Middle Tennessee Electric rates, bills and use per home
Middle Tennessee Electric's 311,520 residential customers in Tennessee paid an average of 12.47¢ per kWh in 2025, for an average bill of $161.57 a month on 1,295 kWh.1 Over the last 12 months (Sep 2025–Aug 2026) the average was 12.61¢, and 12.24¢ 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.
8 of 95 Tennessee counties served (EIA-861 2025)
Middle Tennessee Electric's residential members paid an average of 12.47¢ per kWh in 2025, less per kWh than at any of Tennessee's other large utilities. Their homes used 1,295 kWh a month, though, so the average bill of $161.57 was above both the state's $156.035 and Nashville Electric Service's $146.001.
What Middle Tennessee Electric members pay, by period
Middle Tennessee Electric (Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation in EIA's records) is an electric cooperative: a utility owned by the members it serves rather than by investors or a city. With 311,520 residential members in 2025, it had 9.7% of the homes on Tennessee utilities' lines, the third-largest share after Nashville Electric Service and MLGW, and the largest of the state's 251 cooperatives.
EIA gives three dated readings of the residential price. Each is average revenue per kWh: what the cooperative billed its residential members, divided by the kWh they used.
| Period | EIA survey | Average price | Use per home, monthly | Average bill, monthly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calendar 2024 | EIA-861, final | 11.76¢ per kWh | 1,261 kWh | $148.333 |
| Calendar 2025 | EIA-861, final | 12.47¢ per kWh | 1,295 kWh | $161.571 |
| Last 12 months, September 2025 to August 2026 | EIA-861M, 2026 months preliminary | 12.61¢ per kWh | 1,289 kWh | $162.612 |
For August 20264 alone, the preliminary average was 12.24¢ per kWh2. None of these is a price printed on the rate schedule: the monthly customer charge is spread across every kWh, so a member who uses little pays more per kWh on average than one who uses a lot.
Lowest price among Tennessee's large utilities, not the lowest bill
In 2025 the cooperative's residential average was 5.7% below the Tennessee average and 13th lowest among the 55 Tennessee utilities with 10,000 or more residential customers, a group that ran from 11.54¢ per kWh at City of Bristol to 15.05¢ per kWh1 at City of Newport. Of the seven utilities with 100,000 or more residential customers, it had the lowest 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) |
|---|---|
| Middle Tennessee Electric (TN) | 12.47¢ |
| EPB (TN) | 12.89¢ |
| Volunteer Energy Cooperative (TN) | 13.08¢ |
| MLGW (TN) | 13.24¢ |
| Cumberland EMC (TN) | 13.76¢ |
| Knoxville Utilities Board (TN) | 13.83¢ |
| Nashville Electric Service (TN) | 14.04¢ |
The ranking changes once use per home enters. A Middle Tennessee Electric home used 1,295 kWh a month in 2025, against 1,180 kWh for Tennessee, itself 3rd highest among the states, and 874 kWh for the US. Among the large utilities only Cumberland EMC, the cooperative serving counties north and west of Nashville, had higher use (1,437 kWh). The result is a bill of $161.571, against $156.03 statewide and $150.685 nationally.
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 |
|---|---|
| Nashville Electric Service (TN) | $146.00 |
| Volunteer Energy Cooperative (TN) | $158.32 |
| Middle Tennessee Electric (TN) | $161.57 |
| Cumberland EMC (TN) | $197.71 |
The comparison with Nashville Electric Service shows the pattern most clearly. NES customers paid 14.04¢ per kWh, more than the cooperative's members, but used 1,040 kWh a month and paid $146.001. EIA's data do not say why use differs; house size, heating type and the share of apartments all affect it, and EIA does not record them by utility.
Nationally, the cooperative ranked 22nd lowest of 177 large US utilities, below their median of 15.07¢ per kWh, and was 11.6% below the national average for electric cooperatives (14.10¢ per kWh1 in 2025).
2025: the bill rose faster than the price
From 2024 to 2025 the residential average went from 11.76¢ per kWh to 12.47¢ per kWh (+6.0%), close to Tennessee's statewide +6.4%6 and to Cumberland EMC's +5.9%. Use per home also rose, from 1,261 kWh to 1,295 kWh a month, so the average bill climbed +8.9%, from $148.333 to $161.571.
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 | Middle Tennessee Electric (¢/kWh) | kWh per customer | Bill per customer |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 2025 | 12.13¢ | 1,525 | $185.09 |
| February 2025 | 12.21¢ | 1,398 | $170.68 |
| March 2025 | 12.96¢ | 1,296 | $167.95 |
| April 2025 | 13.48¢ | 946 | $127.51 |
| May 2025 | 12.85¢ | 1,060 | $136.20 |
| June 2025 | 13.00¢ | 1,180 | $153.39 |
| July 2025 | 12.40¢ | 1,625 | $201.47 |
| August 2025 | 12.23¢ | 1,731 | $211.66 |
| September 2025 | 12.36¢ | 1,316 | $162.60 |
| October 2025 | 12.09¢ | 1,158 | $139.98 |
| November 2025 | 12.59¢ | 938 | $118.09 |
| December 2025 | 12.02¢ | 1,369 | $164.56 |
| January 2026 | 12.13¢ | 1,459 | $176.97 |
| February 2026 | 12.03¢ | 1,687 | $203.00 |
| March 2026 | 14.34¢ | 1,060 | $151.97 |
| April 2026 | 14.12¢ | 958 | $135.24 |
| May 2026 | 13.30¢ | 991 | $131.90 |
| June 2026 | 12.82¢ | 1,269 | $162.64 |
| July 2026 | 12.51¢ | 1,582 | $197.90 |
| August 2026 | 12.24¢ | 1,679 | $205.53 |
The latest month shows little change on a year earlier. In August 2026 members paid an average of 12.24¢ per kWh, +0.1% against August 2025, while Tennessee's residential average for the same month was +2.5% on a year earlier. The 12-month average to August 2026, 12.61¢ per kWh2, is above the 2025 figure. All 2026 monthly figures are preliminary and will be revised; anything billed after August 20264 appears from EIA's November 24, 2026 release onward.
Winter brings the largest bills
Over the 12 months to August 2026, use per home peaked in February 2026 at 1,687 kWh, with an average bill of $203.00. The low was November 2025: 938 kWh and $118.092. Tennessee as a whole followed the same calendar, peaking in February 20264, and 63.2% of Tennessee households heated mainly with electricity in the Census Bureau's 2025 American Community Survey (6th highest7 among the states; a survey estimate with a margin of error).
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 | 1,316 | $162.60 | 12.36¢ |
| October 2025 | 1,158 | $139.98 | 12.09¢ |
| November 2025 | 938 | $118.09 | 12.59¢ |
| December 2025 | 1,369 | $164.56 | 12.02¢ |
| January 2026 | 1,459 | $176.97 | 12.13¢ |
| February 2026 | 1,687 | $203.00 | 12.03¢ |
| March 2026 | 1,060 | $151.97 | 14.34¢ |
| April 2026 | 958 | $135.24 | 14.12¢ |
| May 2026 | 991 | $131.90 | 13.30¢ |
| June 2026 | 1,269 | $162.64 | 12.82¢ |
| July 2026 | 1,582 | $197.90 | 12.51¢ |
| August 2026 | 1,679 | $205.53 | 12.24¢ |
For a household budget, the 12-month average of $162.612 a month hides a winter bill well above it and autumn bills well below.
Few outage minutes
Middle Tennessee Electric members averaged 50 minutes without power in 2025, counting major events, fewer than the Tennessee average of 230 minutes. Leaving out the days of large storms (major event days under IEEE 1366) gives 48 minutes, against 151 minutes statewide, 83 minutes at Nashville Electric Service and 149 minutes at Knoxville Utilities Board. Power went out 0.93 times per member on average, against 1.638 times per customer statewide. Cumberland EMC reports outages by a different method, so its figures are not directly comparable.
Eight counties, none served alone
EIA's 2025 territory records list the cooperative in 8 counties: Cannon County, DeKalb County, Maury County, Rutherford County, Smith County, Trousdale County, Williamson County and Wilson County. In all 89 at least one other distribution utility also reports service; Nashville Electric Service, for example, reports service in Rutherford, Williamson and Wilson counties. A county or city name does not settle which utility serves a home: the cooperative's own service-area map decides by address.
Source: EIA-861 2025, service territory; Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary file, counties. EIA-861 2025 service territory: 8 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 |
|---|---|
| Cannon County | Caney Fork Electric Cooperative |
| DeKalb County | Upper Cumberland EMC, Caney Fork Electric Cooperative, City of Smithville |
| Maury County | Duck River Electric Membership Corporation, Columbia Power System, City of Mt Pleasant |
| Rutherford County | Nashville Electric Service, Duck River Electric Membership Corporation |
| Smith County | Upper Cumberland EMC, Tri-County Electric Membership Corporation |
| Trousdale County | Tri-County Electric Membership Corporation |
| Williamson County | Nashville Electric Service, Duck River Electric Membership Corporation, Columbia Power System |
| Wilson County | Nashville Electric Service |
Members cannot shop for another supplier: competitive retail sales do not exist in Tennessee, where 0.0%1 of residential customers bought from one in 2025. Middle Tennessee lies in the Tennessee Valley Authority's region: the federally owned TVA, according to EIA, covers most of Tennessee and provides most of the state's electricity.
Smart meters, and time-of-use in name only
Almost the whole residential system is metered digitally: 99.5% of meters were advanced (AMI) in 2025, which is what a price that varies by hour requires. Uptake of that option is tiny. The cooperative told EIA it offers time-of-use pricing, yet just 549 homes had signed up, 0.2%11 of its residential members, so for practically every household a kWh costs the same at noon as at midnight. The cooperative's rate schedule sets the hours and prices of the time-of-use option; the time-of-use guide explains how such plans change a bill.
Business members, all customers and help with bills
Shops, offices and other commercial accounts (37,100 of them) averaged 12.12¢ per kWh in 2025, a little below the residential figure, with an average monthly bill of $893.67. The 40 industrial accounts averaged 7.28¢ per kWh. Taken over every class and all 348,660 accounts, the cooperative's average came to 11.85¢ per kWh1.
Members struggling with winter bills can look to LIHEAP, the federal energy assistance program, which allotted $69.8 million12 to Tennessee for fiscal 2026 (how to apply). The state page, electricity in Tennessee, compares every utility.
Middle Tennessee Electric: common questions
What are Middle Tennessee Electric's rates per kWh?
EIA's figures are averages, not tariff lines: residential members paid 12.47¢ per kWh1 in 2025 and 12.61¢ per kWh2 over the last 12 months (September 2025 to August 2026; 2026 months preliminary). Each is residential revenue divided by kWh sold, so the monthly customer charge and adjustments are folded in. The individual charges are in the cooperative's own rate schedule.
What is the average Middle Tennessee Electric bill?
$161.57 a month in 2025 for 1,295 kWh1. Over the last 12 months (September 2025 to August 2026) the computed average was $162.61, from $118.09 in November 2025 to $205.53 in August 20262.
Did Middle Tennessee Electric raise rates?
The average residential price rose 6.0%1 from 2024 to 2025. In August 20264 it was 12.24¢ per kWh, +0.1%2 against August 2025 (preliminary). EIA records what members paid, not the individual rate decisions behind it.
Is Middle Tennessee Electric cheaper than NES?
Per kWh, yes: 12.47¢ per kWh against 14.04¢ per kWh for Nashville Electric Service in 2025. Per month, no: the average bill was $161.57 against $146.001, because the cooperative's homes used more electricity. Neither can be chosen: the address decides which one serves a home.
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, Historical state data, annual sales, revenue and customers; table HS861 2010-.xlsx; 2010-2025, final; released October 7, 2026. www.eia.gov
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 1-year estimates, house heating fuel, table B25040; 2025; released October 29, 2026. data.census.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
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.