Volunteer Energy Cooperative electric rates and bills
Volunteer Energy Cooperative's 105,248 residential customers in Tennessee paid an average of 13.08¢ per kWh in 2025, for an average bill of $158.32 a month on 1,210 kWh.1 Over the last 12 months (Sep 2025–Aug 2026) the average was 13.71¢, and 13.49¢ 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.
15 of 95 Tennessee counties served (EIA-861 2025)
Volunteer Energy Cooperative's residential members paid an average of 13.08¢ per kWh in 2025, 1.1% below the Tennessee average1. EIA's monthly survey puts it at 13.71¢ per kWh over the 12 months to August 2026, against 13.61¢ per kWh statewide, with the August 2026 average +6.2%2 on a year earlier where Tennessee's moved +2.5%3.
Price per kWh: three readings, three periods
Volunteer Energy Cooperative (Volunteer Electric Cooperative in EIA's records) is an electric cooperative, owned by the members it serves. It had 105,248 residential members in 2025, which put it among the 71 Tennessee utilities with 100,000 or more residential customers, and the second-largest cooperative of the group after Middle Tennessee Electric.
What those members paid per kWh depends on the period asked about. For calendar 2025, EIA's final annual survey gives 13.08¢ per kWh1. For the last 12 months (September 2025 to August 2026), its monthly survey gives 13.71¢ per kWh; for August 20263 alone, 13.49¢ per kWh2. The 2026 months are preliminary until next year's annual survey replaces them. Each figure is average revenue per kWh: the cooperative's residential revenue divided by the kWh its residential members used, with the fixed monthly charge spread across every kWh. A member who uses little electricity therefore pays more per kWh on average than one who uses a lot, and none of these numbers will match a line on the rate schedule.
In 2025 the residential average ranked 27th highest of the 55 Tennessee utilities with 10,000 or more residential customers, the middle of a range that ran from 11.54¢ per kWh at City of Bristol to 15.05¢ per kWh at City of Newport. Among large US utilities it ranked tied for 35th lowest of 177, below their median of 15.07¢ per kWh, and it was 7.2% below the national average for electric cooperatives (14.10¢ per kWh1).
From below the Tennessee average to above it
Volunteer Energy's average rose faster than the state's in both the annual and the latest-month readings. From 2024 to 2025 it went from 12.19¢ per kWh4 to 13.08¢ per kWh, up 7.3%, while Tennessee's residential average, all providers together, rose 6.4% to 13.22¢ per kWh5. That still left the cooperative 1.1% below the Tennessee average1 for the year.
The monthly survey shows the order reversed. Over the 12 months to August 2026 the cooperative's members paid 13.71¢ per kWh on average, against 13.61¢ per kWh for Tennessee over the same months. In August 2026 the cooperative's average was +6.2%2 on August 2025; the state's was +2.5%3.
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 | Volunteer Energy Cooperative (¢/kWh) | kWh per customer | Bill per customer |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 2025 | 12.30¢ | 1,821 | $223.88 |
| February 2025 | 12.39¢ | 1,563 | $193.61 |
| March 2025 | 13.40¢ | 1,173 | $157.19 |
| April 2025 | 14.54¢ | 921 | $133.91 |
| May 2025 | 13.49¢ | 864 | $116.51 |
| June 2025 | 13.63¢ | 1,068 | $145.63 |
| July 2025 | 13.61¢ | 1,398 | $190.31 |
| August 2025 | 12.70¢ | 1,348 | $171.19 |
| September 2025 | 13.19¢ | 1,059 | $139.62 |
| October 2025 | 12.91¢ | 895 | $115.55 |
| November 2025 | 12.90¢ | 1,000 | $128.98 |
| December 2025 | 12.98¢ | 1,417 | $183.96 |
| January 2026 | 13.01¢ | 1,487 | $193.47 |
| February 2026 | 12.71¢ | 1,703 | $216.44 |
| March 2026 | 15.55¢ | 975 | $151.54 |
| April 2026 | 15.87¢ | 903 | $143.31 |
| May 2026 | 15.17¢ | 878 | $133.20 |
| June 2026 | 14.44¢ | 1,090 | $157.44 |
| July 2026 | 13.90¢ | 1,323 | $183.99 |
| August 2026 | 13.49¢ | 1,383 | $186.59 |
Set beside Tennessee's other large utilities, the cooperative's position shifts with the period chosen. The table compares like with like: one calendar year, one 12-month window, and one month against the same month a year before.
| Utility | Average price, 2025 | Change, 2024 to 2025 | Average price, September 2025 to August 2026 | August 2026 against August 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volunteer Energy Cooperative | 13.08¢ per kWh | +7.3% | 13.71¢ per kWh | +6.2% |
| EPB | 12.89¢ per kWh | +4.6% | 13.08¢ per kWh | +2.2% |
| Knoxville Utilities Board | 13.83¢ per kWh | +10.3% | 14.33¢ per kWh | +4.1% |
| Middle Tennessee Electric | 12.47¢ per kWh | +6.0% | 12.61¢ per kWh | +0.1% |
| Cumberland EMC | 13.76¢ per kWh | +5.9% | 13.93¢ per kWh | +0.3% |
| Nashville Electric Service | 14.04¢ per kWh | +4.2% | 14.22¢ per kWh | +0.2% |
| MLGW | 13.24¢ per kWh | +8.9%1 | 13.85¢ per kWh | +4.6%2 |
| Tennessee, all providers | 13.22¢ per kWh | +6.4%5 | 13.61¢ per kWh | +2.5%3 |
Two of the large city utilities, Knoxville Utilities Board and MLGW, rose more than the cooperative from 2024 to 2025. A single month is preliminary and can be revised, so the 12-month figure is the steadier guide; EIA's November 24, 2026 release adds September 2026. EIA's figures record what members paid, not why; the individual charges and their changes are on the cooperative's published rate schedule.
The 2025 bill rose faster than the price
The average monthly bill went from $144.20 in 2024 to $158.32 in 2025, +9.8%. Price accounts for most of it; the rest came from use per home, which rose from 1,183 kWh4 to 1,210 kWh1 a month. Tennessee homes used 1,180 kWh on average in 2025, 3rd highest6 among the states, and the cooperative's members used slightly more than that.
Over the 12 months to August 2026 use per home eased to 1,176 kWh a month while the price rose, and the average bill came to $161.212, a little above the 2025 figure. Statewide, the 12-month average bill was $161.343.
Among Tennessee's cooperatives and the East Tennessee city utilities, the bill depends as much on use as on price. Cumberland EMC's members used 1,437 kWh a month in 2025 and paid $197.71; EPB customers used 1,121 kWh and paid $144.471.
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 |
|---|---|
| EPB (TN) | $144.47 |
| Knoxville Utilities Board (TN) | $153.38 |
| Volunteer Energy Cooperative (TN) | $158.32 |
| Middle Tennessee Electric (TN) | $161.57 |
| Cumberland EMC (TN) | $197.71 |
February nearly doubles May
Members' use follows the heating season. Over the 12 months to August 2026, use per home peaked in February 2026 at 1,703 kWh, with an average bill of $216.44, and was lowest in May 2026: 878 kWh and $133.202. Tennessee as a whole peaked in the same month at 1,602 kWh per home, but its low came in November 20253.
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 | 1,059 | $139.62 | 13.19¢ |
| October 2025 | 895 | $115.55 | 12.91¢ |
| November 2025 | 1,000 | $128.98 | 12.90¢ |
| December 2025 | 1,417 | $183.96 | 12.98¢ |
| January 2026 | 1,487 | $193.47 | 13.01¢ |
| February 2026 | 1,703 | $216.44 | 12.71¢ |
| March 2026 | 975 | $151.54 | 15.55¢ |
| April 2026 | 903 | $143.31 | 15.87¢ |
| May 2026 | 878 | $133.20 | 15.17¢ |
| June 2026 | 1,090 | $157.44 | 14.44¢ |
| July 2026 | 1,323 | $183.99 | 13.90¢ |
| August 2026 | 1,383 | $186.59 | 13.49¢ |
Electricity is the main heating fuel for 63.2% of Tennessee households in the Census Bureau's 2025 American Community Survey, 6th highest7 among the states. That is a survey estimate with a margin of error, and it is statewide: EIA does not record heating fuel by utility. For a budget, the 12-month average bill of $161.212 sits well below a February bill and well above a May one.
Counties served, and who else serves them
EIA's 2025 territory records list the cooperative in 15 counties, from Pickett County on the Kentucky line to Polk County on the Georgia line: Bledsoe County, Bradley County, Cumberland County, Fentress County, Hamilton County, McMinn County, Meigs County, Overton County, Pickett County, Polk County, Putnam County, Rhea County and 3 others. In 12 of them at least one other distribution utility also reports service; in 38, Volunteer Energy is the only one.
Source: EIA-861 2025, service territory; Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary file, counties. EIA-861 2025 service territory: 15 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 |
|---|---|
| Bledsoe County | EPB, Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative, City of Dayton |
| Bradley County | EPB, City of Cleveland |
| Cumberland County | none |
| Fentress County | none |
| Hamilton County | EPB, Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative |
| McMinn County | Athens Utility Board, City of Etowah |
| Meigs County | none |
| Overton County | Upper Cumberland EMC, Tri-County Electric Membership Corporation |
| Pickett County | Upper Cumberland EMC, South Kentucky Rural E C C |
| Polk County | Tri-State Electric Membership Corporation |
| Putnam County | Upper Cumberland EMC, Caney Fork Electric Cooperative, City of Cookeville |
| Rhea County | EPB, Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative, City of Dayton |
| Roane County | City of Lenoir, City of Clinton, City of Rockwood, City of Harriman |
| Scott County | Plateau Electric Cooperative, South Kentucky Rural E C C |
| White County | Upper Cumberland EMC, Caney Fork Electric Cooperative, City of Sparta |
The shared counties include Hamilton and Bradley, home to Chattanooga and Cleveland. EPB also reports service in Bledsoe, Bradley, Hamilton and Rhea counties, so neighboring streets in those counties can be on different systems with different averages. A county, city or ZIP code does not settle which utility serves a home; the utilities' own service-area maps decide by address. Volunteer Energy also lies within the Tennessee Valley Authority's region: TVA, according to EIA, covers most of Tennessee and provides most of the state's electricity.
Businesses pay more per kWh than homes
Unusually among Tennessee's large utilities, Volunteer Energy's commercial customers paid more per kWh than its residential members in 2025: 13.48¢ per kWh against 13.08¢ per kWh. Its 24,504 commercial accounts are small on average, with a monthly bill of $292.04; at Middle Tennessee Electric the average commercial bill was $893.67 and at EPB $904.801. Small accounts spread fixed charges over fewer kWh, which tends to raise their average per kWh.
The 18 industrial accounts bought electricity in large volumes and averaged 6.15¢ per kWh, with an average monthly bill of $140,620.37. Their kWh pull the average across every class and all 129,770 accounts down to 11.89¢ per kWh1, below both the residential and commercial figures.
Smart meters, time-of-use and help with bills
Every residential meter on the system was an advanced (AMI) meter in EIA's 2025 count (100.0%), which is what billing by the hour requires. The cooperative reported a time-of-use10 program for residential members to EIA; its hours and prices are on the cooperative's rate schedule, and the time-of-use guide explains how such plans change a bill.
Members who fall behind on winter bills can apply for LIHEAP, the federal energy assistance program, which allotted $69.8 million11 to Tennessee for fiscal 2026 (how to apply). Electricity in Tennessee compares the cooperative with every other utility in the state.
Volunteer Energy Cooperative: common questions
What is Volunteer Energy Cooperative's rate per kWh?
EIA reports averages, not tariff lines. Residential members paid 13.08¢ per kWh1 in 2025 and 13.71¢ per kWh2 over the last 12 months (September 2025 to August 2026, 2026 months preliminary). Both are residential revenue divided by kWh sold, so fixed monthly charges are folded in. The individual charges are on the cooperative's own rate schedule.
What is the average Volunteer Energy electric bill?
$158.32 a month in 2025 for 1,210 kWh1, up from $144.204 in 2024. Over the 12 months to August 2026 it averaged $161.21, from $115.55 in October 2025 to $216.44 in February 20262.
Did Volunteer Energy Cooperative raise rates in 2026?
EIA's preliminary monthly data show a higher average: 13.49¢ per kWh in August 20263, +6.2%2 against August 2025, after a rise of 7.3%1 from 2024 to 2025. The data measure what members paid on average; they do not identify individual rate decisions.
Can I choose another electricity provider instead of Volunteer Energy?
No. Tennessee has no residential retail choice: 0.0%1 of residential customers bought from a competitive supplier in 2025. The address decides which utility serves a home, and the cooperative's service-area map is the reference.
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, 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 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, 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, 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, house heating fuel, table B25040; 2025; released October 29, 2026. data.census.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.