Backup Power in
Whole-home battery backup and standby generators for Edgartown village, Katama and Chappaquiddick, designed by Boston Backup Power.
Build Your Power PlanEdgartown sits at the far end of the Vineyard's power supply, and Chappaquiddick sits one more cable beyond that. When something fails on the way, these are the homes that wait longest.
Boston Backup Power is a division of Boston Automations in Norwood. We design and install RoseWater Energy systems, Savant Power and Generac and Kohler standby generators, and licensed electricians and gas fitters make the connections.
Authorized RoseWater Energy Dealer. Authorized Savant dealer. Authorized Generac and Kohler partner. Updated .
Storms and outages in Edgartown
On July 16, 2021, one of the four cables faulted at 5:14 p.m. About 2,250 customers lost power, with the outages centered on Edgartown, and Eversource brought in 15 temporary generators while repairs that were expected to take eight to ten weeks went ahead. On Chappy, one of the three wires that feed the island from Edgartown failed in September 2010, and engineers found the fault about 45 feet from the Chappy shore.
In the February 2026 blizzard, MEMA counted 4,029 Edgartown customers out, 67 percent of the town. By Wednesday the Vineyard Gazette reported that the largest number of remaining outages on the island were in Edgartown, with large clusters in Katama and on Chappaquiddick, after a pole fire near the Katama General Store and a falling flagpole that took out power to Chappy.
Who supplies the power
Eversource serves Martha's Vineyard through four undersea cables from a switching station on Cape Cod, with five permanent diesel units on the island for summer peaks. Chappaquiddick gets its power from Edgartown by cable under the harbor.
Which system fits a Edgartown home?
We install all three, so we can recommend the one that suits the house and the budget.
Savant Power
For a village house that needs a few circuits kept on and has no room or approval for outdoor equipment, Savant Power Storage can go indoors, with relay modules in the existing panel.
Relay modules in your existing panel and Savant Power Storage batteries, so you choose which circuits get backup power and see your usage in the Savant app. Modules typically run $2,000 to $10,000, and battery backup $10,000 to more than $100,000.
Standby generator
On Chappy, where outages can run long and the ferry sets the pace for repairs, a standby generator behind a battery system covers the long tail. Outside the village historic district it is also simpler to place.
A Generac or Kohler standby generator on natural gas or propane that starts on its own when the power goes out. Most installs run $7,500 to $20,000.
Where the equipment goes in Edgartown
Edgartown's Historic District Commission requires a Certificate of Appropriateness for work visible from a public way, and it counts streets, alleys, parking lots and the harbor as public ways. In the village, an indoor battery system is far easier to approve than anything in the yard.
Out in Katama and on Chappy, houses have more room, but they are also closer to open water. A HUB goes in a garage or a raised mechanical room above the flood level. The HUB40 can go outdoors in RoseWater's enclosure where the HDC does not apply and the site allows it.
Permits in Edgartown
The Edgartown Historic District Commission's guidelines say no building in the district may be built or altered without a Certificate of Appropriateness for work visible from a public way, and the building inspector will not issue a permit without it. Work that cannot be seen gets a Certificate of Non-Applicability. We have not found a rule specific to generators, but the HDC has reviewed visible condenser placements, so we plan equipment locations with that review in mind.
How to start
For a RoseWater system, start with the Power Plan. For Savant Power, use the Savant quote form. For a standby generator, use the generator quote form. If you are not sure which one fits, use the contact form or call (781) 333-8003 and we will talk it through. We reply within one business day.
Questions about backup power in Edgartown
Can you install on Chappaquiddick?
Can you install on Chappaquiddick?
Yes. Deliveries and site visits are planned around the Chappy ferry. Chappy sits at the end of the Edgartown supply, so a system there should be sized for longer outages.
Do we need the Historic District Commission for a battery system in the village?
Do we need the Historic District Commission for a battery system in the village?
Not for equipment inside the house that cannot be seen from a public way. A generator, an outdoor enclosure or a visible tank would need a Certificate of Appropriateness.
The 2021 cable fault hit Edgartown hardest. Could it happen again?
The 2021 cable fault hit Edgartown hardest. Could it happen again?
Any cable can fail. Eversource keeps generators on the island for that, but rolling outages still reached homes in 2021. A HUB carries your house with no gap whatever the cause.
Ready to plan backup power in Edgartown?
Tell us about the house and what has to stay on. We visit, size the system and give you a written proposal. We reply within one business day.