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U.S. average retail electricity prices 1990-2018
U.S. average retail electricity prices 1990-2018
Average retail electricity prices in the U.S. from 1990 to 2018 (in U.S. cents per kilowatt hour)
by T. Wang,
last edited
Apr 12, 2019
This statistic reflects the average retail price of electricity in the United States between 1990 and 2018. Here, the average retail price of electricity was at 10.58 cents per kilowatt hour in 2018.
A ranking of the largest electric utilities companies in the United States can be found here as well as a ranking of global electricity prices in select countries.
Retail electricity prices in the United States
When Thomas A. Edison developed a system to generate and distribute electricity in order to market his greatest creation, the electric light bulb, he would have known little about the dramatic impact his invention would create on civilization 130 years after the inauguration of the world’s first power station on Pearl Street in Manhattan, New York. In 21st century America, electric power is omnipresent in peoples’ lives, as electricity is powering our factories, shops, homes - and even cars. It goes without saying that electricity consumption has to be paid for, and, naturally, people are worried about the size of their electricity bill.
On average, retail electricity prices in the United States changed little from 9.90 cents per kilowatt hour in 2011 to 10.58 cents per kilowatt hour in 2017. However, while power rates in the industrial and commercial sectors increased only moderately between 2011 and 2017, residential electricity customers were charged 12.9 cents per kilowatt hour in 2016, up from 11.72 cents per kilowatt hour in 2011.
The rising prices are justified by the costs of power production and power grid maintenance. Although the production cost of electricity generated from coal, natural gas and nuclear sources remained relatively flat, the integration of renewable energy sources, investments in smart grid technologies, growing peak demand and power blackouts caused by the vicissitudes of nature continued to trouble the electric utility industry in the recent past. The rates of U.S. electricity prices can also vary widely, with Hawaii residents experiencing some of the highest rates in the country.
Average retail electricity prices in the U.S. from 1990 to 2018 (in U.S. cents per kilowatt hour)
Loading statistic...
| Average electricity price in U.S. cents per kilowatt hour | |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 10.58 |
| 2017 | 10.48 |
| 2016 | 10.27 |
| 2015 | 10.41 |
| 2014 | 10.44 |
| 2013 | 10.07 |
| 2012 | 9.84 |
| 2011 | 9.9 |
| 2010 | 9.83 |
| 2009 | 9.82 |
| 2008 | 9.74 |
| 2007 | 9.13 |
| 2006 | 8.9 |
| 2005 | 8.14 |
| 2000 | 6.81 |
| 1995 | 6.89 |
| 1990 | 6.57 |
| Average electricity price in U.S. cents per kilowatt hour | |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 10.58 |
| 2017 | 10.48 |
| 2016 | 10.27 |
| 2015 | 10.41 |
| 2014 | 10.44 |
| 2013 | 10.07 |
| 2012 | 9.84 |
| 2011 | 9.9 |
| 2010 | 9.83 |
| 2009 | 9.82 |
| 2008 | 9.74 |
| 2007 | 9.13 |
| 2006 | 8.9 |
| 2005 | 8.14 |
| 2000 | 6.81 |
| 1995 | 6.89 |
| 1990 | 6.57 |
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by T. Wang,
last edited
Apr 12, 2019
This statistic reflects the average retail price of electricity in the United States between 1990 and 2018. Here, the average retail price of electricity was at 10.58 cents per kilowatt hour in 2018.
A ranking of the largest electric utilities companies in the United States can be found here as well as a ranking of global electricity prices in select countries.
Retail electricity prices in the United States
When Thomas A. Edison developed a system to generate and distribute electricity in order to market his greatest creation, the electric light bulb, he would have known little about the dramatic impact his invention would create on civilization 130 years after the inauguration of the world’s first power station on Pearl Street in Manhattan, New York. In 21st century America, electric power is omnipresent in peoples’ lives, as electricity is powering our factories, shops, homes - and even cars. It goes without saying that electricity consumption has to be paid for, and, naturally, people are worried about the size of their electricity bill.
On average, retail electricity prices in the United States changed little from 9.90 cents per kilowatt hour in 2011 to 10.58 cents per kilowatt hour in 2017. However, while power rates in the industrial and commercial sectors increased only moderately between 2011 and 2017, residential electricity customers were charged 12.9 cents per kilowatt hour in 2016, up from 11.72 cents per kilowatt hour in 2011.
The rising prices are justified by the costs of power production and power grid maintenance. Although the production cost of electricity generated from coal, natural gas and nuclear sources remained relatively flat, the integration of renewable energy sources, investments in smart grid technologies, growing peak demand and power blackouts caused by the vicissitudes of nature continued to trouble the electric utility industry in the recent past. The rates of U.S. electricity prices can also vary widely, with Hawaii residents experiencing some of the highest rates in the country.
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- Release date
- March 2019
- Region
- United States
- Survey time period
- 1990 to 2018
- Supplementary notes
-
Including taxes.
According to the source, prices are not adjusted for inflation.
Source
- Show sources information
- As a Premium user you get access to the detailed source references and background information about this statistic.
- Show publisher information
- Release date
- March 2019
More information
- Region
- United States
- Survey time period
- 1990 to 2018
- Supplementary notes
-
Including taxes.
According to the source, prices are not adjusted for inflation.
Other statistics on the topic
Electricity Industry in the United States
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Statistics on "Electricity in the United States"
- Electricity generation and use
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- Total electricity net generation in the U.S. from 1950 to 2018 (in billion kilowatt hours)U.S. electricity generation 1950-2018
- Total U.S. electricity net generation from 1990 to 2018, by fuel (in billion kilowatt hours)*Electricity generation by fuel in the United States 1990-2018
- Electricity generation by electric utilities in the U.S. from 2004 to 2018 (in million megawatt hours)U.S. electricity generation: electric utilities 2004-2018
- U.S. electricity exports from 1999 to 2017 (in gigawatt hours)Energy in the U.S. - electricity exports 1999-2017
- U.S. electricity imports from 1999 to 2017 (in terawatt hours)Energy in the U.S. - electricity imports 1999-2017
- Number of heating degree-days in the U.S. from 1950 to 2018Number of heating degree-days in the U.S. 1950-2018
- Number of cooling degree-days in the U.S. from 1950 to 2018Number of U.S. cooling degree-days 1950-2018
- Total electricity end use in the U.S. from 1975 to 2018 (in billion kilowatt hours)Electricity end use in the U.S. 1975-2018
- Retail electricity prices
The most important statistics
- Average retail electricity prices in the U.S. from 1990 to 2018 (in U.S. cents per kilowatt hour)U.S. average retail electricity prices 1990-2018
- Average U.S. retail prices of electricity between 1998 and 2018, by sector (in cents per kilowatt hour)* Average retail electricity price in the U.S. by sector 1998-2018
- Projected annual growth in U.S. residential electricity prices from 2000 to 2020U.S. residential electricity price growth forecast 2020
- Retail electricity sales in the United States from 1980 to 2017 (in billion kilowatt hours)*U.S. retail sales of electricity 1980-2017
- U.S. states with the highest electricity prices in 2017 (in U.S. dollars per million British thermal units)*Highest U.S. electricity prices among key states 2017
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The most important statistics
- Number of U.S. electricity providers in 2017, by ownership typeU.S. electricity providers by type 2017
- Value added of the U.S. utility sector from 1998 to 2018 (in million U.S. dollars)U.S. utilities' value added 1998-2018
- Free cash flow for U.S. shareholder-owned electric utilities from 2002 to 2018 (in billion U.S. dollars)Free cash flow for shareholder-owned utilities: U.S. 2002-2018
- Net change in long-term debt of U.S. shareholder-owned electric utilities from 2002 to 2018 (in billion U.S. dollars)Long-term debt of shareholder-owned utilities: U.S. 2002-2018
- Operating expenses of U.S. shareholder-owned utilities in 2018, by category (in million U.S. dollars)Operating expenses by category: U.S. shareholder-owned utilities 2018
- Value of property, plant and equipment in service for U.S. shareholder-owned electric utilities from 2010 to 2018 (in million U.S. dollars)Property, plant & equipment: U.S. shareholder-owned utilities 2010-2018
- Largest electric utilities in the U.S. as of April 2019, based on market value (in billion U.S. dollars)Largest U.S. electric utilities based on market value 2019
- Leading U.S. electric utilities based on the number of customers in 2017 (in 1,000s) Leading electric utilities based on number of consumers 2017
- Major U.S. utilities
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- Revenue of the American Electric Power Company from 2012 to 2018 (in million U.S. dollars)American Electric Power's revenue 2012-2018
- Operating revenue for Dominion Energy, Inc. from FY 2011 to FY 2018 (in million U.S. dollars)Dominion Energy's operating revenue 2011-2018
- Electricity sales of Duke Energy in FY 2018, by regulated utility (in gigwatt hours)Duke Energy's electricity sales by utility 2018
- Number of Edison International employees from FY 2010 to FY 2018Number of Edison International employees 2010-2018
- Number of customers of Southern Company in FY 2018, by sector (in 1,000s)Southern Company's customers by sector 2018
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Statistics on "Electricity in the United States"
- Total electricity net generation in the U.S. from 1950 to 2018 (in billion kilowatt hours)
- Total U.S. electricity net generation from 1990 to 2018, by fuel (in billion kilowatt hours)*
- Electricity generation by electric utilities in the U.S. from 2004 to 2018 (in million megawatt hours)
- U.S. electricity exports from 1999 to 2017 (in gigawatt hours)
- U.S. electricity imports from 1999 to 2017 (in terawatt hours)
- Number of heating degree-days in the U.S. from 1950 to 2018
- Number of cooling degree-days in the U.S. from 1950 to 2018
- Total electricity end use in the U.S. from 1975 to 2018 (in billion kilowatt hours)
- U.S. industrial electricity use from 1980 to 2017, based on retail sales (in billion kilowatt hours)*
- U.S. retail electricity sales to commercial customers from 1980 to 2018 (in billion kilowatt hours)*
- U.S. residential retail electricity sales from 1999 to 2018 (in billion kilowatt hours)
- Average retail electricity prices in the U.S. from 1990 to 2018 (in U.S. cents per kilowatt hour)
- Average U.S. retail prices of electricity between 1998 and 2018, by sector (in cents per kilowatt hour)*
- Projected annual growth in U.S. residential electricity prices from 2000 to 2020
- Retail electricity sales in the United States from 1980 to 2017 (in billion kilowatt hours)*
- U.S. states with the highest electricity prices in 2017 (in U.S. dollars per million British thermal units)*
- Number of U.S. electricity providers in 2017, by ownership type
- Value added of the U.S. utility sector from 1998 to 2018 (in million U.S. dollars)
- Free cash flow for U.S. shareholder-owned electric utilities from 2002 to 2018 (in billion U.S. dollars)
- Net change in long-term debt of U.S. shareholder-owned electric utilities from 2002 to 2018 (in billion U.S. dollars)
- Operating expenses of U.S. shareholder-owned utilities in 2018, by category (in million U.S. dollars)
- Value of property, plant and equipment in service for U.S. shareholder-owned electric utilities from 2010 to 2018 (in million U.S. dollars)
- Largest electric utilities in the U.S. as of April 2019, based on market value (in billion U.S. dollars)
- Leading U.S. electric utilities based on the number of customers in 2017 (in 1,000s)
- Revenue of the American Electric Power Company from 2012 to 2018 (in million U.S. dollars)
- Operating revenue for Dominion Energy, Inc. from FY 2011 to FY 2018 (in million U.S. dollars)
- Electricity sales of Duke Energy in FY 2018, by regulated utility (in gigwatt hours)
- Number of Edison International employees from FY 2010 to FY 2018
- Number of customers of Southern Company in FY 2018, by sector (in 1,000s)
- Average industrial electricity prices in Canada as of April 2018, by select city (in Canadian cents per kilowatt hour)*
- Average electricity consumption rate in Brazil in 2017, by sector (in Brazilian reals per megawatt-hour)
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- Number of Force-on-Force inspections on U.S. nuclear power plants in 2016
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- U.S. residential sector energy consumption between 1975 and 2018 (in quadrillion British thermal units)
- U.S. natural gas consumption between 2005 and 2018, by sector (in billion cubic feet)
- Average consumer price for electricity in the U.S. from winter of 2005/06 to winter of 2017/18 (in cents per kilowatt hour)*
- Capacity factors for selected energy sources in the U.S. in 2015
- Electricity generation in China from 1990 to 2016 (in terawatt hours)
- Number of U.S. households using an Energy Star qualified refrigerator as their most-used refrigerator in 2009* (in million housing units)
- Leading U.S. states based on workers in energy efficiency jobs in 2017
- Renewable energy capacity in Peru from 2009 to 2018 (in megawatts)
- Profit before income tax of Fortum Group in Finland from 2015 to 2017 (in million euros)
- Price level difference of electricity and heating in the Nordic countries compared to EU average in 2016
- Average net selling value of electricity for the transport sector in the United Kingdom (UK) from 2010 to 2017 (in pence per kWh* sold)
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