Generator installation cost in West Virginia
For about $10,969 to $15,669, you can have a 22 kW whole house generator installed in West Virginia using natural gas. Here, electricians earn $32.61 an hour, which is 5% under the US average of $34.37. That hourly rate drives the $2,800 to $5,200 electrician line of the price.
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Installed cost, by size, in West Virginia
Fuel at half load, plus West Virginia prices. For each model, Generac publishes a fuel table. The models rated at 18 kW and at 24 kW, along with the 26 kW model, are rated to use no more fuel each hour. That is no more than the next size down uses. So hourly fuel use doesn't climb in proportion to kW.
| Size | Natural gas, installed | Gas at half load | Propane, installed | Propane at half load | Fuel figures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 kW | $8,219 to $12,919 | $2.07/h | $8,519 to $13,419 | $3.59/h | Generac Guardian 10 kW |
| 14 kW | $9,549 to $14,249 | $3.99/h | $9,849 to $14,749 | $6.70/h | Generac Guardian 14 kW |
| 18 kW | $10,369 to $15,069 | $3.46/h | $10,669 to $15,569 | $6.29/h | Generac Guardian 18 kW |
| 22 kW | $10,969 to $15,669 | $4.17/h | $11,269 to $16,169 | $9.36/h | Generac Guardian 22 kW |
| 24 kW | $11,389 to $16,089 | $4.15/h | $11,689 to $16,589 | $9.36/h | Generac Guardian 24 kW |
| 26 kW | $11,819 to $16,519 | $3.85/h | $12,119 to $17,019 | $7.62/h | Generac Guardian 26 kW |
How the 22 kW price breaks down in West Virginia
Electricians earn $32.61 an hour, placing the state 30th of 51. As a result, labor costs up to $300 less than at the US average wage.
| Line, 22 kW | Natural gas | Propane | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Generator | $6,309 | $6,309 | Generac's list price, less the switch, for the 22 kW bundle |
| Transfer switch | $1,060 | $1,060 | Difference between Generac's prices with and without the switch |
| Electrician: switch, wiring, start-up | $2,800 to $5,200 | $2,800 to $5,200 | published install ranges, using the West Virginia hourly wage of $32.61 (BLS) |
| Fuel line | $500 to $1,900 | $800 to $2,400 | From the meter comes the gas line; the propane line runs from the tank. |
| Pad and permit | $300 to $1,200 | $300 to $1,200 | composite pad or slab, local fees |
| Installed | $10,969 to $15,669 | $11,269 to $16,169 | propane leaves out the tank |
Fuel costs in West Virginia
| Fuel | Price | 22 kW an hour | Three days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | $20.46 per 1,000 ft³ | $4.17 | $301 |
| Propane | $3.70 a gallon | $9.36 | $674 (182 gal) |
In West Virginia, gas runs cheaper: $4.17 an hour for a 22 kW at half load, compared with $9.36 on propane. Residential gas prices here rank 23rd cheapest of 51. Propane prices use the EIA Lower Atlantic average, which includes West Virginia in this region.
| Propane tank | Usable at 80% | 22 kW at half load | Fill at the Lower Atlantic average price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 250 gal | 200 gal | 79 h | $740 |
| 500 gal | 400 gal | 158 h | $1,480 |
Power outages in West Virginia
In 2025, West Virginia customers averaged 1,013 minutes without power, above the US figure of 269 and the 1st highest of 51. Major storms caused 51% of the outage time, while ordinary days accounted for 498 minutes. Of the last ten years, 2024 was the worst, with 1,166 minutes. With a ten-year average of 858, 2025 ran 155 minutes above that.
All years since 2016
| Year | Minutes out, all events | Rank of 51 states | Without major storms |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,013 | 1st | 498 |
| 2024 | 1,166 | 7th | 486 |
| 2023 | 752 | 8th | 386 |
| 2022 | 1,003 | 3rd | 544 |
| 2021 | 1,117 | 5th | 452 |
| 2020 | 604 | 10th | 468 |
| 2019 | 755 | 2nd | 471 |
| 2018 | 740 | 6th | 513 |
| 2017 | 691 | 8th | 452 |
| 2016 | 743 | 3rd | 439 |
West Virginia utilities and their 2025 outages
| Utility | Customers | Minutes out | Outages each | Minutes per outage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appalachian Power Co | 417,331 | 1,035 | 2.98 | 347 |
| Monongahela Power Co | 391,428 | 1,250 | 3.72 | 336 |
| The Potomac Edison Company | 155,497 | 440 | 1.96 | 224 |
| Wheeling Power Co | 41,032 | 706 | 2.26 | 312 |
In 2025, Monongahela Power Co customers lost power for 1,250 minutes, compared with 440 minutes for The Potomac Edison Company. Which utility serves your street matters more than the statewide 1,013 minute figure when the ratio is 2.8 to one. Customer-weighted across all utilities, each customer lost power an average of 3.08 times during the year, compared with 1.35 across the US. An average outage on Appalachian Power Co lines lasted 347 minutes, or about 5.8 hours. At that duration, a 22 kW generator at half load would use $24.15 of gas.
Major FEMA disasters in West Virginia since 2016
Declarations included floods: 8; severe storms: 6; ice storm: 1; landslide: 1; and tropical storm: 1. These came to 17 major disasters, with the latest declared in October 2026 and COVID-19 excluded. A tropical or coastal storm made up 1 of the 17. The most recent one was Post-Tropical Storm Helene in December 2024, and outages from storms like that run for days. Winter or ice storms account for 1 of them, and a cold-weather kit is what keeps the engine starting. Since 8 declarations involved floods, put your generator pad above the local flood level. The permit office can provide that level for the lot.
Counties named most often: Lincoln County (7), Kanawha County (6), Wayne County (6), Boone County (5), Ohio County (5), Tyler County (5), Wetzel County (5), Cabell County (4).
| Declared | Disaster | FEMA number |
|---|---|---|
| October 2026 | Severe Storms and Flooding | DR-4953 |
| August 2026 | Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, plus Mudslides | DR-4932 |
| July 2025 | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides | DR-4884 |
| February 2025 | Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides | DR-4861 |
| December 2024 | Post-Tropical Storm Helene | DR-4851 |
| May 2024 | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides | DR-4787 |
West Virginia and the states next to it
| State | 22 kW on gas, installed | Wage | Minutes out |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | $10,969 to $15,669 | $32.61 | 1,013 |
| Kentucky | $10,669 to $14,969 | $29.52 | 396 |
| Maryland | $11,369 to $16,469 | $36.28 | 178 |
| Ohio | $11,069 to $15,769 | $33.09 | 206 |
| Pennsylvania | $11,369 to $16,469 | $36.43 | 413 |
| Virginia | $10,969 to $15,669 | $32.62 | 763 |
Only 1 of 5 neighbors has a lower installation cost. At $10,669, Kentucky has the lowest cost. Maryland and Pennsylvania are highest at $11,369. Outage times show a bigger difference than prices. Virginia recorded 763 minutes in 2025, while West Virginia recorded 1,013.
Data sources: BLS wages (May 2025), gas prices from EIA (March to August 2026), propane prices from EIA (October 26, 2026), outage data from EIA, EIA-861, FEMA. Every state.