Electricity Monthly Update
End Use: March 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-two states and the District of Columbia saw increased revenue per kilowatt-hour (kWh) compared to last March, while average revenue per kWh increased by 7.2% on a national basis. The largest percent increase was in Maryland, up 57.6%, followed by Ohio, up 21.1%, and the District of Columbia, up 18.0%. Average revenue per kWh figures decreased in eight states compared to last year. The largest percent decrease was in New Mexico, down 11.4%, followed by Rhode Island, down 8.9%, and Connecticut, down 5.5%. In the contiguous US, California, Connecticut, and Massachusetts had the highest average revenues at 28.59, 26.52, and 26.43 cents per kWh, respectively. North Dakota, New Mexico, and Oklahoma had the lowest average revenues at 8.55, 8.61, and 8.93 cents per kWh, respectively.
| Average Revenues/Sales (¢/kWh) | Retail Sales (thousand MWh) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| End-use sector | March 2026 | Change fromMarch 2025 | March 2026 | Change fromMarch 2025 | Year to Date | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Residential | 18.83 | 10.2% | 108,868 | -0.1% | 382,037 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Commercial | 13.92 | 5.8% | 119,622 | 4.5% | 361,433 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Industrial | 8.58 | 3.9% | 85,228 | 2.4% | 247,924 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Transportation | 17.83 | 26.5% | 591 | -6.9% | 1,889 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 14.18 | 7.2% | 314,308 | 2.3% | 993,283 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Total average revenues per kilowatt-hour (kWh) increased by 7.2% from last March to 14.18 cents/kWh in March 2026. All four sectors saw increases in average revenues per kWh compared to last March. The transportation sector saw the highest increase, up 26.5%, then the residential sector, up 10.2%, followed by the commercial sector, up 5.8%, and finally the industrial sector, up 3.9%. On a nationwide basis, retail sales increased by 2.3% in March 2026 compared to last March. The commercial sector saw the largest increase in retail sales from last March, up 4.5%, followed by the industrial sector, up 2.4%. The residential sector saw a slight decrease in retail sales, down 0.1%, and the transportation sector also saw a decrease, down 6.9%.
Retail sales
Thirty-nine states saw an increase in retail sales volume in March 2026 compared to last March. Arizona had the highest percent year over year increase in retail sales, up 19.4%, followed by Rhode Island, up 12.8%, and Alaska, up 12.3%. Eleven states and the District of Columbia saw a decrease in retail sales volume compared to last year. Montana had the highest percent year over year decrease, down 5.9%, followed by Idaho, down 2.4%, and Kentucky, down 2.3%.
Thirty-two states saw a decrease in HDDs from last March. Arizona had the highest percent year over year decrease, down 77%, followed by California, down 76%, and Nevada, down 63%. Seventeen states and the District of Columbia saw an increase in HDDs compared to last March. Alaska had the highest percent year over year increase, up 51%, followed by Connecticut, up 12%, and the District of Columbia, up 11%.