were 17 major disasters altogether, with the latest declared in September 2026. COVID-19 isn't included. Tropical or coastal storms made up 3 of the 17 disasters. The latest was Hurricane Beryl in July 2024. Their outages run for days. The count included 2 winter, snow or ice storms. The engine keeps starting with a cold-weather kit. There are 11 flood declarations, and the permit office can provide the lot's local flood level. Keep the generator pad above that level.
Grimes County (8), Harris County (7), Walker County (8), Jasper County (7), Liberty County (7), Madison County (7), Montgomery County (7) and San Jacinto County (7) were named most often.
| Declared | Disaster | FEMA number |
|---|---|---|
| September 2026 | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding | DR-4935 |
| July 2025 | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding | DR-4879 |
| May 2025 | Severe Storms and Flooding | DR-4871 |
| July 2024 | Hurricane Beryl | DR-4798 |
| May 2024 | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding | DR-4781 |
| April 2023 | Severe Winter Storm | DR-4705 |
Texas and neighboring states
| State | 22 kW on gas, installed | Wage | Minutes out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | $10,569 to $14,869 | $28.5 | 211 |
| Arkansas | $10,269 to $14,169 | $25.71 | 475 |
| Louisiana | $10,669 to $15,069 | $29.98 | 272 |
| New Mexico | $10,569 to $14,869 | $28.66 | 162 |
| Oklahoma | $10,769 to $15,269 | $30.49 | 297 |
Just 1 of 4 neighbors installs for less. Among these states, Arkansas has the lowest figure, $10,269, while Oklahoma has the highest, $10,769. While prices differ less, outage times vary more. Arkansas recorded 475 minutes in 2025, compared with 211 here.
The references are BLS wages (May 2025), gas figures from EIA (March to August 2026), propane figures from EIA (October 26, 2026), outages listed by EIA, EIA-861, FEMA. All states.