Electricity Monthly Update
End Use: September 2022
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
Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia saw increased revenue per kilowatt-hour (kWh) compared to last September. The largest percent increase was in New Hampshire, up 39.2%, followed by Nevada, up 37.3%, and Hawaii up 36.2%. Average revenue per kWh figures decreased in three states in September compared to last year. The largest decline was found in North Dakota, down 5.9%, followed by Alaska, down 2.8%, and South Dakota, down 0.8%. In the contiguous US, New Hampshire, California, and Connecticut had the highest average revenues at 24.67, 24.34, and 23.34 cents per kWh, respectively. Missouri had the median average revenue at 12.12 cents per kWh. Idaho, Wyoming, and North Dakota had the lowest average revenues at 8.44, 8.44, and 8.60 cents per kWh, respectively. The New England and Pacific Noncontiguous Census Divisions had the highest prices in the contiguous U.S. on a regional basis.
| Average Revenues/Sales (¢/kWh) | Retail Sales (thousand MWh) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| End-use sector | September 2022 | Change fromSeptember 2021 | September 2022 | Change fromSeptember 2021 | Year to Date | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Residential | 16.32 | 15.4% | 130,170 | -0.7% | 1,183,801 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Commercial | 13.45 | 15.5% | 122,529 | 3.0% | 1,046,057 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Industrial | 9.34 | 22.7% | 85,134 | -0.8% | 762,570 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Transportation | 12.48 | 11.9% | 557 | 5.7% | 4,920 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 13.52 | 16.7% | 338,390 | 0.6% | 2,997,348 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Total average revenues per kilowatt-hour (kWh) rose by 16.7% from last September, to 13.52 cents/kWh in September 2022. All four sectors saw increases in average revenues per kWh. The Industrial sector rose the most from last September, up 22.7%, followed by the Commercial sector, up 15.5%, then the Residential sector, up 15.4%, and lastly the Transportation sector, up 11.9%. Total retail sales were up 0.6% from September 2021. Two of the four sectors saw increases in retail sales. The Transportation sector rose the most from last September, up 5.7%, followed by the Commercial sector, up 3.0%. The Industrial sector dropped the most from last September, down 0.8%, closely followed by the Residential sector, down 0.7%.
Retail sales
Twenty-four states and the District of Columbia saw an increase in retail sales volume in September 2022 compared to September 2021. North Dakota had the highest percent year over year increase, up 17.3%, followed by Montana, up 10.7%, and Idaho rounded out the top three, up 10.0%. The areas that saw larger increases in year over year sales were the Western and Upper Midwest states. Twenty-six states saw a decrease in retail sales volume compared to last year. Connecticut had the highest percent year over year decrease, down 9.5%, followed by Maine, down 6.0%, and Arkansas, down 5.3%. The areas that saw larger decreases in year over year sales were mostly in the Northeast and southern Midwest.
Nineteen states saw an increase in Cooling Degree Days (CDDs) from last September. The Pacific coast, Rocky Mountain States, and some of the New England states saw a warmer September and thus an increase in CDDs. In the contiguous U.S., Maine had the highest percent year over year increase, up 129%, followed by Wisconsin, up 108%, and Montana, up 85%. Thirty states and the District of Columbia saw a decrease in CDDs in September 2022 compared to September 2021. In the Contiguous US, Vermont had the highest percent year over year decrease in CDDs, down 67%, followed by Rhode Island, down 60%, and Massachusetts, down 50%. Compared to historical normal, most of the country, forty-three states and the District of Columbia, saw above averages CDD’s.