Natural Gas vs. Propane Generator: Which Fuel Should You Choose?

Natural gas

Runs as long as your gas utility service is up, effectively unlimited runtime with no fuel storage or refilling. Requires an existing natural-gas line to your home; not available in all areas. That reliability depends on the utility staying up, though: a January 2019 pipeline failure cut gas service to more than 7,000 customers on Rhode Island's Aquidneck Island (Newport, RI and its neighbors) for about a week, a reminder that gas-fueled backup power isn't immune to the same infrastructure failures it's meant to protect against.

Propane

Requires an on-site propane tank (500 to 1,000 gallons is typical for extended-runtime use) that needs periodic refilling, but works anywhere regardless of natural-gas utility availability, a common choice in rural areas.

Which is right for you

Choose natural gas if: your home already has gas service and you want to never think about fuel again.

Choose propane if: you're in a rural area without gas utility service, or you want fuel on-site that isn't dependent on utility infrastructure staying up during a disaster. In Fairbanks, AK, for example, natural gas service is still new and limited, so propane and heating oil remain the dominant choice for most homes. The same is true around Bend, OR, where Cascade Natural Gas serves only part of the city and many Central Oregon properties fall outside its coverage entirely, relying on propane instead.

See our fuel consumption guide for how much fuel either option actually uses day to day, and browse license-checked installers who work with both fuel types.