Cobb EMC rates and bills
Cobb EMC's 203,131 residential customers in Georgia paid an average of 11.55¢ per kWh in 2025, for an average bill of $128.80 a month on 1,115 kWh.1 Over the last 12 months (Sep 2025–Aug 2026) the average was 12.03¢, and 10.78¢ 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.
5 of 159 Georgia counties served (EIA-861 2025)
Cobb EMC's residential average of 11.55¢ per kWh in 2025 placed it 6th lowest of 177 large US utilities and gave its members the smallest average bill of Georgia's 71 largest utilities. EIA's monthly survey shows the average running higher since, at 12.03¢ per kWh over the 12 months to August 2026, even though the single month of August 20264 came in −5.7%2 on a year earlier.
Cobb EMC's average price per kWh
Cobb Electric Membership Corporation is a member-owned cooperative and Georgia's third-largest utility by residential accounts: 203,131 in 2025, 4.3%1 of the state's total. The figure people look for as "the rate" is, in EIA's data, an average price: what residential members were billed in total divided by the kWh they used. It is not a line on the tariff, and a member who uses little pays more than the average per kWh because the fixed monthly charge weighs more on a small bill.
Each period gives a different answer:
- 2025, full year (EIA-861, final): 11.55¢ per kWh, up from 11.41¢ per kWh3 in 2024 (+1.2%1).
- Last 12 months, September 2025 to August 2026 (EIA-861M): 12.03¢ per kWh, with the 2026 months preliminary.
- August 20264 alone (EIA-861M, preliminary): 10.78¢ per kWh2.
On the 2025 figure Cobb EMC was the 2nd lowest of 46 Georgia utilities with 10,000 or more residential customers, behind only Dalton Utilities at 10.34¢ per kWh. That put it 21.6% below the Georgia average and 18.1% below the national average for electric cooperatives1.
Source: EIA-861 annual electric power industry report, 2025 final. Utilities with 10,000 or more bundled (full-service) residential customers; the 10 lowest of 46 shown. Revenue divided by kWh sold, all charges included, EIA-861 2025 final. Darker bars have their own page.
Show the numbers
| Utility | ¢/kWh |
|---|---|
| Dalton Utilities | 10.34¢ |
| Cobb EMC | 11.55¢ |
| Jackson EMC | 11.87¢ |
| City of Marietta | 11.92¢ |
| City of East Point | 11.99¢ |
| GreyStone Power | 12.55¢ |
| Sawnee EMC | 12.82¢ |
| City of La Grange | 12.83¢ |
| North Georgia Electric Membership Corporation | 12.93¢ |
| Snapping Shoals EMC | 12.99¢ |
| Georgia average | 14.74¢ |
Why the August dip is not a rate cut
Read on its own, the latest month looks like a price fall: members paid 10.78¢ per kWh in August 2026, −5.7%2 against August 2025, while Georgia's statewide residential average rose 2.3%4 over the same comparison. The table under the chart below shows what changed. Use per home was higher in August 2026 than in August 2025, and so was the average bill. A monthly charge that does not vary with use gets spread over more kWh in a heavier month, which pulls the average per kWh down without any change in the rate schedule.
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 | Cobb EMC (¢/kWh) | kWh per customer | Bill per customer |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 2025 | 9.78¢ | 1,203 | $117.70 |
| February 2025 | 12.80¢ | 849 | $108.71 |
| March 2025 | 13.43¢ | 825 | $110.76 |
| April 2025 | 12.67¢ | 894 | $113.21 |
| May 2025 | 12.53¢ | 1,028 | $128.83 |
| June 2025 | 11.01¢ | 1,437 | $158.18 |
| July 2025 | 9.00¢ | 1,843 | $165.87 |
| August 2025 | 11.43¢ | 1,383 | $158.05 |
| September 2025 | 11.79¢ | 1,207 | $142.22 |
| October 2025 | 13.43¢ | 848 | $113.90 |
| November 2025 | 13.51¢ | 829 | $111.96 |
| December 2025 | 11.17¢ | 1,040 | $116.14 |
| January 2026 | 12.12¢ | 1,094 | $132.54 |
| February 2026 | 13.53¢ | 880 | $119.10 |
| March 2026 | 13.63¢ | 856 | $116.72 |
| April 2026 | 13.41¢ | 892 | $119.66 |
| May 2026 | 12.60¢ | 1,061 | $133.60 |
| June 2026 | 11.69¢ | 1,394 | $163.05 |
| July 2026 | 10.11¢ | 1,721 | $174.12 |
| August 2026 | 10.78¢ | 1,685 | $181.63 |
The longer windows point up. The 12 months from September 2025 to August 2026 averaged 12.03¢ per kWh, against 11.55¢ per kWh1 for calendar 2025, although four of those twelve months fall in 2025. Jackson EMC's 12-month average (12.86¢ per kWh) and Georgia Power's (16.40¢ per kWh2) also sit above their 2025 figures. EIA revises the 2026 months when the final annual survey comes out, and the next monthly release, on November 24, 2026, adds September 2026.
The annual step before that was small. Cobb EMC's average rose 1.2% from 2024 to 2025; among Georgia's other large utilities the increases were +2.7% at GreyStone Power, +4.3% at Jackson EMC, +5.0% at Snapping Shoals EMC, +5.1% at Georgia Power, +8.5% at Walton EMC and +11.1%1 at Sawnee EMC. EIA's numbers give the size of each change, not the reason for it.
The lowest average bill among Georgia's large utilities
A Cobb EMC home used 1,115 kWh a month in 2025, more than a Georgia Power home (990 kWh) and more than the Georgia average (1,077 kWh), yet its average bill of $128.80 was below Georgia Power's $161.131 and the statewide $158.705. The lower price per kWh more than offsets the extra 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 bill |
|---|---|
| Cobb EMC (GA) | $128.80 |
| Jackson EMC (GA) | $143.77 |
| GreyStone Power (GA) | $149.26 |
| Sawnee EMC (GA) | $152.73 |
| Georgia Power (GA) | $161.13 |
| Snapping Shoals EMC (GA) | $167.24 |
| Walton EMC (GA) | $174.78 |
The bill barely moved between the two survey years: $128.40 in 2024 and $128.80 in 2025 (+0.3%), as a slightly higher price met slightly lower use (1,126 kWh3, then 1,115 kWh1). Over the last 12 months (September 2025 to August 2026) the monthly survey puts the bill at $135.43 for 1,126 kWh2.
Summer use, and a price per kWh that falls when it rises
Over the last 12 months, use per home ranged from 829 kWh in November 2025 to 1,721 kWh in July 2026. The bill rose proportionally less than the kWh: $111.96 in the low month, $174.122 in the peak one. In the monthly figures the average price per kWh is lowest in midsummer and highest in low-use months such as October, November and March, the same fixed-charge effect that shaped the August comparison above.
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 | 1,207 | $142.22 | 11.79¢ |
| October 2025 | 848 | $113.90 | 13.43¢ |
| November 2025 | 829 | $111.96 | 13.51¢ |
| December 2025 | 1,040 | $116.14 | 11.17¢ |
| January 2026 | 1,094 | $132.54 | 12.12¢ |
| February 2026 | 880 | $119.10 | 13.53¢ |
| March 2026 | 856 | $116.72 | 13.63¢ |
| April 2026 | 892 | $119.66 | 13.41¢ |
| May 2026 | 1,061 | $133.60 | 12.60¢ |
| June 2026 | 1,394 | $163.05 | 11.69¢ |
| July 2026 | 1,721 | $174.12 | 10.11¢ |
| August 2026 | 1,685 | $181.63 | 10.78¢ |
The contrast with Georgia Power is sharpest in July. In July 2026, a Georgia Power home used 1,355 kWh and paid $255.80 on average; a Cobb EMC home used more, 1,721 kWh, and paid $174.122.
Near the bottom of the national list
Among the 177 US utilities with 100,000 or more residential customers that report a bundled residential price, the median in 2025 was 15.07¢ per kWh and the national average for electric cooperatives 14.10¢ per kWh. Cobb EMC's 11.55¢ per kWh was 6th lowest of 177; the lowest on the list was Magic Valley Electric Cooperative (Texas) at 10.51¢ per kWh1. The ten lowest are a mix of cooperatives, public power systems and one investor-owned utility.
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) |
|---|---|
| Magic Valley Electric Cooperative (TX) | 10.51¢ |
| Clark Public Utilities (WA) | 10.63¢ |
| Lincoln Electric System (NE) | 11.15¢ |
| MidAmerican Energy (IA) | 11.21¢ |
| Tacoma Public Utilities (WA) | 11.45¢ |
| Cobb EMC (GA) | 11.55¢ |
| SLEMCO (LA) | 11.57¢ |
| Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative (TX) | 11.59¢ |
| EnergyUnited (NC) | 11.61¢ |
| City Utilities of Springfield (MO) | 11.65¢ |
Outages: minutes per member
Cobb EMC members averaged 48 minutes without power in 2025 counting every event, fewer than the Georgia average of 270 minutes, and 32 minutes with major event days left out. The average member saw 0.86 interruptions over the year, against 1.85 for Georgia. Both measures follow IEEE 1366. Sawnee EMC, which also lists Cherokee and Fulton counties, reported 66 minutes counting every event and 31 minutes6 without major event days.
Source: EIA-861 2025, reliability. EIA-861 2025 final. Average revenue per kWh is all charges divided by kWh; it is not a tariff rate.
Show the numbers
| Utility | outage minutes per customer (all events) |
|---|---|
| Cobb EMC (GA) | 48 |
| Sawnee EMC (GA) | 66 |
| Snapping Shoals EMC (GA) | 175 |
| Jackson EMC (GA) | 217 |
| GreyStone Power (GA) | 241 |
| Georgia Power (GA) | 287 |
| Walton EMC (GA) | 307 |
Cobb County and beyond: a shared map
EIA's service-territory file lists Cobb EMC in 5 counties: Bartow County, Cherokee County, Cobb County, Fulton County and Paulding County7. Another utility also reports customers in each of them, so a Cobb County address, or one in any of the other four, does not by itself mean Cobb EMC is the supplier. The cooperative's service-area map settles it for a given address, and Georgia's lack of residential retail choice (0.0%1 of residential customers bought from a supplier in 2025) means that whichever utility the map shows is the one that bills the home.
Source: EIA-861 2025, service territory; Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary file, counties. EIA-861 2025 service territory: 5 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 |
|---|---|
| Bartow County | Georgia Power, GreyStone Power, Central Georgia Electric Membership Corporation, Amicalola Electric Membership Corporation, City of Cartersville, City of Acworth |
| Cherokee County | Georgia Power, Sawnee EMC, Amicalola Electric Membership Corporation |
| Cobb County | Georgia Power, GreyStone Power, City of Marietta, City of Acworth |
| Fulton County | Georgia Power, Sawnee EMC, GreyStone Power, Coweta-Fayette Electric Membership Corporation, City of East Point, City of College Park, City of Fairburn, City of Palmetto |
| Paulding County | Georgia Power, GreyStone Power, Carroll Electric Membership Corporation |
The Georgia Public Service Commission regulates Georgia Power fully but describes its authority over the state's electric membership corporations as limited.
Meters, time-of-use and rooftop solar
Nearly every residential meter on the system was an advanced meter in 2025 (99.9%). Enrolment in time-varying pricing was small: 3,643 members on a time-of-use rate, 1.8% of residential customers. The hours and prices of that option are in the cooperative's rate schedules, and the time-of-use guide explains how such a rate shifts a bill. Members had 628 net-metered solar installations, 3.1 per 1,000 residential customers, totalling 4.2 megawatts9.
Business accounts and help with bills
The cooperative's 23,650 commercial accounts paid 10.46¢ per kWh on average in 2025, a little below the residential figure, and its 63 industrial accounts 7.99¢ per kWh. Across all 226,844 accounts the average was 11.10¢ per kWh1.
Members who fall behind can apply for Georgia's Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), funded with $96.1 million10 in federal money for FY2026. The Georgia page sets Cobb EMC beside the state's other cooperatives and Georgia Power.
Cobb EMC rates: common questions
How much does Cobb EMC charge per kWh?
EIA reports an average, not the rate schedule: residential revenue divided by residential kWh, so the monthly fixed charge and any adjustments are folded in. Residential members paid 11.55¢ per kWh1 on that basis in 2025 and 12.03¢ per kWh2 over the last 12 months (September 2025 to August 2026, 2026 months preliminary). The per-kWh energy charge on Cobb EMC's own schedule is a different number.
Is Cobb EMC raising rates in 2026?
EIA's figures show averages, not rate decisions. The 12-month average to August 2026, 12.03¢ per kWh, is above the 2025 average of 11.55¢ per kWh1. The single month of August 20264 came in lower than a year before (−5.7%2), but homes used more power that August, which lowers the average per kWh. Which charges changed is shown in the cooperative's published rate schedules.
What is the average Cobb EMC electric bill?
$128.80 a month in 2025, for 1,115 kWh1 of use, and $135.43 over the last 12 months (September 2025 to August 2026). In the month of highest use, July 2026, the average bill was $174.12; in November 2025 it was $111.962.
Does the Georgia Public Service Commission set Cobb EMC's rates?
The commission fully regulates Georgia Power but describes its authority over the state's electric membership corporations as limited. Georgia has no residential retail choice, so a Cobb EMC address cannot buy power from another supplier.
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, average monthly bill by state; table Average_Bill_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
- 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, advanced meters, dynamic pricing and net metering; table Advanced_Meters, Dynamic_Pricing, Net_Metering 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.