What electricity costs in West Virginia

The price per kWh: three periods, three numbers

West Virginia homes paid an average of 15.53¢ per kWh over the 12 months from September 2025 to August 2026, 13.9% below the US average (2.51¢ per kWh less than the US average). That put the state tied for 24th lowest¹ among the 50 states and DC, in the middle of the table. The figure is average revenue per kWh: everything residential customers paid their utility, fixed charges, fuel clauses and riders included, divided by the kilowatt-hours they used. It is not the energy charge printed on any one tariff, and it excludes most taxes.

The single month of August 2026 averaged 16.31¢ per kWh, against 15.62¢ per kWh in the same month a year earlier (+4.4%¹). Monthly figures for 2026 are preliminary. For the whole of 2025, the final annual average was 15.39¢ per kWh, 26th highest³ among the states.

Little change in 12 months, after a long climb

Over the last 12 months, the US residential average rose 6.5% against the 12 months before. West Virginia's rose 0.9%, and its commercial average changed by −1.2%, 3rd lowest among the states. The year to date (January to August 2026) tells the same story: +1.4% on the same months of 2025 for homes, against +6.8%¹ nationally.

The longer record runs the other way. In 2010 West Virginia homes paid 8.79¢ per kWh, well under the national 11.54¢ per kWh. By 2025 the state average had reached 15.39¢ per kWh, a rise of 75.1% (5th highest among the states), well above the US increase of 49.3% over the same years. Since 2001, when the average was 6.26¢ per kWh⁶, the annual price rose in 18 years; the last annual decline was in 2018³.

West VirginiaUnited States

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	West Virginia (¢/kWh)	United States (¢/kWh)
2001	6.26¢	8.58¢
2002	6.23¢	8.44¢
2003	6.24¢	8.72¢
2004	6.23¢	8.95¢
2005	6.21¢	9.45¢
2006	6.35¢	10.40¢
2007	6.73¢	10.65¢
2008	7.06¢	11.26¢
2009	7.90¢	11.51¢
2010	8.79¢	11.54¢
2011	9.39¢	11.72¢
2012	9.85¢	11.88¢
2013	9.52¢	12.13¢
2014	9.34¢	12.52¢
2015	10.08¢	12.65¢
2016	11.44¢	12.55¢
2017	11.63¢	12.89¢
2018	11.18¢	12.87¢
2019	11.25¢	13.01¢
2020	11.80¢	13.15¢
2021	12.15¢	13.66¢
2022	13.23¢	15.04¢
2023	14.05¢	16.00¢
2024	15.07¢	16.48¢
2025	15.39¢	17.23¢

Over the last 12 months, 1 of West Virginia's 5 neighbors had a lower residential average; the lowest was Kentucky, at 13.94¢ per kWh. Maryland had the highest, 21.18¢ per kWh¹. The table sets the recent and long-run changes side by side.

A mid-table price, a top-ten bill

The average residential bill was $165.13 a month in 2025, 10th highest in the country, for 1,073 kWh of electricity, also 10th highest. The bill rose 6.7% from $154.76 in 2024, much faster than the annual price (+2.1%³), because average use went up from 1,027 kWh⁷ to 1,073 kWh². Over the last 12 months the computed average bill was $163.96; in August 2026 alone it was $174.42¹.

Households' own reports, which include taxes, run higher. In the Census Bureau's 2025 American Community Survey, the median West Virginia household paying for electricity put its last monthly bill at about $186 (our estimate from the survey's bill ranges), against $169 nationally. 31.1% reported $250 or more (margin of error ±1.1 percentage points), up 4.6 percentage points on the 2024 survey, a difference between two estimates that has not been tested for significance. Only 17.9% paid under $100, compared with 23.0%⁵ across the US.

Under $50$50–99$100–149$150–199$200–249$250 or more

West Virginia

United States

Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 1-year estimates, table B25132. Households charged for electricity, by the cost they reported for the previous month (American Community Survey 2025, 1-year). Interviews run all year, so this is a typical month, recalled by the household; households whose electricity is included in rent are left out.

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	Under $50	$50–99	$100–149	$150–199	$200–249	$250 or more
West Virginia	3.5%	14.4%	19.7%	17.4%	13.9%	31.1%
United States	5.2%	17.9%	20.7%	16.7%	13.0%	26.6%

A January peak from electric heat

The bill follows winter. Over the last 12 months, use per home peaked at 1,622 kWh in January 2026 and fell to 671 kWh in April 2026, a ratio of 2.4 times. The average price per kWh moved the other way: it was lowest in February 2026 (14.41¢ per kWh) and highest in May 2026 (16.80¢ per kWh¹), in part because a utility's fixed monthly charges are spread over many more kilowatt-hours in a cold month.

758Sep

771Oct

978Nov

1,468Dec

1,622Jan

1,421Feb

1,041Mar

671Apr

742May

966Jun

1,155Jul

1,069Aug

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	758	16.11¢
October 2025	771	16.17¢
November 2025	978	15.63¢
December 2025	1,468	14.59¢
January 2026	1,622	14.77¢
February 2026	1,421	14.41¢
March 2026	1,041	16.37¢
April 2026	671	16.06¢
May 2026	742	16.80¢
June 2026	966	15.45¢
July 2026	1,155	15.78¢
August 2026	1,069	16.31¢

Survey data show the heating load. In the Census survey, 48.4% of West Virginia homes heated mainly with electricity in 2025, against 41.8%⁸ nationally. EIA's Residential Energy Consumption Survey for 2020 (a pandemic year, and the latest with state detail) attributed 26% of household electricity use in West Virginia to space heating, tied for highest among the states, and only 11%⁹ to air conditioning. The state averages 4,770¹⁰ heating degree days a year (2016 to 2025).

Air conditioningSpace heatingWater heatingRefrigeratorsEverything else

West Virginia

United States

Source: EIA, Residential Energy Consumption Survey 2020, state data. Share of household electricity by end use in 2020, the latest Residential Energy Consumption Survey with state estimates (a pandemic year; RECS 2024 consumption data are due in spring 2027). "Everything else" covers lighting, cooking, laundry, electronics and other appliances.

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	Air conditioning	Space heating	Water heating	Refrigerators	Everything else
West Virginia	11%	26%	18%	6%	39%
United States	19%	12%	12%	8%	48%

Four utilities, two parent companies, no supplier choice

Every West Virginia home buys its electricity from the utility whose lines reach it. EIA counted 0¹¹ competitive suppliers serving homes in 2025, so there is no supplier to switch to and no separate "price to compare". Rates are set in cases before the Public Service Commission of West Virginia.

Appalachian Power, part of American Electric Power (AEP), serves 40.5% of residential customers across 21 counties, among them Kanawha and Cabell, and also operates in Virginia. FirstEnergy owns the next two: Mon Power (39.0%), with 34 counties in its territory, and Potomac Edison (16.1%), which serves Berkeley County, Grant County, Hampshire County, Hardy County, Jefferson County, Mineral County, Morgan County and Pendleton County¹² and also Maryland. Wheeling Power Co serves 4.0%¹¹.

The averages differ by 4.51¢ per kWh. In 2025 bundled residential customers paid 13.10¢ per kWh at Potomac Edison, 14.31¢ per kWh at Mon Power, 16.97¢ per kWh at Appalachian Power and 17.61¢ per kWh at Wheeling Power Co. Among the 8 large FirstEnergy utilities in all states, the lowest average was at Potomac Edison (West Virginia): 13.10¢ per kWh¹¹.

Bills separate the utilities further, because use per home differs. Appalachian Power's customers used 1,157 kWh a month in 2025 and paid $196.40; Mon Power's used 932 kWh and paid $133.32. Potomac Edison had the lowest price of the three but the highest use (1,256 kWh), for a bill of $164.57¹¹.

Mon Power (WV)$133.32

Potomac Edison (WV)$164.57

Wheeling Power Co (WV)$165.54

Appalachian Power (WV)$196.40

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
Mon Power (WV)	$133.32
Potomac Edison (WV)	$164.57
Wheeling Power Co (WV)	$165.54
Appalachian Power (WV)	$196.40

In August 2026¹ (preliminary), Appalachian Power's residential average was 18.31¢ per kWh, +5.3% on a year earlier; Mon Power's was 14.87¢ per kWh (+4.4%) and Potomac Edison's 13.10¢ per kWh (−0.9%¹³).

EIA's service-territory records show more than one distribution utility in 22 of the state's 55 counties, and 3¹² in Barbour County. The utility's own map decides which one serves a given address; the county table at the end lists them all.

Appalachian Power only (of these)Mon Power only (of these)Potomac Edison only (of these)Wheeling Power Co only (of these)Two or more of themOther utilities only

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.

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County	Utilities reporting service
Barbour County	Mon Power, Harrison Rural Electric Association, Philippi Municipal Electric
Berkeley County	Potomac Edison
Boone County	Appalachian Power
Braxton County	Mon Power
Brooke County	Mon Power, Wheeling Power Co
Cabell County	Appalachian Power
Calhoun County	Mon Power
Clay County	Appalachian Power, Mon Power, Black Diamond Power Co
Doddridge County	Mon Power, Harrison Rural Electric Association
Fayette County	Appalachian Power
Gilmer County	Mon Power
Grant County	Mon Power, Potomac Edison
Greenbrier County	Appalachian Power, Mon Power
Hampshire County	Potomac Edison
Hancock County	Mon Power
Hardy County	Potomac Edison
Harrison County	Mon Power, Harrison Rural Electric Association
Jackson County	Appalachian Power, Mon Power
Jefferson County	Potomac Edison
Kanawha County	Appalachian Power, Black Diamond Power Co
Lewis County	Mon Power, Harrison Rural Electric Association
Lincoln County	Appalachian Power
Logan County	Appalachian Power
Marion County	Mon Power, Harrison Rural Electric Association
Marshall County	Wheeling Power Co
Mason County	Appalachian Power
McDowell County	Appalachian Power
Mercer County	Appalachian Power
Mineral County	Mon Power, Potomac Edison
Mingo County	Appalachian Power
Monongalia County	Mon Power
Monroe County	Appalachian Power, Mon Power, Craig-Botetourt Electric Cooperative
Morgan County	Potomac Edison
Nicholas County	Appalachian Power, Mon Power
Ohio County	Wheeling Power Co
Pendleton County	Mon Power, Potomac Edison
Pleasants County	Mon Power
Pocahontas County	Mon Power
Preston County	Mon Power
Putnam County	Appalachian Power
Raleigh County	Appalachian Power, Black Diamond Power Co
Randolph County	Mon Power
Ritchie County	Mon Power
Roane County	Appalachian Power, Mon Power
Summers County	Appalachian Power, Mon Power
Taylor County	Mon Power, Harrison Rural Electric Association
Tucker County	Mon Power
Tyler County	Mon Power
Upshur County	Mon Power, Harrison Rural Electric Association
Wayne County	Appalachian Power
Webster County	Mon Power
Wetzel County	Mon Power, Wheeling Power Co, City of New Martinsville
Wirt County	Mon Power
Wood County	Mon Power
Wyoming County	Appalachian Power, Black Diamond Power Co

The longest outages of any state

West Virginia customers averaged 1,013 minutes without power in 2025 counting major storms, the highest among the states, and 498 minutes excluding major event days, also the highest. They saw 3.08 interruptions each, 2nd highest⁴.

West Virginia1,013

Michigan672

Nebraska547

Alaska541

Mississippi501

Arkansas464

Virginia462

Pennsylvania458

Kentucky408

Washington383

Alabama372

Missouri369

Source: EIA-861 2025, reliability. SAIDI including major event days, any reporting standard (EIA state total). Period: 2025.

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State	Outage minutes, 2025
West Virginia	1,013
Michigan	672
Nebraska	547
Alaska	541
Mississippi	501
Arkansas	464
Virginia	462
Pennsylvania	458
Kentucky	408
Washington	383
Alabama	372
Missouri	369

The utilities differ here too. Mon Power customers averaged 1,250 minutes without power (553 minutes excluding major events) and Appalachian Power customers 1,035 minutes (546 minutes), while Potomac Edison customers averaged 440 minutes (249 minutes⁴). All figures follow the IEEE 1366 standard; the power outages ranking compares every state.

Smart meters were less common than in most states: 44.5% of residential meters were advanced meters in 2025, 8th lowest. Appalachian Power reported 100.0% of its West Virginia meters as advanced, Mon Power 0.0% and Potomac Edison 0.0%. Only 0.3% of homes were on time-varying rates, and there were 5.6 net-metered rooftop solar systems per 1,000 residential customers (4,841¹⁵ in all).

Coal still makes almost all of the power

Coal generated 86.7% of West Virginia's electricity in 2025, the highest among the states; nationally coal produced 16.6%. The share has slipped from 94.1% in 2015, while natural gas rose from 1.8% to 6.2% and wind reached 3.7%. Nuclear power produced 0.0% and solar 0.4%¹⁶.

West Virginia's plants generated 53.4 terawatt-hours in 2025, the equivalent of 159% of the state's own retail electricity sales, tied for 6th highest¹⁶ among the states. Much of the output is used outside the state.

Natural gasCoalNuclearHydroWindSolarPetroleumOther

West Virginia, 2025

West Virginia, 2015

United States, 2025

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
West Virginia, 2025	6.2%	86.7%	0.0%	2.7%	3.7%	0.4%	0.3%	0.0%
West Virginia, 2015	1.8%	94.1%	0.0%	1.9%	1.9%	0.0%	0.2%	0.0%
United States, 2025	40.9%	16.6%	17.7%	5.5%	10.4%	6.8%	0.4%	1.7%

What businesses pay

Businesses pay less than the US average. Over the last 12 months, commercial customers averaged 11.68¢ per kWh (15.8% below the US average) and industrial customers 8.22¢ per kWh (7.7% below the US average), with the industrial average up 1.9%¹ on the 12 months before. The average commercial bill in 2025 was $513.18, 5th lowest² in the country.

Help paying a West Virginia electric bill

West Virginia received $35.2 million from the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) for fiscal 2026, $47.03 per occupied home, 12th highest among the states. The first release for fiscal 2027 was $30.9 million¹⁷. LIHEAP helps with heating and cooling costs, which in a home with electric heat are paid on the electric bill. The help paying your electric bill guide explains LIHEAP and other options.