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Generator Installation · California
A generator must connect through a transfer switch or an approved interlock so it can never feed power back into utility lines. Electricians install standby generators, portable generator inlets with interlocks, and the transfer equipment for both.
Electrification, rooftop solar and EV adoption make panel upgrades common, and wildfire-season power shutoffs drive generator and battery hookups.
Across the Pacific, homes deal with mild coast, wildfire seasons inland, and wet winters in the Northwest. Permit offices, utilities and housing stock differ by city, which affects how generator installation is planned and scheduled. These local guides cover the California cities where we have written specific notes.
SDG&E has used public safety power shutoffs during dangerous Santa Ana wind events, turning off power in high fire risk areas, mostly in the inland and backcountry communities east of the city. Homeowners in and near those areas often want backup power for the refrigerator, well pumps, medical equipment and internet.
Utility: SDG&E
The January 2023 storms brought down trees across Sacramento and left hundreds of thousands of SMUD customers without power, some for days, in one of the largest outages in the utility's history. Neighborhoods with large old trees, such as East Sacramento, Land Park and Curtis Park, were hit hardest.
Utility: SMUD (publicly owned)
PG&E has used public safety power shutoffs during high-wind fire weather, and homes in the Oakland hills, where the 1991 firestorm burned thousands of homes, are among those affected. Winter storms also bring down trees on lines in neighborhoods such as Montclair and Piedmont Avenue.
Utility: PG&E (lines and meters); Ava Community Energy for most customers' supply
In January 2025, the Eaton fire and the windstorm that drove it caused widespread outages in and around Pasadena and Altadena, and some neighborhoods were without power for days. Many Pasadena homeowners now want backup power for the refrigerator, internet and medical equipment.
Utility: Pasadena Water and Power (city-owned)
PG&E's public safety power shutoffs during high fire risk can leave Santa Rosa homes without power for a day or more, and the 2017 Tubbs Fire made many residents think carefully about resilience. With rooftop solar common, many owners choose a battery system that keeps essential circuits running without fuel.
Utility: PG&E
1. Size the load
Circuits that must stay powered are listed and the generator sized.
2. Choose the connection
Inlet and interlock, manual transfer switch or automatic transfer switch.
3. Install and inspect
Permitted installation, gas connection by a licensed fitter where needed, and inspection.
Electricians set their own prices; local permit fees and utility requirements add to these factors.
Permits come from the city or county where the home is. For example: San Diego: Inside city limits, electrical permits come from the City of San Diego Development Services Department; other cities in the county and unincorporated areas have their own building departments. Sacramento: Inside city limits, electrical permits come from the City of Sacramento Community Development Department; unincorporated areas are permitted by Sacramento County, and suburbs such as Elk Grove run their own. Oakland: Electrical permits in Oakland come from the city's Planning and Building Department; California electrical contractors are licensed by the Contractors State License Board. Pasadena: Pasadena has its own building department, and electrical permits come from the city's Planning and Community Development Department; Altadena is unincorporated and permitted by Los Angeles County. Santa Rosa: Electrical permits inside city limits come from the City of Santa Rosa's building division; Sonoma County handles unincorporated areas.
San Diego: SDG&E. Sacramento: SMUD (publicly owned). Oakland: PG&E (lines and meters); Ava Community Energy for most customers' supply. Pasadena: Pasadena Water and Power (city-owned). Santa Rosa: PG&E.
Listed interlock kits are accepted in many jurisdictions when installed with a permit. Your electrician will know the local rule.
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