Electricity Monthly Update
End Use: February 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-three states and the District of Columbia saw increased revenue per kilowatt-hour (kWh) compared to last February, while average revenue per kWh increased by 9.0% on a national basis. The largest percent increase was in the Virginia, up 26.3%, followed by Ohio, up 21.9%, and Pennsylvania, up 19.5%. Average revenue per kWh decreased in seven states compared to last year. The largest percent decrease was in Rhode Island, down 13.4%, followed by New Mexico, down 6.2%, and Connecticut, down 5.2%. In the contiguous US, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Maine had the highest average revenues at 27.61, 27.06, and 26.67 cents per kWh, respectively. North Dakota, New Mexico, and Iowa had the lowest average revenues at 8.87, 8.97, and 9.08 cents per kWh, respectively.
| Average Revenues/Sales (¢/kWh) | Retail Sales (thousand MWh) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| End-use sector | February 2026 | Change fromFebruary 2025 | February 2026 | Change fromFebruary 2025 | Year to Date | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Residential | 17.65 | 7.4% | 128,055 | 0.4% | 273,170 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Commercial | 14.37 | 10.7% | 115,691 | 2.2% | 241,811 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Industrial | 8.95 | 8.6% | 78,653 | -0.7% | 162,696 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Transportation | 16.78 | 23.6% | 635 | 4.0% | 1,298 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 14.36 | 9.0% | 323,035 | 0.8% | 678,975 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Total average revenues per kilowatt-hour (kWh) increased by 9.0% from last February, to 14.36 cents/kWh in February 2026. All four sectors saw increases in average revenues per kWh compared to last February. The Transportation sector saw the highest increase, up 23.6%, then the Commercial sector, up 10.7%, followed by the Industrial sector, up 8.6%, and finally the Residential sector, up 7.4%. On a nationwide basis, retail sales increased by 0.8% in February 2026 compared to last February, with three sectors seeing increases. The Transportation sector saw the largest increase in retail sales from last February, up 4.0%, followed by the Commercial sector, up 2.2%, and finally the Residential sector, up 0.4%. The Industrial sector was down 0.7% compared to the previous February.
Retail sales
Thirty-one states and the District of Columbia saw an increase in retail sales volume in February 2026 compared to last February. Rhode Island had the highest year over year percent increase in retail sales, up 31.0%, followed by Tennessee, up 8.3%, and Delaware, up 7.7%. Nineteen states saw a decrease in retail sales volume compared to last year. Montana had the highest year over year percent decrease, down 10.8%, followed by Oklahoma, down 8.8%, and Washington down 7.9%.
Twenty-eight states saw a decrease in heating degree days (HDDs) compared to last February. Texas had the highest year over year percent decrease, down 45%, followed by Oklahoma, down 43%, and Kansas down 38%. Twenty-one states and the District of Columbia saw an increase in HDDs from last February. Florida had the highest percentage year over year increase, up 244%, followed by South Carolina, up 28%, and District of Columbia, up 21%.