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Electricity Monthly Update

With Data for July 2023 Release Date: September 26, 2023 Next Release Date: October 24, 2023

End Use: July 2023

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

Twenty-six states and the District of Columbia saw increased revenue per kilowatt-hour (kWh) compared to last July, despite average revenue per kWh decreasing by 0.5% on a national basis. The largest percent increase was in Connecticut, up 25.6%, followed by New Hampshire, up 23.9%, and Nevada, up 22.8%. Compared to last year, average revenue per kWh figures decreased in twenty-four states. The largest percent decrease was in Louisiana, down 25.3%, followed by Georgia, down 17.2%, and Hawaii, down 14.8%. In the contiguous US, California, New Hampshire, and Connecticut had the highest average revenues at 26.78, 23.37, and 22.27 cents per kWh, respectively. Illinois had the median average revenue at 11.86 cents per kWh. North Dakota, Wyoming, and Louisiana had the lowest average revenues at 8.02, 8.30, and 8.78 cents per kWh, respectively.

Retail Service by Customer Sector
  Average Revenues/Sales (¢/kWh)   Retail Sales (thousand MWh)
End-use sector July 2023 Change fromJuly 2022 July 2023 Change fromJuly 2022 Year to Date
Residential 15.91 3.2% 159,530 -3.7% 836,665
Commercial 13.11 -0.3% 132,470 0.1% 783,682
Industrial 8.45 -10.2% 89,003 -0.2% 574,798
Transportation 13.50 9.1% 620 9.7% 3,895
Total 13.19 -0.5% 381,623 -1.6% 2,199,039
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration

Total average revenues per kilowatt-hour (kWh) decreased by 0.5% from last July, to 13.19 cents/kWh in July 2023. Two of the four sectors saw increases in average revenues per kWh. The Transportation sector rose the most from last July, up 9.1%, followed by the Residential sector, up 3.2%. Two of the four sectors saw decreases in average revenues per kWh. The Industrial sector dropped the most from last July, down 10.2%, followed by the Commercial sector, down 0.3%. Two of the four sectors saw increases in retail sales. The Transportation sector increased the most from last July, up 9.7%, followed by the Commercial sector, up 0.1%. The Residential sector decreased the most from last July, down 3.7%, followed by the Industrial sector, down 0.2%.

Retail sales

Thirty-four states and the District of Columbia saw a decrease in retail sales volume compared to last year. Tennessee had the highest percent year over year decrease, down 10.0%, followed by Kentucky, down 7.4%, and Arkansas, down 6.0%. Despite retail sales decreasing by 1.6% on a national basis, sixteen states saw an increase in retail sales volume in July 2023 compared to July 2022. North Dakota had the highest percent year over year increase in retail sales, up 13.3%, followed by Arizona, up 9.5%, and New Mexico, up 6.5%.

Twenty-nine states saw a decrease in Cooling Degree Days (CDDs) from last July. In the contiguous US, North Dakota had the highest percent year over year decrease, down 29%, followed by South Dakota, down 28%, and Wyoming, down 25%. Twenty states and the District of Columbia saw an increase in CDDs compared to last July. In the contiguous US, Vermont had the highest percent year over year increase, up 37%, followed by New Mexico, up 33%, and Maine, up 17%. States in the Great Plains and Upper Midwest saw a cooler July and thus a decrease in CDDs compared to normal, while most of the rest of the states saw a warmer than normal July and thus an increase in CDDs.

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