Portland General Electric / PGE
Investor-owned utility
About 20¢/kWh, plus a ~$16 monthly fixed charge. Energy Trust incentives apply.
PGE rates and solar rulesPortland Metro · Multnomah County
Solar panel and battery installation in Portland, Oregon
Solar and battery systems sized to Portland sun and PGE rates, designed and installed by a local Oregon crew.
1,121kWh per kW / year (NREL)
PGEMain utility
EligibleEnergy Trust
30+Our installs in Portland
Multnomah County
Going solar in Portland
A south-facing solar system in Portland produces about 1,121 kWh per installed kW each year, according to NREL's PVWatts model. A home using about 11,000 kWh a year needs roughly 9.8 kW (23 panels) here, and a 7.5 kW system offsets about $1,682 of PGE energy charges in its first year.
Portland's PGE rates are among the highest in Oregon, which makes solar especially valuable here. Net metering and Energy Trust incentives help Portland homeowners own their power.
Portland's reputation for rain hides how productive its summers are. Most of the year's solar output comes from May through September, and net metering banks that surplus for winter bills.
PGE serves the Portland metro, much of the north Willamette Valley and Salem. Its optional Time of Day plan prices on-peak power (5 to 9 p.m.) highest, which is where battery storage earns its keep.
National Solar has completed 30+ projects in Portland, so our crews already know Multnomah County permitting and PGE interconnection here.
Local production data
How much solar produces in Portland
July is the strongest month at about 1,200 kWh; December is the weakest at 270 kWh. Net metering carries summer surplus into winter.
278Jan
390Feb
660Mar
803Apr
998May
983Jun
1200Jul
1020Aug
885Sep
578Oct
345Nov
270Dec
| Jan | 278 kWh |
|---|---|
| Feb | 390 kWh |
| Mar | 660 kWh |
| Apr | 803 kWh |
| May | 998 kWh |
| Jun | 983 kWh |
| Jul | 1200 kWh |
| Aug | 1020 kWh |
| Sep | 885 kWh |
| Oct | 578 kWh |
| Nov | 345 kWh |
| Dec | 270 kWh |
- System to offset a typical home
- 9.8 kW
- Panels (430 W)
- 23
- 7.5 kW annual output
- 8,408 kWh
- First-year energy savings
- $1,682
Utilities
Portland's electric utility
Your utility sets your rate, net metering rules and which incentives apply. Check the name on your bill.
Portland specifics
Solar in Portland: rates, shutoffs and permits
What's different about going solar inside the city of Portland, from PGE pricing to the West Hills fire zones and City permitting.
Local proof in the Portland metro
- 32 systems in Portland and 112 across the Portland metro, from Hillsboro to Gresham.
- Chosen as a contractor for the 2025 Solarize Lake Oswego campaign, selected from Energy Trust of Oregon trade allies.
- An Energy Trust of Oregon trade ally since 2009, with a 98% customer satisfaction rating through Energy Trust.
- Our own in-house crews install and service every system. We don't sub out the work.
PGE rates in Portland
- Average residential energy rate
- About 20¢ per kWh
- Monthly basic charge
- About $16
- Rate change, 2021 to 2026
- 13.4¢ to 20¢ (up 49%)
- Requested for 2027
- About 3.9% more for residential
- Net metering
- Credits surplus kWh at full retail value, month to month
- Time of Day plan
- Higher prices 5 to 9 p.m.; a battery shifts solar into those hours
Wildfire shutoffs and outages
- PGE can turn off power in designated high fire-risk zones during hot, dry, windy weather, called a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS).
- Inside Portland, the zones cover the West Hills: Skyline Boulevard, Forest Park's edges, Sylvan and the neighborhoods along the Tualatin Mountains. Around the metro they include the Mt. Hood corridor and the Columbia River Gorge.
- Shutoffs usually happen in late summer and early fall and can last a day or more. PGE posts notices in advance when it can.
- Ice storms cause the longer outages: the February 2021 storms cut power to more than 288,000 PGE customers at the peak, and January 2024 left about 167,000 out at once.
- Solar alone shuts off when the grid does. A home battery keeps the fridge, lights, internet, furnace fan and medical equipment running, and solar recharges it each day.
Portland solar permits
- Portland Permitting & Development (PP&D) reviews residential solar through DevHub PDX, the city's online permit system.
- Standard rooftop systems that meet state code limits can use the prescriptive path, which doesn't need a stamped engineering design and moves faster. Heavier systems, older or unusual roofs and ground mounts go through the engineered path.
- Electrical work needs its own electrical permit, and the system gets structural, electrical and final inspections before PGE approves switch-on.
- Oregon law (ORS 94.778) limits how far planned-community HOAs can restrict rooftop solar.
- We pull every permit, schedule the inspections and file the PGE interconnection and Energy Trust paperwork for you.
Utility rates only move one way: up.
See what your utility charges today and how much it has climbed since 2021. Enter your bill to get your personalized Price of Power report.
Electricity rates by county
Tap your county, or enter your ZIP.
- Under 9¢
- 9–11¢
- 11–13¢
- 13–17¢
- 17¢+
Shaded by each county's primary utility. Faded counties aren't served by PGE.
How it works
One free estimate. Two ways to get it.
Free. No obligation.
Oregon homeowners trust National Solar
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Over 3,500 installs in Oregon
Local FAQ
Portland solar questions
Sources and method
Production: NREL PVWatts v8 (NSRDB weather data) at Portland's U.S. Census coordinates (45.537, -122.650), 1 kW, 20° tilt, south-facing, 14% system losses. Rates: average residential energy charges reported by each utility. Install counts: National Solar project records. Data updated 2026-10-20. Your roof's direction, shading and usage change the numbers, so your free assessment uses your actual address and bills.