SMUD (Sacramento Municipal Utility District) rates and bills
SMUD's 601,275 residential customers in California paid an average of 18.93¢ per kWh in 2025, for an average bill of $125.42 a month on 663 kWh.1 Over the last 12 months (Sep 2025–Aug 2026) the average was 19.58¢, and 23.29¢ in August 2026.2
EIA-861 2025 final (released October 7, 2026) and EIA's monthly utility survey through August 2026 (preliminary); next monthly update expected November 24, 2026. Averages are revenue divided by kWh, all charges included: not the rate printed in a tariff.
3 of 58 California counties served (EIA-861 2025)
Sacramento homes served by SMUD paid an average of 18.93¢ per kWh in 2025, about half what PG&E's full-service customers paid (37.52¢ per kWh), though PG&E also serves all three of SMUD's counties. SMUD's average still rose 5.9%1 on 2024 while PG&E's fell, and nearly every SMUD home is billed on a time-varying rate.
SMUD's average price per kWh, by period
The Sacramento Municipal Utility District describes itself as a community-owned, not-for-profit electric service with a locally elected Board of Directors. It sells both the electricity and its delivery to all of its 601,2751 residential customers, so a single average covers every home on its wires; there is no community choice aggregator or delivery-only group to separate out, as there is at PG&E.
What those homes paid per kWh depends on the period:
| Period | Source | Average residential price |
|---|---|---|
| Calendar 2025 | EIA-861, final | 18.93¢ per kWh1 |
| Calendar 2024 | EIA-861, final | 17.87¢ per kWh3 |
| Last 12 months, September 2025 to August 2026 | EIA-861M, 2026 months preliminary | 19.58¢ per kWh |
| August 20264 only | EIA-861M, preliminary | 23.29¢ per kWh2 |
Each figure is average revenue per kWh: everything SMUD billed its residential customers, divided by the kWh they bought. It blends the fixed monthly charge with the peak and off-peak energy prices, so it is not a line on SMUD's rate schedule, and a home that uses little pays more per kWh on average than one that uses a lot.
Within California, SMUD's 2025 average was the 4th lowest of the 25 utilities with 10,000 or more residential customers and 39.6% below the California average; the lowest belonged to Turlock Irrigation District at 17.40¢ per kWh. Against the rest of the country the picture reverses. SMUD ranked 40th highest of 177 large US utilities, above their median of 15.07¢ per kWh, and its average was 30.6% above the national average for public power1.
Half PG&E's price in the same counties
EIA's service-territory records place SMUD in three counties, Sacramento, Placer and Yolo, and PG&E also reports customers in all three. Two neighbouring homes can therefore pay very different prices. In 2025, SMUD's residential customers paid 18.93¢ per kWh on average and PG&E's full-service (bundled) residential customers 37.52¢ per kWh1. Most homes on PG&E's wires buy their electricity from a community choice aggregator and pay PG&E only for delivery; their costs are covered on the PG&E page and are not comparable with SMUD's full-service average.
Source: EIA-861 annual electric power industry report, 2025 final. EIA-861 2025 final. Average revenue per kWh is all charges divided by kWh; it is not a tariff rate.
Show the numbers
| Utility | average residential price (bundled customers) |
|---|---|
| Imperial Irrigation District (CA) | 18.69¢ |
| SMUD (CA) | 18.93¢ |
| Modesto Irrigation District (CA) | 23.03¢ |
| LADWP (CA) | 26.48¢ |
| Southern California Edison (CA) | 31.48¢ |
| PG&E (CA) | 37.52¢ |
The other large public utilities sit closer to SMUD. In 2025, residential customers paid 18.69¢ per kWh at Imperial Irrigation District, 23.03¢ per kWh at Modesto Irrigation District and 26.48¢ per kWh at LADWP. Across California, public power averaged 22.74¢ per kWh and investor-owned utilities 33.91¢ per kWh1 for full-service residential customers.
A city name or ZIP code does not settle which utility serves a home in Sacramento, Placer or Yolo County; SMUD's and PG&E's own service-area maps decide by address.
Source: EIA-861 2025, service territory; Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary file, counties. EIA-861 2025 service territory: 3 counties. Counts whole counties even where the utility serves only part of one; check the utility's own service-area map for an address.
Show the numbers
| County | Other utilities reporting service |
|---|---|
| Placer County | PG&E, City of Roseville, Liberty Utilities, Truckee Donner P U D, WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration |
| Sacramento County | PG&E, WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration |
| Yolo County | PG&E, WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration |
The average bill held steady
SMUD homes used 663 kWh a month on average in 2025 and paid $125.42. Between 2024 and 2025 the price rose from 17.87¢ per kWh to 18.93¢ per kWh, but use per home fell from 702 kWh to 663 kWh, and the two nearly cancelled out: the average bill moved from $125.543 to $125.42 (−0.1%1).
SMUD homes use more electricity than the California average. The state average in 2025 was 494 kWh a month, the lowest among the states, and PG&E's full-service homes used 464 kWh. The US average was 874 kWh, with an average bill of $150.687. Because SMUD's price is lower, its average bill was below PG&E's full-service average of $173.951 despite the higher use.
Source: EIA-861 annual electric power industry report, 2025 final. EIA-861 2025 final. Average revenue per kWh is all charges divided by kWh; it is not a tariff rate.
Show the numbers
| Utility | average monthly residential use |
|---|---|
| PG&E (CA) | 464 |
| LADWP (CA) | 469 |
| Southern California Edison (CA) | 474 |
| SMUD (CA) | 663 |
| Modesto Irrigation District (CA) | 751 |
| Imperial Irrigation District (CA) | 1,083 |
Rate increases in 2025, 2026 and 2027
SMUD's prices are not set by the California Public Utilities Commission. As the Legislative Analyst's Office explains, publicly owned utilities are government agencies whose rates are set by their own governing boards. SMUD's rate archive lists four increases that took effect during 2024 and 2025 (on January 1 and May 1 of each year), then an increase for all customers effective January 1, 2026 and another effective January 1, 2027.
EIA's data show the average moving the same way. The residential average rose 5.9% from 2024 to 2025, while PG&E's full-service average changed −5.3%1 and California's average across all providers −1.9%8. The 12-month average for September 2025 to August 2026, 19.58¢ per kWh, was above the calendar-2025 figure, and the August 20264 reading of 23.29¢ per kWh was +1.8%2 on the same month a year earlier. Monthly figures for 2026 are preliminary.
Source: EIA-861M monthly sales and revenue by utility; EIA, Electric Power Monthly / EIA-861M sales and revenue by state. Residential revenue divided by kWh in each month, as reported to EIA's monthly survey (EIA-861M; months since January 2026 preliminary).
Show the numbers
| Month | SMUD (¢/kWh) | kWh per customer | Bill per customer |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 2025 | 15.47¢ | 690 | $106.75 |
| February 2025 | 16.14¢ | 569 | $91.73 |
| March 2025 | 16.52¢ | 566 | $93.51 |
| April 2025 | 17.17¢ | 486 | $83.41 |
| May 2025 | 16.98¢ | 603 | $102.32 |
| June 2025 | 23.84¢ | 708 | $168.66 |
| July 2025 | 22.43¢ | 810 | $181.60 |
| August 2025 | 22.87¢ | 950 | $217.37 |
| September 2025 | 21.91¢ | 749 | $164.04 |
| October 2025 | 15.98¢ | 501 | $80.11 |
| November 2025 | 17.09¢ | 576 | $98.47 |
| December 2025 | 15.65¢ | 744 | $116.47 |
| January 2026 | 16.62¢ | 664 | $110.30 |
| February 2026 | 17.24¢ | 554 | $95.51 |
| March 2026 | 17.71¢ | 555 | $98.32 |
| April 2026 | 18.30¢ | 474 | $86.77 |
| May 2026 | 17.60¢ | 599 | $105.37 |
| June 2026 | 24.46¢ | 761 | $186.15 |
| July 2026 | 23.31¢ | 904 | $210.74 |
| August 2026 | 23.29¢ | 918 | $213.75 |
Summer evenings and the time-of-day rate
SMUD's residential rates page names its Time-of-Day rate, with a weekday evening peak, as the standard rate for residential customers. EIA's 2025 count reflects that: 583,470 residential customers, 97.0% of the total, were enrolled in time-of-use and critical peak pricing, against 13.0% of homes on PG&E's wires and 35.9% across California. Advanced meters, which time-of-day billing needs, were installed at 99.9%9 of SMUD's residential meters. The time-of-use guide sets out when such a rate saves money and when it costs more.
The Sacramento summer drives the seasonal swing. The 12 months September 2025 to August 2026 ran from 474 kWh per home in April 2026 to 918 kWh in August 2026, with average bills of $86.77 and $213.75 in those two months. The average price per kWh was higher in the peak month too: 23.29¢ per kWh in August 20264, against 19.58¢ per kWh2 for the full 12 months.
Source: EIA-861M monthly sales and revenue by utility. kWh per residential customer in each month (EIA-861M; months since January 2026 preliminary). The table adds the average bill and price for the month.
Show the numbers
| Month | kWh per customer | Bill per customer | ¢/kWh |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 2025 | 749 | $164.04 | 21.91¢ |
| October 2025 | 501 | $80.11 | 15.98¢ |
| November 2025 | 576 | $98.47 | 17.09¢ |
| December 2025 | 744 | $116.47 | 15.65¢ |
| January 2026 | 664 | $110.30 | 16.62¢ |
| February 2026 | 554 | $95.51 | 17.24¢ |
| March 2026 | 555 | $98.32 | 17.71¢ |
| April 2026 | 474 | $86.77 | 18.30¢ |
| May 2026 | 599 | $105.37 | 17.60¢ |
| June 2026 | 761 | $186.15 | 24.46¢ |
| July 2026 | 904 | $210.74 | 23.31¢ |
| August 2026 | 918 | $213.75 | 23.29¢ |
Rooftop solar
SMUD reported 62,657 net-metered residential solar installations in 2025, with 282.8 megawatts of capacity, or 104.2 per 1,000 residential customers. That is fewer than California's 156.0 per 1,000 and PG&E's 182.99. Electricity that panels produce and use on site is not counted in EIA's kWh per home, which covers only what SMUD sells.
Outages
SMUD customers averaged 50 minutes without power in 2025, fewer than the California average of 345 minutes, and 0.87 interruptions each. SMUD reports its outage figures to EIA using another method (not IEEE 1366), and its total excluding major event days was also 50 minutes, so the comparison with utilities that follow the IEEE standard is approximate. PG&E, which does, reported 273 minutes10 in 2025.
Business customers and help with bills
SMUD's 71,703 commercial customers paid an average of 17.57¢ per kWh in 2025, close to the residential average, and its 2,512 industrial customers 13.66¢ per kWh; across all 675,491 accounts the average was 17.51¢ per kWh. For comparison, PG&E's full-service commercial customers paid 38.42¢ per kWh1.
Households struggling with bills can apply for federal LIHEAP aid, which brought California $242.1 million11 in fiscal year 2026. For the statewide picture, see electricity in California.
SMUD rates: common questions
What is SMUD's rate per kWh?
SMUD's residential customers paid an average of 18.93¢ per kWh1 in 2025 and 19.58¢ per kWh2 over the last 12 months (September 2025 to August 2026, EIA-861M, 2026 months preliminary). These are total residential revenue divided by kWh, so they include the fixed monthly charge and the peak and off-peak prices. SMUD's own rate schedules list the separate charges.
Did SMUD raise rates in 2026?
Yes. SMUD's rate archive lists an increase for all customers effective January 1, 2026 and another effective January 1, 2027, set by its elected board rather than the state. In EIA's data, the August 20264 residential average was 23.29¢ per kWh, +1.8%2 against the same month a year earlier (preliminary).
What is the average SMUD electric bill?
$125.42 a month in 2025 for 663 kWh1 of use, almost unchanged from $125.543 in 2024. Over the last 12 months (September 2025 to August 2026) it averaged $130.57, ranging from $80.11 in October 2025 to $213.75 in August 20262.
Is SMUD cheaper than PG&E?
On average, yes. In 2025 SMUD's residential customers paid 18.93¢ per kWh and PG&E's full-service residential customers 37.52¢ per kWh1. A home cannot choose between them: the address decides which utility serves it.
Related pages
Sources
- EIA-861 annual electric power industry report, 2025 final; table Sales_Ult_Cust_2025; 2025, final; released October 7, 2026. www.eia.gov
- EIA-861M monthly sales and revenue by utility; table sales_ult_cust_2025 and _2026; released October 23, 2026. www.eia.gov
- EIA-861 annual electric power industry report, 2024 final; table Sales_Ult_Cust_2024; 2024, final (file updated December 3, 2025); released December 3, 2025. www.eia.gov
- EIA, Electric Power Monthly / EIA-861M sales and revenue by state; table sales_revenue.xlsx (EPM Table 5.6.A); January 2001 to 2026-08; months since January 2026 preliminary; released October 23, 2026. www.eia.gov
- EIA-861 2025, service territory; table Service_Territory_2025; 2025, final; released October 7, 2026. www.eia.gov
- Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary file, counties; table cb_2025_us_county_5m; cb_2021_us_county_5m; 2025 (2021 for Connecticut). www.census.gov
- EIA-861 2025, average monthly bill by state; table Average_Bill_2025; 2025, final; released October 7, 2026. www.eia.gov
- EIA, Historical state data, annual sales, revenue and customers; table HS861 2010-.xlsx; 2010-2025, final; released October 7, 2026. www.eia.gov
- EIA-861 2025, advanced meters, dynamic pricing and net metering; table Advanced_Meters, Dynamic_Pricing, Net_Metering 2025; 2025, final; released October 7, 2026. www.eia.gov
- EIA-861 2025, reliability; table Reliability_2025; 2025, final; released October 7, 2026. www.eia.gov
- HHS, LIHEAP funding releases to states; table FY2027 first release; FY2026 final; FY2027 first release (October 9, 2026); FY2026 total; released October 9, 2026. acf.gov
How every figure is built: methodology. Found an error? Write to [email protected]; corrections are listed on the updates page.