Electricity Monthly Update
End Use: August 2026
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-six states and the District of Columbia saw increased revenue per kilowatt-hour (kWh) compared to last August, while average revenue per kWh increased by 5.1% on a national basis. The largest percent increase was in Hawaii, up 25.6%, followed by Georgia, up 17.3%, and the District of Columbia, up 14.0%. Average revenue per kWh figures decreased in four states compared to last year. The largest percent decrease was in Connecticut, down 18.2%, followed by New Mexico, down 5.4%, and Utah, down 3.5%. In the contiguous US, California, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island had the highest average revenues at 29.02, 26.42, and 25.34 cents per kWh, respectively. North Dakota, Louisiana, and New Mexico had the lowest average revenues at 8.91, 9.86, and 10.08 cents per kWh, respectively.
| Average Revenues/Sales (¢/kWh) | Retail Sales (thousand MWh) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| End-use sector | August 2026 | Change fromAugust 2025 | August 2026 | Change fromAugust 2025 | Year to Date | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Residential | 18.16 | 3.4% | 167,660 | 7.9% | 1,060,009 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Commercial | 14.47 | 4.3% | 150,597 | 5.1% | 1,041,104 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Industrial | 9.64 | 7.3% | 93,707 | -1.5% | 703,925 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Transportation | 14.86 | -0.3% | 604 | -3.3% | 4,848 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 14.87 | 5.1% | 412,568 | 4.6% | 2,809,886 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Total average revenues per kilowatt-hour (kWh) increased by 5.1% from last August, to 14.87 cents/kWh in August 2026. Three of four sectors saw increases in average revenues per kWh compared to last August. The industrial sector saw the highest increase, up 7.3%, then the commercial sector, up 4.3%, and the residential sector, up 3.4%. The transportation sector saw a decrease in average revenues per kWh, down 0.3%. On a nationwide basis, retail sales increased by 4.6% in August 2026 compared to last August. The residential sector saw the largest increase in retail sales from last August, up 7.9%, followed by the commercial sector, up 5.1%. The industrial sector saw a decrease in retail sales, down 1.5%, and the transportation sector also saw a decrease, down 3.3%.
Retail sales
Forty-three states and the District of Columbia saw an increase in retail sales volume in August 2026 compared to last August. Utah had the highest percent year over year increase in retail sales, up 13.6%, followed by New Mexico, up 13.2%, and Maryland, up 12.8%. Seven states saw a decrease in retail sales volume compared to last year. Maine had the highest percent year over year decrease, down 6.3%, followed by New York, down 6.1%, and Illinois, down 4.3%.
Forty-five states and the District of Columbia saw an increase in cooling degree days (CDDs) compared to last August. Maryland and Rhode Island had the highest percent year over year increase, both up 72% compared to August 2025. Three states saw a decrease in CDDs from last August. Oregon and Washington had the highest percent year over year decrease, both down 20%, respectively.