Tennessee electricity rates and bills
Homes in Tennessee paid an average of 13.61¢ per kWh over the last 12 months (Sep 2025–Aug 2026), 24.6% below the US average of 18.04¢; 13.42¢ in August 2026 alone.1 The average residential bill was $156.03 a month in 2025, for 1,180 kWh.2
EIA monthly data through August 2026 (preliminary, released October 23, 2026); annual data for 2025 are final. Next monthly update expected November 24, 2026. Average revenue per kWh includes fixed charges and riders; it is not a tariff rate.
South region, East South Central division
Tennessee homes paid 13.61¢ per kWh over the last 12 months (8th lowest among the states), but they used 1,186 kWh a month (2nd highest1), so the 2025 bill came to $5.35 more a month than the US average2. Nobody here chooses a supplier: the address decides which city utility or cooperative sends the bill, and use peaks in winter, not summer.
A low price per kWh, a big monthly total
Two numbers explain Tennessee's electricity costs. Over the 12 months to August 2026, homes paid an average of 13.61¢ per kWh, 4.43¢ per kWh less than the US average. Of Tennessee's 8 neighbors, 1 had a lower 12-month average; the lowest was Arkansas at 13.57¢ per kWh, the highest Virginia at 16.64¢ per kWh. Over the same 12 months the average home used 1,186 kWh a month, against 875 kWh1 nationally.
Source: EIA, Electric Power Monthly / EIA-861M sales and revenue by state. Period: September 2025 to August 2026.
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| State | Average residential use, last 12 months (computed) |
|---|---|
| Louisiana | 1,211 |
| Tennessee | 1,186 |
| Mississippi | 1,170 |
| Alabama | 1,140 |
| Texas | 1,114 |
| Kentucky | 1,101 |
| Florida | 1,097 |
| Georgia | 1,080 |
| North Dakota | 1,076 |
| Oklahoma | 1,076 |
| South Carolina | 1,070 |
| Virginia | 1,066 |
| United States | 875 |
Multiply the two and the low price disappears. The average residential bill was $156.03 a month in 2025 (18th highest among the states), $5.35 more a month than the US average2. Over the last 12 months it averaged $161.34, and in August 2026 alone $205.56 on 1,532 kWh1. The electricity usage ranking lists every state.
Source: EIA-861 2025, average monthly bill by state. Residential revenue divided by customers, per month, 2025 (EIA Average_Bill_2025; EIA counts customer accounts, including rooftop-solar third-party-owner accounts).
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| Area | Monthly bill, 2025 |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $184.31 |
| Mississippi | $166.05 |
| Virginia | $163.05 |
| Georgia | $158.70 |
| Tennessee | $156.03 |
| United States | $150.68 |
| North Carolina | $146.14 |
| Kentucky | $143.72 |
| Arkansas | $138.42 |
| Missouri | $137.97 |
Census figures, which are bills households recall for an average month, point the same way. In 2025 the median Tennessee household reported about $186 (tied for 10th highest among the states, against $169 nationally), and only 14.3% said they paid under $100 (4th lowest among the states, against 23.0%3 nationally). These are survey estimates with margins of error.
Winter is the expensive season
Most Tennessee households heat mainly with electricity: 63.2% in 2025, 6th highest among the states and well above 41.8%4 nationally. Use per home follows the heating season: over the last 12 months it peaked at 1,602 kWh in February 2026 and dropped to 872 kWh in November 2025, a ratio of 1.8 times. Summer use is high too (1,532 kWh in August 20261), but in this period the winter peak was higher.
Source: EIA, Electric Power Monthly / EIA-861M sales and revenue by state. Residential kWh sold per customer in each month. The table adds that month's average residential price. Monthly EIA data through August 2026 (released October 23, 2026); months since January 2026 are preliminary.
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| Month | kWh per customer | Residential ¢/kWh |
|---|---|---|
| September 2025 | 1,183 | 13.30¢ |
| October 2025 | 964 | 13.08¢ |
| November 2025 | 872 | 13.49¢ |
| December 2025 | 1,225 | 12.89¢ |
| January 2026 | 1,370 | 13.10¢ |
| February 2026 | 1,602 | 12.82¢ |
| March 2026 | 987 | 15.08¢ |
| April 2026 | 917 | 14.94¢ |
| May 2026 | 896 | 14.47¢ |
| June 2026 | 1,196 | 14.07¢ |
| July 2026 | 1,494 | 13.71¢ |
| August 2026 | 1,532 | 13.42¢ |
The average price per kWh moved the other way. It was lowest in February 2026, at 12.82¢ per kWh, and highest in March 2026, at 15.08¢ per kWh1: fixed monthly charges are spread over more kWh in a heavy month, which lowers the average even as the bill rises. Memphis followed a different pattern in this period. At MLGW, use per home peaked in August 2026 at 1,731 kWh, while Nashville Electric Service, KUB and EPB all peaked in February 20265.
EIA's 2020 household survey (RECS, a pandemic year) put the average Tennessee home at 14,214 kWh a year (2nd highest in the country); space heating made up 18% of household electricity use and air conditioning 17%6. Newer RECS figures for 2024 are due in spring 2027.
Who supplies electricity in Tennessee
Searches for "Tennessee electric companies" have a long answer. EIA lists 87 utilities delivering electricity in Tennessee in 2025: 60 public power systems (city utilities and power boards), 25 electric cooperatives and 2 investor-owned utilities. Public power served 2,113,184 residential customers and cooperatives 1,042,938; investor-owned utilities served 43,3657, almost all of them Kingsport Power customers. Most of the electricity they deliver comes from the federally owned Tennessee Valley Authority, which EIA describes as covering most of Tennessee and providing most of the state's electricity.
There is no supplier market to shop. EIA counted 07 competitive suppliers with residential customers in 2025, so households have no supplier offers to compare. The utility is set by address, and 79 of the state's 95 counties have two or more utilities reporting service; Blount County has 58. Each utility's own service map decides which one serves a street.
Source: EIA-861 2025, service territory; Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary file, counties. Counties where each utility reports serving customers (EIA-861 service territory, 2025). A utility often serves only part of a county, and several can share one: the map shows where each one is present, not street-level boundaries. Point at a county for every utility listed there.
The five largest by residential customers are Nashville Electric Service (13.3% of the state's homes), MLGW (12.0%), Middle Tennessee Electric (9.7%), Knoxville Utilities Board (6.1%) and EPB (5.2%). The 7 utilities with 100,000 or more residential customers together serve 52.8%7 of them.
Similar prices, very different bills
Among Tennessee's 55 larger utilities (10,000 or more residential customers), 2025 residential averages ranged from 11.54¢ per kWh at City of Bristol to 15.05¢ per kWh at City of Newport, a spread of 3.51¢ per kWh. Cooperatives averaged 13.17¢ per kWh and public power systems 13.27¢ per kWh7.
Source: EIA-861 annual electric power industry report, 2025 final. Utilities with 10,000 or more bundled (full-service) residential customers; the 20 lowest of 55 shown. Revenue divided by kWh sold, all charges included, EIA-861 2025 final. Darker bars have their own page.
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| Utility | ¢/kWh |
|---|---|
| City of Bristol | 11.54¢ |
| Chickasaw Electric Cooperative | 11.80¢ |
| City of Cookeville | 11.85¢ |
| Sevier County Electric System | 12.06¢ |
| Maryville Utilities | 12.11¢ |
| Powell Valley Electric Cooperative | 12.22¢ |
| Loudon Utilities Board | 12.24¢ |
| Kingsport Power Co | 12.28¢ |
| City of Paris | 12.29¢ |
| Weakley County Municipal Electric Sys | 12.29¢ |
| City of Elizabethton | 12.30¢ |
| Athens Utility Board | 12.44¢ |
| Middle Tennessee Electric | 12.47¢ |
| City of Fayetteville | 12.49¢ |
| City of Jackson | 12.57¢ |
| Carroll County | 12.66¢ |
| City of Greeneville | 12.69¢ |
| Columbia Power System | 12.73¢ |
| City of Gallatin | 12.79¢ |
| City of Lexington | 12.80¢ |
| Tennessee average | 13.22¢ |
Bills differ more than prices, because use differs. Nashville Electric Service had one of the higher averages in the state, 14.04¢ per kWh in 2025 (tied for 5th highest of the larger utilities), yet its homes used 1,040 kWh a month and paid $146.00. Cumberland EMC, a cooperative serving parts of Cheatham County, Dickson County, Montgomery County, Robertson County, Stewart County and Sumner County8, averaged 13.76¢ per kWh, close to the same price, but its homes used 1,437 kWh and paid $197.71. Middle Tennessee Electric, with one of the lower averages at 12.47¢ per kWh, still billed $161.57 because its members used 1,295 kWh7.
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.
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| Utility | average monthly residential bill |
|---|---|
| EPB (TN) | $144.47 |
| Nashville Electric Service (TN) | $146.00 |
| MLGW (TN) | $151.19 |
| Knoxville Utilities Board (TN) | $153.38 |
| Volunteer Energy Cooperative (TN) | $158.32 |
| Middle Tennessee Electric (TN) | $161.57 |
| Cumberland EMC (TN) | $197.71 |
Winter magnifies the gap. In February 2026, Cumberland EMC's average residential bill reached $283.26 on 2,219 kWh; Nashville Electric Service's peaked at $180.215. These monthly utility figures come from EIA's 861M sample and are preliminary for 2026.
How the price has changed
Tennessee's residential average was 6.32¢ per kWh10 in 2001 and 13.22¢ per kWh in 2025, up 109.2%, a little more than the national 100.8% over the same years. The annual average rose in 18 years since 2002 and last fell in 202311.
Source: EIA, Historical state data, annual sales, revenue and customers; EIA, Historical state data, monthly sales and revenue 1990-2009. Average revenue per kWh (all charges, nominal dollars), each calendar year: 2010 onward EIA-861 final annual data, 2001–2009 the sum of the monthly survey.
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| Period | Tennessee (¢/kWh) | United States (¢/kWh) |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 6.32¢ | 8.58¢ |
| 2002 | 6.41¢ | 8.44¢ |
| 2003 | 6.55¢ | 8.72¢ |
| 2004 | 6.90¢ | 8.95¢ |
| 2005 | 6.98¢ | 9.45¢ |
| 2006 | 7.75¢ | 10.40¢ |
| 2007 | 7.84¢ | 10.65¢ |
| 2008 | 8.91¢ | 11.26¢ |
| 2009 | 9.32¢ | 11.51¢ |
| 2010 | 9.23¢ | 11.54¢ |
| 2011 | 9.98¢ | 11.72¢ |
| 2012 | 10.10¢ | 11.88¢ |
| 2013 | 9.98¢ | 12.13¢ |
| 2014 | 10.32¢ | 12.52¢ |
| 2015 | 10.30¢ | 12.65¢ |
| 2016 | 10.41¢ | 12.55¢ |
| 2017 | 10.72¢ | 12.89¢ |
| 2018 | 10.71¢ | 12.87¢ |
| 2019 | 10.87¢ | 13.01¢ |
| 2020 | 10.76¢ | 13.15¢ |
| 2021 | 11.07¢ | 13.66¢ |
| 2022 | 12.25¢ | 15.04¢ |
| 2023 | 12.19¢ | 16.00¢ |
| 2024 | 12.42¢ | 16.48¢ |
| 2025 | 13.22¢ | 17.23¢ |
The recent increases were modest by national standards. The last 12 months ran 3.7% above the 12 before, against 6.5% for the US; Tennessee's increase ranked tied for 9th lowest among the states. In August 2026 the residential price was 13.42¢ per kWh, +2.5%1 against August 2025. The bigger jump came from 2024 to 2025, when the annual price rose 6.4%11 and average use went from 1,154 kWh to 1,180 kWh a month; together they lifted the average bill from $143.3212 to $156.03, a rise of 8.9%2.
Business and industrial prices
Tennessee industry paid an average of 6.65¢ per kWh over the last 12 months, 25.4% below the US average and tied for 3rd lowest among the states, with almost no change on the previous 12 months (+0.6%). Commercial customers paid 13.27¢ per kWh, 4.3% below the US average, up 4.0%1.
Source: EIA, Electric Power Monthly / EIA-861M sales and revenue by state. Average revenue per kWh: what each customer class paid in total divided by what it used. Industrial customers take power at higher voltage and in large, steady volumes, so their average is lower. Monthly EIA data through August 2026 (released October 23, 2026); months since January 2026 are preliminary.
Show the numbers
| Sector | Tennessee (¢/kWh) | United States (¢/kWh) |
|---|---|---|
| Residential | 13.61¢ | 18.04¢ |
| Commercial | 13.27¢ | 13.87¢ |
| Industrial | 6.65¢ | 8.91¢ |
| All sectors | 11.82¢ | 14.15¢ |
The average industrial bill looks very different: $136,498.16 a month in 2025 (2nd highest in the country), against $6,580.64 nationally. That reflects how much electricity the average industrial account buys, not its price per kWh. The average commercial bill was $713.372. The industrial rates ranking compares every state.
Where the power comes from
Nuclear plants produced 38.9% of the electricity generated in Tennessee in 2025 (6th highest among the states, against 17.7% nationally). Coal (23.9%) and natural gas (23.7%) were nearly level: since 2015 coal's share fell 16.8 percentage points and gas's rose 11.3 percentage points. Hydropower supplied 11.7% (11th highest); solar 1.7% and wind 0.0%13.
Source: EIA, Net generation by state by type of producer by energy source. Share of net generation by all power plants located in the state (utilities and independent producers), by energy source. Electricity crosses state lines, so this is what the state produces, not exactly what its customers consume. Pumped storage is a net user of power and is left out.
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| Natural gas | Coal | Nuclear | Hydro | Wind | Solar | Petroleum | Other | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee, 2025 | 23.7% | 23.9% | 38.9% | 11.7% | 0.0% | 1.7% | 0.2% | 0.0% |
| Tennessee, 2015 | 12.4% | 40.7% | 33.2% | 12.7% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| United States, 2025 | 40.9% | 16.6% | 17.7% | 5.5% | 10.4% | 6.8% | 0.4% | 1.7% |
The state's plants generated the equivalent of 71% of its retail electricity sales in 2025 (6th lowest), against 109%13 for the country as a whole: a large part of the electricity used in Tennessee is generated outside it.
Meters, rooftop solar and outages
Smart meters are close to universal: 96.2% of residential meters were advanced meters in 2025, tied for 8th highest among the states. Time-varying pricing, which such meters make possible, is rare: only 0.3% of residential customers were on time-varying pricing, and EIA's net-metering data list 97 residential installations in the whole state (0.0 per 1,000 customers, tied for lowest14).
Tennessee customers averaged 230 minutes without power in 2025 including major storms and 151 minutes excluding them, with 1.6315 interruptions per customer. The power outages ranking has every state.
Help with a Tennessee electric bill
Tennessee received $69.8 million from the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program for fiscal 2026, about $23.64 per occupied home (14th lowest among the states); the first release for fiscal 2027 was $61.6 million16. Application steps and other sources of help are listed in the help paying your electric bill guide.
| Nashville Electric Service | Municipal | 424,808 | 14.04¢ | $146.00 | 1,040 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MLGW | Municipal | 385,015 | 13.24¢ | $151.19 | 1,142 |
| Middle Tennessee Electric | Cooperative | 311,520 | 12.47¢ | $161.57 | 1,295 |
| Knoxville Utilities Board | Municipal | 196,674 | 13.83¢ | $153.38 | 1,109 |
| EPB | Municipal | 164,914 | 12.89¢ | $144.47 | 1,121 |
| Volunteer Energy Cooperative | Cooperative | 105,248 | 13.08¢ | $158.32 | 1,210 |
| Cumberland EMC | Cooperative | 101,734 | 13.76¢ | $197.71 | 1,437 |
| City of Clarksville | Municipal | 77,509 | 13.67¢ | $159.41 | 1,166 |
| Johnson City | Municipal | 72,729 | 13.22¢ | $156.46 | 1,184 |
| Duck River Electric Membership Corporation | Cooperative | 71,969 | 13.59¢ | $187.71 | 1,381 |
| City of Lenoir | Municipal | 63,379 | 12.82¢ | $158.94 | 1,240 |
| Upper Cumberland EMC | Cooperative | 45,862 | 13.71¢ | $167.98 | 1,225 |
| Appalachian Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | 44,280 | 13.58¢ | $171.42 | 1,263 |
| Southwest Tennessee EMC | Cooperative | 43,847 | 13.72¢ | $181.40 | 1,322 |
| Kingsport Power Co | Investor-owned | 43,364 | 12.28¢ | $158.45 | 1,290 |
| Sevier County Electric System | Municipal | 36,001 | 12.06¢ | $141.60 | 1,174 |
| Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | 33,315 | 13.77¢ | $160.49 | 1,166 |
| City of Greeneville | Municipal | 32,686 | 12.69¢ | $157.90 | 1,244 |
| City of Jackson | Municipal | 32,264 | 12.57¢ | $136.88 | 1,089 |
| Columbia Power System | Municipal | 32,032 | 12.73¢ | $141.30 | 1,110 |
| City of Dickson | Municipal | 31,000 | 13.00¢ | $164.87 | 1,268 |
| Fort Loudoun Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | 30,743 | 12.83¢ | $175.54 | 1,368 |
| Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | 30,485 | 14.24¢ | $172.36 | 1,211 |
| City of Bristol | Municipal | 30,081 | 11.54¢ | $149.60 | 1,296 |
| Caney Fork Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | 29,863 | 13.60¢ | $162.40 | 1,194 |
| City of Cleveland | Municipal | 29,740 | 13.34¢ | $149.15 | 1,118 |
| Gibson Electric Members Corp | Cooperative | 29,483 | 13.72¢ | $181.40 | 1,323 |
| City of Alcoa Utilities | Municipal | 28,498 | 12.99¢ | $159.96 | 1,231 |
| City of Clinton | Municipal | 26,320 | 13.66¢ | $166.61 | 1,219 |
| Holston Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | 25,947 | 13.97¢ | $165.87 | 1,187 |
| Tri-County Electric Membership Corporation | Cooperative | 25,085 | 12.92¢ | $168.04 | 1,300 |
| City of Gallatin | Municipal | 23,744 | 12.79¢ | $136.96 | 1,071 |
| City of Elizabethton | Municipal | 23,381 | 12.30¢ | $143.05 | 1,163 |
| Powell Valley Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | 21,217 | 12.22¢ | $131.86 | 1,079 |
| City of LaFollette | Municipal | 20,083 | 14.33¢ | $156.98 | 1,095 |
| City of Newport | Municipal | 20,003 | 15.05¢ | $165.83 | 1,102 |
| Chickasaw Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | 19,723 | 11.80¢ | $168.68 | 1,429 |
| Maryville Utilities | Municipal | 19,485 | 12.11¢ | $141.96 | 1,172 |
| City of Lawrenceburg | Municipal | 18,239 | 13.00¢ | $159.65 | 1,228 |
| City of Lexington | Municipal | 17,991 | 12.80¢ | $140.45 | 1,097 |
| Tennessee Valley Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | 16,919 | 13.03¢ | $145.08 | 1,114 |
| City of Fayetteville | Municipal | 16,729 | 12.49¢ | $161.62 | 1,294 |
| Pickwick Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | 16,595 | 13.42¢ | $167.70 | 1,250 |
| City of Paris | Municipal | 16,316 | 12.29¢ | $140.16 | 1,141 |
| City of Cookeville | Municipal | 16,182 | 11.85¢ | $116.53 | 983 |
| City of Oak Ridge | Municipal | 15,586 | 13.37¢ | $125.93 | 942 |
| Weakley County Municipal Electric Sys | Municipal | 15,323 | 12.29¢ | $164.58 | 1,339 |
| Plateau Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | 14,323 | 14.04¢ | $137.79 | 982 |
| City of Morristown | Municipal | 13,571 | 13.40¢ | $146.44 | 1,093 |
| Loudon Utilities Board | Municipal | 12,846 | 12.24¢ | $156.09 | 1,275 |
| City of Pulaski | Municipal | 12,496 | 14.10¢ | $169.45 | 1,202 |
| Mountain Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | 12,388 | 13.09¢ | $134.70 | 1,029 |
| Carroll County | Municipal | 12,348 | 12.66¢ | $156.69 | 1,237 |
| City of Rockwood | Municipal | 12,081 | 13.34¢ | $165.44 | 1,240 |
| Athens Utility Board | Municipal | 11,761 | 12.44¢ | $145.71 | 1,171 |
| City of Shelbyville | Municipal | 9,970 | 11.88¢ | $134.95 | 1,136 |
| City of Dyersburg | Municipal | 9,495 | 11.69¢ | $137.94 | 1,180 |
| City of Harriman | Municipal | 9,375 | 14.04¢ | $161.32 | 1,149 |
| Tullahoma Board-Public Utils | Municipal | 9,324 | 11.72¢ | $136.54 | 1,165 |
| City of Dayton | Municipal | 9,149 | 12.55¢ | $136.18 | 1,085 |
| Bolivar Energy Authority | Municipal | 8,913 | 14.17¢ | $168.57 | 1,189 |
| Benton County | Municipal | 8,750 | 15.11¢ | $168.39 | 1,114 |
| Forked Deer Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | 8,331 | 14.97¢ | $205.49 | 1,372 |
| City of Springfield | Municipal | 7,696 | 12.42¢ | $138.51 | 1,115 |
| Town of Erwin | Municipal | 7,669 | 13.14¢ | $134.62 | 1,024 |
| City of Sweetwater | Municipal | 7,584 | 12.27¢ | $160.46 | 1,308 |
| City of Milan | Municipal | 6,908 | 13.04¢ | $162.96 | 1,250 |
| McMinnville Electric System | Municipal | 6,702 | 12.98¢ | $129.05 | 994 |
| City of Winchester | Municipal | 5,325 | 12.48¢ | $138.78 | 1,112 |
| City of Union City | Municipal | 5,198 | 11.86¢ | $125.48 | 1,058 |
| City of Ripley | Municipal | 5,114 | 13.17¢ | $147.39 | 1,119 |
| City of Lewisburg | Municipal | 5,046 | 11.88¢ | $137.11 | 1,154 |
| City of Etowah | Municipal | 4,466 | 14.16¢ | $163.98 | 1,158 |
| City of Brownsville | Municipal | 4,076 | 12.17¢ | $127.56 | 1,048 |
| City of Covington | Municipal | 3,745 | 11.75¢ | $127.70 | 1,087 |
| City of Mt Pleasant | Municipal | 3,538 | 13.74¢ | $164.38 | 1,196 |
| City of Humboldt | Municipal | 3,535 | 12.16¢ | $129.16 | 1,062 |
| Tri-State Electric Membership Corporation | Cooperative | 2,834 | 14.90¢ | $155.02 | 1,041 |
| City of Smithville | Municipal | 2,441 | 12.70¢ | $117.64 | 926 |
| City of Sparta | Municipal | 2,270 | 12.50¢ | $121.00 | 968 |
| City of Trenton | Municipal | 1,959 | 13.58¢ | $137.40 | 1,012 |
| City of Jellico | Municipal | 1,621 | 14.06¢ | $161.99 | 1,152 |
| City of Newbern | Municipal | 1,500 | 10.89¢ | $124.72 | 1,145 |
| French Broad Electric Membership Corporation | Cooperative | 1,003 | 16.40¢ | $125.91 | 768 |
Source: EIA-861 annual electric power industry report, 2025 final. EIA-861 2025 final; utilities with 1,000 or more residential customers. Price, bill and kWh are for bundled (full-service) residential customers: revenue divided by kWh, all charges included. Small utilities that file EIA's short form report all customers together (marked "all customers").
| Anderson County | 3 | Knoxville Utilities Board, City of Clinton, City of Oak Ridge |
|---|---|---|
| Bedford County | 2 | Duck River Electric Membership Corporation, City of Shelbyville |
| Benton County | 1 | Benton County |
| Bledsoe County | 4 | EPB, Volunteer Energy Cooperative, Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative, City of Dayton |
| Blount County | 5 | Knoxville Utilities Board, Sevier County Electric System, Fort Loudoun Electric Cooperative, City of Alcoa Utilities, Maryville Utilities |
| Bradley County | 3 | EPB, Volunteer Energy Cooperative, City of Cleveland |
| Campbell County | 4 | City of Clinton, City of LaFollette, City of Jellico, Cumberland Valley Electric |
| Cannon County | 2 | Middle Tennessee Electric, Caney Fork Electric Cooperative |
| Carroll County | 3 | City of Lexington, Carroll County, City of Milan |
| Carter County | 4 | Johnson City, City of Elizabethton, Mountain Electric Cooperative, Town of Erwin |
| Cheatham County | 3 | Nashville Electric Service, Cumberland EMC, City of Dickson |
| Chester County | 2 | Southwest Tennessee EMC, Pickwick Electric Cooperative |
| Claiborne County | 3 | Powell Valley Electric Cooperative, City of LaFollette, Cumberland Valley Electric |
| Clay County | 2 | Upper Cumberland EMC, Tri-County Electric Membership Corporation |
| Cocke County | 2 | City of Newport, French Broad Electric Membership Corporation |
| Coffee County | 4 | Duck River Electric Membership Corporation, Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative, Caney Fork Electric Cooperative, Tullahoma Board-Public Utils |
| Crockett County | 3 | Southwest Tennessee EMC, Gibson Electric Members Corp, Forked Deer Electric Cooperative |
| Cumberland County | 1 | Volunteer Energy Cooperative |
| Davidson County | 1 | Nashville Electric Service |
| Decatur County | 1 | City of Lexington |
| DeKalb County | 4 | Middle Tennessee Electric, Upper Cumberland EMC, Caney Fork Electric Cooperative, City of Smithville |
| Dickson County | 2 | Cumberland EMC, City of Dickson |
| Dyer County | 4 | Gibson Electric Members Corp, City of Dyersburg, Forked Deer Electric Cooperative, City of Newbern |
| Fayette County | 3 | Southwest Tennessee EMC, Chickasaw Electric Cooperative, Bolivar Energy Authority |
| Fentress County | 1 | Volunteer Energy Cooperative |
| Franklin County | 4 | Duck River Electric Membership Corporation, City of Fayetteville, Tullahoma Board-Public Utils, City of Winchester |
| Gibson County | 5 | Gibson Electric Members Corp, Weakley County Municipal Electric Sys, City of Milan, City of Humboldt, City of Trenton |
| Giles County | 3 | Duck River Electric Membership Corporation, City of Fayetteville, City of Pulaski |
| Grainger County | 3 | Knoxville Utilities Board, Appalachian Electric Cooperative, Powell Valley Electric Cooperative |
| Greene County | 2 | Johnson City, City of Greeneville |
| Grundy County | 3 | Duck River Electric Membership Corporation, Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative, Caney Fork Electric Cooperative |
| Hamblen County | 3 | Appalachian Electric Cooperative, Holston Electric Cooperative, City of Morristown |
| Hamilton County | 3 | EPB, Volunteer Energy Cooperative, Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative |
| Hancock County | 1 | Powell Valley Electric Cooperative |
| Hardeman County | 4 | Southwest Tennessee EMC, Chickasaw Electric Cooperative, Pickwick Electric Cooperative, Bolivar Energy Authority |
| Hardin County | 3 | City of Lexington, Tennessee Valley Electric Cooperative, Pickwick Electric Cooperative |
| Hawkins County | 3 | Kingsport Power Co, Holston Electric Cooperative, Powell Valley Electric Cooperative |
| Haywood County | 5 | Southwest Tennessee EMC, Gibson Electric Members Corp, Chickasaw Electric Cooperative, Forked Deer Electric Cooperative, City of Brownsville |
| Henderson County | 3 | Southwest Tennessee EMC, City of Lexington, Carroll County |
| Henry County | 1 | City of Paris |
| Hickman County | 2 | City of Dickson, Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative |
| Houston County | 2 | City of Dickson, Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative |
| Humphreys County | 1 | Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative |
| Jackson County | 2 | Upper Cumberland EMC, Tri-County Electric Membership Corporation |
| Jefferson County | 3 | Knoxville Utilities Board, Appalachian Electric Cooperative, City of Newport |
| Johnson County | 1 | Mountain Electric Cooperative |
| Knox County | 3 | Knoxville Utilities Board, City of Lenoir, City of Clinton |
| Lake County | 1 | Gibson Electric Members Corp |
| Lauderdale County | 4 | Southwest Tennessee EMC, Gibson Electric Members Corp, Forked Deer Electric Cooperative, City of Ripley |
| Lawrence County | 3 | Duck River Electric Membership Corporation, City of Lawrenceburg, City of Mt Pleasant |
| Lewis County | 2 | Duck River Electric Membership Corporation, Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative |
| Lincoln County | 3 | Duck River Electric Membership Corporation, City of Fayetteville, City of Pulaski |
| Loudon County | 3 | City of Lenoir, Fort Loudoun Electric Cooperative, Loudon Utilities Board |
| Macon County | 2 | Upper Cumberland EMC, Tri-County Electric Membership Corporation |
| Madison County | 4 | Southwest Tennessee EMC, City of Jackson, Gibson Electric Members Corp, City of Milan |
| Marion County | 3 | EPB, Duck River Electric Membership Corporation, Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative |
| Marshall County | 3 | Duck River Electric Membership Corporation, City of Fayetteville, City of Lewisburg |
| Maury County | 4 | Middle Tennessee Electric, Duck River Electric Membership Corporation, Columbia Power System, City of Mt Pleasant |
| McMinn County | 3 | Volunteer Energy Cooperative, Athens Utility Board, City of Etowah |
| McNairy County | 1 | Pickwick Electric Cooperative |
| Meigs County | 1 | Volunteer Energy Cooperative |
| Monroe County | 2 | Fort Loudoun Electric Cooperative, City of Sweetwater |
| Montgomery County | 3 | Cumberland EMC, City of Clarksville, City of Dickson |
| Moore County | 2 | Duck River Electric Membership Corporation, Tullahoma Board-Public Utils |
| Morgan County | 3 | City of Clinton, Plateau Electric Cooperative, City of Harriman |
| Obion County | 3 | Gibson Electric Members Corp, Weakley County Municipal Electric Sys, City of Union City |
| Overton County | 3 | Volunteer Energy Cooperative, Upper Cumberland EMC, Tri-County Electric Membership Corporation |
| Perry County | 1 | Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative |
| Pickett County | 3 | Volunteer Energy Cooperative, Upper Cumberland EMC, South Kentucky Rural E C C |
| Polk County | 2 | Volunteer Energy Cooperative, Tri-State Electric Membership Corporation |
| Putnam County | 4 | Volunteer Energy Cooperative, Upper Cumberland EMC, Caney Fork Electric Cooperative, City of Cookeville |
| Rhea County | 4 | EPB, Volunteer Energy Cooperative, Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative, City of Dayton |
| Roane County | 5 | Volunteer Energy Cooperative, City of Lenoir, City of Clinton, City of Rockwood, City of Harriman |
| Robertson County | 3 | Nashville Electric Service, Cumberland EMC, City of Springfield |
| Rutherford County | 3 | Nashville Electric Service, Middle Tennessee Electric, Duck River Electric Membership Corporation |
| Scott County | 3 | Volunteer Energy Cooperative, Plateau Electric Cooperative, South Kentucky Rural E C C |
| Sequatchie County | 2 | EPB, Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative |
| Sevier County | 4 | Knoxville Utilities Board, Appalachian Electric Cooperative, Sevier County Electric System, City of Newport |
| Shelby County | 1 | MLGW |
| Smith County | 3 | Middle Tennessee Electric, Upper Cumberland EMC, Tri-County Electric Membership Corporation |
| Stewart County | 1 | Cumberland EMC |
| Sullivan County | 4 | Johnson City, Kingsport Power Co, City of Bristol, City of Elizabethton |
| Sumner County | 4 | Nashville Electric Service, Cumberland EMC, Tri-County Electric Membership Corporation, City of Gallatin |
| Tipton County | 3 | Southwest Tennessee EMC, City of Covington, Entergy Arkansas |
| Trousdale County | 2 | Middle Tennessee Electric, Tri-County Electric Membership Corporation |
| Unicoi County | 4 | City of Elizabethton, Mountain Electric Cooperative, Town of Erwin, French Broad Electric Membership Corporation |
| Union County | 4 | Knoxville Utilities Board, City of Clinton, Powell Valley Electric Cooperative, City of LaFollette |
| Van Buren County | 2 | Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative, Caney Fork Electric Cooperative |
| Warren County | 2 | Caney Fork Electric Cooperative, McMinnville Electric System |
| Washington County | 4 | Johnson City, Kingsport Power Co, City of Elizabethton, Town of Erwin |
| Wayne County | 1 | Tennessee Valley Electric Cooperative |
| Weakley County | 3 | Gibson Electric Members Corp, Weakley County Municipal Electric Sys, Carroll County |
| White County | 4 | Volunteer Energy Cooperative, Upper Cumberland EMC, Caney Fork Electric Cooperative, City of Sparta |
| Williamson County | 4 | Nashville Electric Service, Middle Tennessee Electric, Duck River Electric Membership Corporation, Columbia Power System |
| Wilson County | 2 | Nashville Electric Service, Middle Tennessee Electric |
Source: EIA-861 2025, service territory. Distribution utilities that report customers in the county (EIA-861 2025 service territory), largest first. Several utilities can serve parts of the same county; for a specific address, the utilities' own service-area maps decide.
Questions and answers
What is the cost of electricity in Tennessee per kWh?
Over the last 12 months (September 2025 to August 2026), Tennessee homes paid an average of 13.61¢ per kWh, all charges included, against 18.04¢ per kWh nationally. For August 2026 by itself, EIA's preliminary figure is 13.42¢ per kWh1. The 2025 annual average was 13.22¢ per kWh11. These are averages of what customers paid, not a tariff line.
What is the average electric bill in Tennessee?
$156.03 a month in 2025 for 1,180 kWh, according to EIA, up 8.9%2 on 2024. For the last 12 months the figure works out to $161.341. In the Census Bureau's 2025 survey, households reported a median bill of about $1863.
Can I shop for electricity rates in Tennessee?
No. Tennessee has no residential retail choice: in 2025, EIA counted 07 competitive suppliers with residential customers in the state. Your electric company is the city utility or cooperative that serves your address.
What are commercial electric rates in Tennessee?
Businesses paid an average of 13.27¢ per kWh over the last 12 months, 4.3% below the US average. Industrial customers paid 6.65¢ per kWh, 25.4% below the US average1. Individual business tariffs depend on the utility and on demand charges.
More on electricity in and around Tennessee
Utility pages: Nashville Electric Service, MLGW, Middle Tennessee Electric, Knoxville Utilities Board, EPB, Volunteer Energy Cooperative and Cumberland EMC.
Neighboring states: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina and Virginia. Put Tennessee side by side with another state in the comparison tool, or estimate a bill with your own kWh in the bill calculator.
| Ranking | Value | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest electricity by state | 13.61¢ | 8th of 51 (1 = lowest) |
| Average electric bill by state | $156.03 | 18th of 51 |
| Average electricity usage by state | 1,180 | 3rd of 51 |
| Electricity price increases by state | +3.7% | tied 42nd of 51 |
| Commercial electricity rates by state | 13.27¢ | 30th of 51 (1 = lowest) |
| Industrial electricity rates by state | 6.65¢ | tied 3rd of 51 (1 = lowest) |
| Power outages by state | 230 | tied 29th of 51 |
| Renewable electricity by state | 14.0% | 30th of 51 |
| Rooftop solar on net metering by state | 0.0 | tied 50th of 51 |
Sources
- 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
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 1-year estimates, table B25132; 2025; released October 29, 2026. data.census.gov
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 1-year estimates, house heating fuel, table B25040; 2025; released October 29, 2026. data.census.gov
- EIA-861M monthly sales and revenue by utility; table sales_ult_cust_2025 and _2026; released October 23, 2026. www.eia.gov
- EIA, Residential Energy Consumption Survey 2020, state data; table CE4.1.EL.ST, CE5 state tables, state highlights; released June 28, 2023. www.eia.gov
- EIA-861 annual electric power industry report, 2025 final; table Sales_Ult_Cust_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, Historical state data, monthly sales and revenue 1990-2009; table HS861M 1990-2009.xlsx; 1990-2009, final. 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, Electric Sales, Revenue, and Average Price 2024, Table 5A; 2024 (last edition of this product); released October 7, 2025. www.eia.gov
- EIA, Net generation by state by type of producer by energy source; table annual_generation_state.xlsx; 1990-2025; released September 14, 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
Margins of error (±) are at the 90% confidence level. A difference is called significant only when it passes the Census Bureau's test at that level. How every figure is built: methodology. Found an error? Write to [email protected]; corrections are listed on the updates page.