Electricity Monthly Update
End Use: April 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-one states and the District of Columbia saw increased revenue per kilowatt-hour (kWh) compared to last April, while average revenue per kWh increased by 6.0% on a national basis. One state, Massachusetts, had the same average revenue per kWh as last April. The largest percent increase was in the District of Columbia, up 23.7%, followed by Ohio, up 22.0%, and Maryland, up 17.1%. Average revenue per kWh figures decreased in eight states compared to last year. The largest percent decrease was in Arizona, down 4.0%, followed by Rhode Island, down 3.9%, and Georgia, down 1.9%. In the contiguous US, California, Connecticut, and Massachusetts had the highest average revenues at 27.58, 26.78, and 25.28 cents per kWh, respectively. North Dakota, Oklahoma, and Iowa had the lowest average revenues at 8.42, 8.59, and 8.76 cents per kWh, respectively.
| Average Revenues/Sales (¢/kWh) | Retail Sales (thousand MWh) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| End-use sector | April 2026 | Change fromApril 2025 | April 2026 | Change fromApril 2025 | Year to Date | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Residential | 18.83 | 7.3% | 98,322 | 1.0% | 480,359 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Commercial | 13.51 | 4.8% | 118,237 | 5.2% | 479,669 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Industrial | 8.66 | 5.5% | 85,004 | 0.6% | 332,928 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Transportation | 15.89 | 16.7% | 564 | -0.8% | 2,453 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 13.88 | 6.0% | 302,127 | 2.5% | 1,295,410 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Total average revenues per kilowatt-hour (kWh) increased by 6.0% from last April, to 13.88 cents/kWh in April 2026. All four sectors saw increases in average revenues per kWh compared to last April. The Transportation sector saw the highest increase, up 16.7%, then the Residential sector, up 7.3%, the Industrial sector, up 5.5%, and finally the Commercial sector, up 4.8%. On a nationwide basis, retail sales increased by 2.5% in April 2026 compared to last April, with three of four sectors seeing increases. The Commercial sector saw the largest increase in retail sales from last April, up 5.2%, followed by the Residential sector, up 1.0%, then the Industrial sector, up 0.6%, and finally the Transportation sector, down 0.8%.
Retail sales
Forty-three states saw an increase in retail sales volume in April 2026 compared to last April. Rhode Island had the highest percent year over year increase in retail sales, up 17.1%, followed by Nebraska, up 11.2%, and Arizona, up 10.7%. Seven states and the District of Columbia saw a decrease in retail sales volume compared to last year. Massachusetts had the highest percent year over year decrease, down 5.0%, followed by Hawaii, down 2.6%, and Kentucky, down 1.4%.
Thirty-seven states saw a decrease in HDDs from last April. Arizona had the highest percent year over year decrease, down 67%, followed by Florida, down 64%, and Kentucky, down 46%. Twelve states and the District of Columbia saw an increase in HDDs compared to last April. Alaska had the highest percent year over year increase, up 13%, followed by North Dakota and the District of Columbia, both up 11%.