Electricity Monthly Update
End Use: September 2020
Retail rates/prices and consumption
In this section, we look at what electricity costs and how much is purchased. Charges for retail electric service are based primarily on rates approved by state regulators. However, a number of states have allowed retail marketers to compete to serve customers and these competitive retail suppliers offer electricity at a market-based price.
EIA does not directly collect retail electricity rates or prices. However, using data collected on retail sales revenues and volumes, we calculate average retail revenues per kWh as a proxy for retail rates and prices. Retail sales volumes are presented as a proxy for end-use electricity consumption.
Average revenue per kWh by state
Average revenue per kilowatthour figures decreased in twenty-one states and the District of Columbia in September compared to last year. The largest decline was found in Missouri, down by almost 6%. Twenty-eight states increased revenue per kilowatthour compared to last year, led by New Mexico (up over 13%). One state, Kentucky, had no change from last September.
| Average Revenues/Sales (¢/kWh) | Retail Sales (thousand MWh) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| End-use sector | September 2020 | Change fromSeptember 2019 | September 2020 | Change fromSeptember 2019 | Year to Date | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Residential | 13.55 | 3.0% | 127,584 | -3.0% | 1,127,767 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Commercial | 11.07 | 1.0% | 112,214 | -8.1% | 966,663 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Industrial | 7.01 | -0.7% | 77,505 | -10.0% | 688,025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Transportation | 10.41 | 6.4% | 494 | -27.0% | 4,860 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 11.07 | 2.3% | 317,796 | -6.7% | 2,787,315 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Total average revenues per kilowatthour (kWh) rose by 2.3% in September to 11.07 cents/kWh. The Transportation sector rose the most from last September, up by 6.4%. The Residential and Commercial sectors followed, each up by 3.0% and 1.0%, respectively. The Industrial sector fell slightly, down by 0.7%. Total retail sales were down by 6.7% from September 2019. All of the four sectors showed a drop in retail sales from a year ago. The Transportation sector dropped the most, down by 27%. The Industrial and Commercial sectors fell 10% and 8.1%, respectively. The Residential sector dropped the least amount of the four sectors, down by 3%.
Retail sales
State retail sales volumes were down in thirty-nine states and the District of Columbia in September compared to last year. The District of Columbia had the largest year-over-year decline, down almost 16%. Oklahoma and Wyoming followed, dropping by almost 15% and 14%, respectively. Eleven states had retail sales volume increases in September, led by Maine, up by almost 7%.
Cooling Degree Days (CDD) were down in thirty-five states and the District of Columbia compared to last September. The greatest percentage drop in CDDs occurred in Wisconsin, which was down 84%. Five states had over-60-percent drops in CDDs: Missouri (down almost 68%), Michigan (down almost 68%), Kansas (down over 65%), Illinois (down 63%), and Oklahoma (down 60%). Fourteen states had an increase in CDDs in September. Maine had the largest percent increase in CDDs, up over 500% from September 2019. Vermont, New Hampshire, and Oregon followed, all with percent increases of over 100%.