Home / Washington

Washington Electricity Prices

Average retail price by sector. Latest data: May 2026.

Residential
14.95¢ /kWh
▲ 9.5%vs. last year
Commercial
11.72¢ /kWh
▲ 6.7%vs. last year
Industrial
7.24¢ /kWh
▲ 6.5%vs. last year

Average monthly bill

Full bill breakdown →
$130per month▲ 9.7% vs. the year before

13.89¢/kWh × 936 kWh a month. Residential revenue divided by residential customers, averaged over the 12 months to May 2026 — the 40th highest among the 50 states and DC.

Compared with the U.S. and neighboring states

Average monthly residential electricity bill, in US dollars
Washington
$130
U.S. average
$155
Oregon
$132
Idaho
$111

Washington is $26 a month below (-16.4%) the U.S. average of $155. Average monthly bill, June 2025 – May 2026.

How Washington makes its electricity

Fuel mix & 10-year trend →Power plants →
Renewable
77.1%
Carbon-free
85.3%
Largest source
Hydro 68%
Washington electricity generation by source, June 2025 – May 2026
SourceShareGeneration
Natural gas12.4%13,649 GWh
Coal1.9%2,119 GWh
Nuclear8.3%9,077 GWh
Wind7.8%8,567 GWh
Solar0.6%626 GWh
Hydro67.7%74,492 GWh
Other1.3%1,467 GWh

110 TWh of net generation over the 12 months to May 2026. Generation, not consumption — power crosses state lines.

Washington electricity prices in context

Washington's residential electricity rate reached 14.95¢/kWh in May 2026, placing it 37th among the 50 states and DC when ranked from most to least expensive. This rate sits 18.9% below the national average of 18.44¢/kWh, a difference of 3.49¢/kWh. Among bordering states, Oregon's rate of 16.27¢/kWh is higher, while Idaho's 12.35¢/kWh is lower. Commercial and industrial rates stand at 11.72¢/kWh and 7.24¢/kWh respectively.

The rate has climbed significantly in recent years. Since May 2021, it has risen 46.4%, and the five-year trajectory accelerated further over a longer view: since May 2006, the rate has more than doubled, increasing 117.9%. Over the longest recorded period since January 2001, the rate has tripled, up 202%. The current rate of 14.95¢/kWh now matches the state's record high, reached in May 2026, while the record low of 4.95¢/kWh dates to January 2001.

Monthly residential bills in Washington average $130 for 936 kWh of consumption, compared with the national average bill of $155 for 871 kWh. Despite paying a lower rate per kilowatt-hour, Washington households use notably more electricity each month, which partially offsets the benefit of lower pricing. The combination results in a bill that remains well below the national figure.

Written from the EIA figures on this page, covering data through May 2026.

12-month trend

ResidentialCommercialIndustrial
6.1¢8.4¢11¢13¢16¢Jun '25Sep '25Dec '25Feb '26May '26ResidentialCommercialIndustrial

Residential history since 2001

4.2¢7.1¢9.9¢13¢16¢Jan '01May '07Sep '13Jan '20May '26
Jan '01
4.95¢
Now
14.95¢
Change
▲ 202.0%
Range
4.95–14.95¢

Recent months

MonthResidentialCommercialIndustrial
May 202614.9511.727.24
April 202614.3611.747.01
March 202614.4012.186.85
February 202614.1112.237.18
January 202613.8111.647.05
December 202513.3311.056.92
November 202513.8511.306.85
October 202514.0611.497.04
September 202513.7910.997.22
August 202513.6411.216.72
July 202513.4511.247.21
June 202512.9610.726.80

Prices in ¢/kWh.

Frequently asked questions

›How much does electricity cost in Washington?
Residential electricity in Washington costs 14.95¢ per kilowatt-hour as of May 2026, the 37th highest rate among the 50 states and DC. Commercial customers pay 11.72¢ and industrial customers 7.24¢ per kilowatt-hour.
›Why is electricity relatively cheap in Washington?
Washington's residential rate of 14.95¢/kWh is -16.2% versus the U.S. average of 17.84¢/kWh. What a household actually pays also depends on how much it uses: the typical Washington home consumes 936 kWh a month against a national average of 871 kWh, which is why its average bill comes to $130.
›Have electricity prices in Washington gone up?
Residential electricity in Washington has moved +202.0% since 2001, reaching 14.95¢/kWh in May 2026. Over the last year alone the change was +9.5%.
›Is electricity cheaper in states neighboring Washington?
Of the states bordering Washington, Idaho has the lowest average monthly bill at $111 and Oregon the highest at $132. Washington averages $130 a month, against a U.S. average of $155.