U.S. Retail Electricity Rate Trends Analysis

Our electric co-op went the other way. Used to have the option to go to peak rates. Everybody was flat rate now there is no more flat rate.
Just two types of tiered, peak rate options
Interesting. I could see them changing it up with the data centers coming here. I tried unsucessfully a couple years ago to switch to the tiered setup here and gave up. I'm glad it didn't work now because I don't think they'll let us go back to flat rate once elected to go the other direction. I work at 8pm Monday-Friday now so I'm always charging in the mornings now when I get home.
 
Month of January 2026, record cold
Total actual cost of electricity, includes all fees, charges and taxes = just under 13 cents kWh

IMG_7164.webp
 
Very fortunate here in TN with our TVA rates - opted for our local provider (EPB) night shift rate plan and charge both our EV's during our off peak 11PM-5AM hours. Below is January 2026 bill (highest bill to date due to cold snap), this is charging 2 EV's for a combined ~2600 miles of monthly commuting along with all electric household w/heat pump.

Fuel cost adjustment varies each month but generally fluctuates at most ½-¾ cent/kWh.


Screenshot 2026-02-26 at 5.54.03 AM.webp

 
Very fortunate here in TN with our TVA rates - opted for our local provider (EPB) night shift rate plan and charge both our EV's during our off peak 11PM-5AM hours. Below is January 2026 bill (highest bill to date due to cold snap), this is charging 2 EV's for a combined ~2600 miles of monthly commuting along with all electric household w/heat pump.

Fuel cost adjustment varies each month but generally fluctuates at most ½-¾ cent/kWh.


View attachment 326046

Wow, less than 11 cents a kWh I didn’t think rates like that exist anymore, here. I thought I was making a killing at 13 cents
 
Surprisingly hydro makes up very little of the generation mix - below is mix as of FY ending 2023. Looked at their 2025 10-K but wouldn't be super easy to pin down mix because of power purchased from other utilities without building a spreadsheet, no one has gotten around to making a pretty pie chart like below. :ROFLMAO:

Screenshot 2026-02-26 at 2.58.54 PM.webp
 
Saw this on YT today. Indiana residents monthly electric bill is more than their mortgage? That's insane.



Can't imagine too many EV users in Indiana with those rates!
 
The demand or what they charge to deliver the power has gone up drastically. Thats almost a third of my bill.
That is a crazy cost!!

My local utility (PSE&G), at least last time I looked, doesn’t charge that much

At my one garage property which is an excelon owned company IIRC (Atlantic City Electric), I run nighttime lights and a few battery chargers. Theres no way I can run 4kW, but the bill last month claimed I pulled 4kW. And it doubled my bill based upon the delivery charge. For next to no consumption.
 
My ROI is running north of double the ten year treasury note yield. Nothing to complain about there...
My inlaws pay around 50c/kWh. Solar was a no brainer especially because they had some pretty large loads for a while.
 
My inlaws pay around 50c/kWh. Solar was a no brainer especially because they had some pretty large loads for a while.
At some point it will be a necessity to have solar on your property and battery backup. As expensive as it may be, it might be cheaper in the long run. Electric hookup with be the backup oddly enough.
 
At some point it will be a necessity to have solar on your property and battery backup. As expensive as it may be, it might be cheaper in the long run. Electric hookup with be the backup oddly enough.
Battery brings its own costs, safety, replacement, etc.

Solar is mandated in new construction many places iirc.

I suspect that there will be. A balance or it will fall off a cliff. Running power plants and keeping up infrastructure is not cheap. If folks consume less and less, the cost per unit of consumption will go up, and the cost to upkeep for routine and emergency situations may skyrocket.
 
Battery brings its own costs, safety, replacement, etc.

Solar is mandated in new construction many places iirc.

I suspect that there will be. A balance or it will fall off a cliff. Running power plants and keeping up infrastructure is not cheap. If folks consume less and less, the cost per unit of consumption will go up, and the cost to upkeep for routine and emergency situations may skyrocket.
The more mankind wastes finite minerals on fixed batteries - vs EV’s where it’s absolutely necessary - the result is we help one country (not mine) in the short term - but limited people in the long run
 
The more mankind wastes finite minerals on fixed batteries - vs EV’s where it’s absolutely necessary - the result is we help one country (not mine) in the short term - but limited people in the long run
I think there’s an embedded assumption here regarding the necessity of EVs vs PHEV, ice on cleaner fuels, etc, which is all out of scope of this thread.

Not sure which/what you’re actually advocating for, but fixed batteries, or even grid dispatching EVs (which has its own issues also not for here) can have widespread benefit in terms of resilience. The ownership costs and monetization is a big question though.
 
I think there’s an embedded assumption here regarding the necessity of EVs vs PHEV, ice on cleaner fuels, etc, which is all out of scope of this thread.

Not sure which/what you’re actually advocating for, but fixed batteries, or even grid dispatching EVs (which has its own issues also not for here) can have widespread benefit in terms of resilience. The ownership costs and monetization is a big question though.
Many say similar things about nuclear - which makes power 24/365 - not just storing from others - yet, well known for cost overruns … We had ours approved for expansion - could not fund it whilst wind and solar had tremendous help from taxpayers. I’m not anti- ? regarding any source - just trying to look at side effects - some off limits
(Like control of certain minerals)
 
Very fortunate here in TN with our TVA rates - opted for our local provider (EPB) night shift rate plan and charge both our EV's during our off peak 11PM-5AM hours. Below is January 2026 bill (highest bill to date due to cold snap), this is charging 2 EV's for a combined ~2600 miles of monthly commuting along with all electric household w/heat pump.

Fuel cost adjustment varies each month but generally fluctuates at most ½-¾ cent/kWh.


View attachment 326046

I just noticed. No sales tax on your electricity in TN? That is your actual payment?
 
Battery brings its own costs, safety, replacement, etc.

Solar is mandated in new construction many places iirc.

I suspect that there will be. A balance or it will fall off a cliff. Running power plants and keeping up infrastructure is not cheap. If folks consume less and less, the cost per unit of consumption will go up, and the cost to upkeep for routine and emergency situations may skyrocket.
But if EVs actually become mainstream. Consumers will be using more and more. EVs represent less than 2% of the vehicles on US roadways. Just imagine only 50% end up as EVs on our roads where 50% of gas stations could close down. That means each household would replace 50% of gasoline usage powering the EVs from their home electric grid. I dont see it happening in our lifetimes, or should I say (gulp) my lifetime and that is only using 50% as an example.

I mean with such an insignificant amount of EVs currently on the road it's easy to talk and not remember there is barely an impact on the grid. Yet I think 2 years ago, CA was asking EV owners to put off charging their cars during certain times and hardly anyone has an EV.
 
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