Tacoma Power rates and bills (Tacoma Public Utilities)
Tacoma Public Utilities's 177,554 residential customers in Washington paid an average of 11.45¢ per kWh in 2025, for an average bill of $105.14 a month on 919 kWh.1 Over the last 12 months (Sep 2025–Aug 2026) the average was 12.02¢, and 13.59¢ 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.
4 of 39 Washington counties served (EIA-861 2025)
Tacoma Power's residential customers paid an average of 11.45¢ per kWh in 2025, the 5th lowest of 177 large US utilities, while Puget Sound Energy customers elsewhere in Pierce County paid 17.01¢ per kWh1. The price is climbing in steps each April: 12.02¢ per kWh over the last 12 months and 13.59¢ per kWh2 in August 20264.
Tacoma Power's price per kWh: three periods
Tacoma Power is the electric division of Tacoma Public Utilities, owned by the City of Tacoma; its residential customers numbered 177,5541 in 2025. EIA does not publish tariffs, so the figures here are average revenue per kWh: what residential customers paid in total, including any fixed charges, divided by the kWh they used.
| Period | Average residential price |
|---|---|
| 2024 (EIA-861, final) | 10.81¢ per kWh3 |
| 2025 (EIA-861, final) | 11.45¢ per kWh1 |
| Last 12 months, September 2025 to August 2026 (EIA-861M) | 12.02¢ per kWh |
| August 20264 alone (EIA-861M, preliminary) | 13.59¢ per kWh2 |
The 2025 figure was +5.9%1 on 2024. The August 2026 reading, +6.8%2 on the same month a year earlier, falls in a low-use season: Washington homes used 819 kWh4 on average that month, against 945 kWh5 a month over 2025, and any fixed charge spread over fewer kWh lifts the average per kWh. Months from January 2026 are preliminary until EIA's final annual data.
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 | Tacoma Public Utilities (¢/kWh) | kWh per customer | Bill per customer |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 2025 | 10.14¢ | 1,319 | $133.79 |
| February 2025 | 10.10¢ | 1,361 | $137.49 |
| March 2025 | 10.37¢ | 1,189 | $123.35 |
| April 2025 | 11.25¢ | 928 | $104.42 |
| May 2025 | 12.51¢ | 722 | $90.26 |
| June 2025 | 12.73¢ | 688 | $87.55 |
| July 2025 | 12.57¢ | 716 | $90.00 |
| August 2025 | 12.72¢ | 692 | $88.06 |
| September 2025 | 12.64¢ | 704 | $88.98 |
| October 2025 | 12.87¢ | 664 | $85.51 |
| November 2025 | 11.94¢ | 861 | $102.77 |
| December 2025 | 11.11¢ | 1,151 | $127.89 |
| January 2026 | 10.78¢ | 1,328 | $143.19 |
| February 2026 | 11.00¢ | 1,169 | $128.49 |
| March 2026 | 11.12¢ | 1,146 | $127.47 |
| April 2026 | 11.86¢ | 968 | $114.83 |
| May 2026 | 13.36¢ | 726 | $96.98 |
| June 2026 | 13.55¢ | 695 | $94.26 |
| July 2026 | 13.45¢ | 716 | $96.24 |
| August 2026 | 13.59¢ | 692 | $93.98 |
Rate increases each April
Tacoma Power's rates are set locally: the Public Utility Board approves the utility's biennial budget and rates, and the Tacoma City Council adopts them. The council approved the 2025–2026 package in December 2024, with residential power increases in both years taking effect in April, after the winter peak, according to Tacoma Public Utilities. Adjustments take effect on April 1 each year, and the utility's power rates page lists proposed residential increases for 2027 and 2028, not yet adopted as of November 2026.
EIA's data track those steps. The average bill rose from $98.06 in 2024 to $105.14 in 2025 (+7.2%), a little faster than the price, because use per home also rose, from 907 kWh3 to 919 kWh1 a month. Over the last 12 months (September 2025 to August 2026) the bill averaged $108.312.
Among the lowest-priced large utilities in the country
Among US utilities with 100,000 or more residential customers that report a bundled price, Tacoma Power's 2025 average ranked 5th lowest of 177; the median of the group was 15.07¢ per kWh. It was also 21.0% below the national average for public power1.
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 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¢ |
Within Washington it is mid-table. Smaller public utilities in the state reach much lower averages, down to 3.17¢ per kWh at PUD No 1 of Douglas County, and Tacoma Power ranked 12th highest of the 28 Washington utilities with 10,000 or more residential customers, though 13.1% below the Washington average1 (13.17¢ per kWh6 in 2025).
Tacoma Power generates part of its own supply: it says nearly half of its electricity comes from its four hydroelectric projects in western Washington: Cowlitz, Cushman, Nisqually and Wynoochee.
Pierce County: a patchwork of utilities
EIA's service-territory records list 15 distribution utilities reporting customers in Pierce County, more than in any other Washington county. Tacoma Power serves Tacoma and parts of King County, Lewis County, Mason County and Pierce County, and in each of its 47 counties at least one other utility reports service too. Puget Sound Energy, an investor-owned utility, also reports service in Pierce County, as do smaller utilities such as Peninsula Light, Lakeview Light & Power and Elmhurst Mutual Power & Light. A city name or ZIP code does not settle which one serves a home; each utility's service-area map does, by address.
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 residential price (bundled customers) |
|---|---|
| Elmhurst Mutual Power & Light Co (WA) | 8.68¢ |
| Lakeview Light & Power (WA) | 10.87¢ |
| Peninsula Light Company (WA) | 11.30¢ |
| Tacoma Public Utilities (WA) | 11.45¢ |
| Puget Sound Energy (WA) | 17.01¢ |
The gap with PSE shows up in bills as well as prices: in 2025 PSE homes paid $146.74 a month on average for 863 kWh, Tacoma Power homes $105.14 for 919 kWh1.
Source: EIA-861 2025, service territory; Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary file, counties. EIA-861 2025 service territory: 4 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 |
|---|---|
| King County | Puget Sound Energy, Seattle City Light, PUD No 1 of Chelan County, Tanner Electric Cooperative, City of Milton, Bonneville Power Administration |
| Lewis County | PUD No 1 of Grays Harbor County, PUD No 1 of Lewis County, Benton Rural Electric Association, City of Centralia, Bonneville Power Administration |
| Mason County | PUD No 3 of Mason County, PUD No 1 of Mason County |
| Pierce County | Puget Sound Energy, Peninsula Light Company, PUD No 3 of Mason County, PUD No 1 of Lewis County, Elmhurst Mutual Power & Light Co, Lakeview Light & Power, Tanner Electric Cooperative, Ohop Mutual Light Company, Parkland Light & Water Company, Town of Steilacoom, City of Milton, Town of Eatonville, Town of Ruston, Bonneville Power Administration |
Winter doubles the use
Electric heat is common in Washington: space heating took 26% of household electricity in EIA's 2020 household survey, tied for highest among the states, while air conditioning took 4%9. Tacoma Power's monthly data show the result. Over the last 12 months (September 2025 to August 2026), use per home ranged from 664 kWh in October 2025 to 1,328 kWh in January 2026, twice as much, and the average bill in those two months from $85.51 to $143.19. Seattle City Light homes, by comparison, peaked at 808 kWh in March 20262.
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 | 704 | $88.98 | 12.64¢ |
| October 2025 | 664 | $85.51 | 12.87¢ |
| November 2025 | 861 | $102.77 | 11.94¢ |
| December 2025 | 1,151 | $127.89 | 11.11¢ |
| January 2026 | 1,328 | $143.19 | 10.78¢ |
| February 2026 | 1,169 | $128.49 | 11.00¢ |
| March 2026 | 1,146 | $127.47 | 11.12¢ |
| April 2026 | 968 | $114.83 | 11.86¢ |
| May 2026 | 726 | $96.98 | 13.36¢ |
| June 2026 | 695 | $94.26 | 13.55¢ |
| July 2026 | 716 | $96.24 | 13.45¢ |
| August 2026 | 692 | $93.98 | 13.59¢ |
Meters, rooftop solar and outages
In its 2025 EIA-861 filing, Tacoma Power reported advanced (AMI) meters at 7.5% of residential meters. It also reported 2,960 net-metered residential installations, 16.7 per 1,000 customers, with 19.6 megawatts10 of capacity in 2025.
Customers averaged 172 minutes without power in 2025 including major event days, fewer than the Washington average of 383 minutes, and 70 minutes excluding them, with 0.8911 interruptions per customer (IEEE 1366 measures).
Business customers and help paying
Tacoma Power's 20,005 commercial customers paid an average of 10.65¢ per kWh in 2025 and its 2,878 industrial accounts 7.84¢ per kWh; across all 200,438 customers the average was 9.69¢ per kWh1.
Households that struggle with bills can apply for the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program; Washington's allocation was $61.5 million12 for fiscal year 2026. For the state picture and the other large utilities, see electricity in Washington.
Tacoma Power: common questions
What does Tacoma Power charge per kWh?
Residential customers paid an average of 11.45¢ per kWh1 in 2025 and 12.02¢ per kWh2 over the last 12 months (September 2025 to August 2026, 2026 months preliminary). These are averages of everything billed divided by kWh used, so they differ from the individual charges on Tacoma Power's rate schedule.
What is the average Tacoma Power bill?
$105.14 a month in 2025 for 919 kWh1 of use, up from $98.063 in 2024. In the last 12 months (September 2025 to August 2026) the monthly average ranged from $85.51 in October 2025 to $143.19 in January 20262.
Is Tacoma Power raising rates in 2027?
Tacoma Power has proposed residential increases for 2027 and 2028; its adjustments take effect on April 1 each year once the Tacoma City Council adopts them. The increases for 2025 and 2026 were approved in December 2024. In EIA's data the August 20264 residential average was +6.8%2 against the same month a year earlier (preliminary).
Is Tacoma Power cheaper than PSE?
On average, yes: in 2025 Tacoma Power's residential customers paid 11.45¢ per kWh and Puget Sound Energy's 17.01¢ per kWh1. Neither can be chosen: each serves its own streets, and the utility's service-area map decides by address.
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
- 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, 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 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.