Arkansas electricity rates
As of May 2026, the average residential electricity rate in Arkansas is 14.36 cents per kilowatt-hour, 22.1% below the U.S. average of 18.44¢. That is the 41st highest rate of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
- Year over year
- ▲ +8.9% from 13.19¢ in May 2025
- Vs. U.S. average
- -22.1% U.S. average 18.44¢
- National rank
- #41 of 51 · #11 cheapest
- Supply market
- MISO Regulated monopoly
Why Arkansas pays what it pays
Arkansas benefits from a simple, low-cost generation position: the Arkansas Nuclear One station supplying steady baseload, efficient gas plants fed by nearby production, some hydro on the Arkansas and White rivers, and a share of regional coal.
The state has no renewable portfolio standard forcing early retirements, moderate storm exposure compared with the Gulf coast, and a distribution network that is inexpensive to maintain across mostly flat and moderate terrain.
Arkansas's rate rose year over year, mostly through fuel-cost recovery and moderate capital spending, but from a very low base. It remains near the bottom of the national table.
Where Arkansas power comes from
Arkansas generated 67 TWh in 2025, the 25th largest output of any state. Natural gas supplied 33.1% of it. Renewables accounted for 13.2%, against 23.8% nationally, which ranks Arkansas #32 of 51.
- Natural gas 33.1% 22 TWh
- Coal 30.6% 20 TWh
- Nuclear 22.8% 15 TWh
- Solar 6.9% 5 TWh
- Hydroelectric 4.8% 3 TWh
- Wood and biomass 1.2% 822 GWh
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Operational Data, net generation, all sectors. Net generation across all sectors. Nuclear counts as carbon-free but not renewable, so the two shares differ.
How Arkansas compares
Arkansas ranks #41 of 51 jurisdictions by residential price, making it the 11th cheapest. Within the West South Central division, 2 of 3 neighbouring states are cheaper.
| State | ¢/kWh | YoY | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma | 13.38 | +3.4% | #49 |
| Louisiana | 14.15 | +6.7% | #42 |
| Arkansas | 14.36 | +8.9% | #41 |
| Texas | 16.44 | +5.9% | #25 |
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A: Average Price of Electricity to Ultimate Customers by End-Use Sector, by State. Data period May 2026. Retrieved 2026-08-19.
What Arkansas households actually pay
Arkansas looks more expensive on paper than it is in practice. Its rate ranks #41 of 51, but the average bill ranks only 33rd, because households there use 1,045 kWh a month against a national average of 871. See how every state compares on bills.
Estimate your Arkansas bill
Multiply your own usage by the May 2026 state average. Enter the kilowatt-hours from your last statement. This is a supply-and-delivery blended average, not a utility quote.
Rate used: …. U.S. average 18.44¢/kWh, May 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
Heating in Arkansas: gas, heat pump or resistance
Residential natural gas in Arkansas averaged $16.09 per thousand cubic feet in 2024, about $1.55 per therm, against a national average of $14.50. Put on the same scale as the state's electricity rate, the cost of delivering one million BTU of heat works out as follows.
In Arkansas, a heat pump is cheaper to run than a gas furnace by about $3.21 per million BTU at these assumptions. Over a 60 million BTU heating season that is roughly $193, before counting the cooling a heat pump also provides.
Gas price: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Natural Gas Prices, price delivered to residential consumers, 2024. Assumptions are adjustable in the heating cost guide, and every state is compared on the gas price page.
What each Arkansas utility charges
The statewide average hides a wide spread. Across the 28 Arkansas utilities reporting to the EIA, rates run from 6.63¢ at City Water and Light Plant to 15.62¢ at Petit Jean Electric Coop Corp . Together they serve 1.5 million residential customers.
| Utility | ¢/kWh | Bill | kWh | Customers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entergy Arkansas LLC | 12.97 | $137 | 1,056 | 608,362 |
| Southwestern Electric Power Co | 11.53 | $98 | 850 | 108,102 |
| Carroll Electric Coop Corp | 12.25 | $133 | 1,087 | 101,154 |
| First Electric Coop Corp | 12.27 | $143 | 1,167 | 95,175 |
| Ozarks Electric Coop Corp | 13.03 | $134 | 1,028 | 72,076 |
| Oklahoma Gas & Electric Co | 11.49 | $118 | 1,028 | 58,218 |
| Arkansas Valley Elec Coop Corp | 13.33 | $147 | 1,105 | 54,372 |
| North Arkansas Elec Coop, Inc | 12.86 | $124 | 964 | 36,355 |
| City Water and Light Plant | 6.63 | $79 | 1,197 | 35,013 |
| City of North Little Rock | 12.23 | $108 | 885 | 34,984 |
| Conway Corporation | 8.29 | $82 | 985 | 30,979 |
| Craighead Electric Coop Corp | 11.99 | $152 | 1,269 | 25,326 |
| City of Bentonville | 11.65 | $111 | 954 | 25,103 |
| Southwest Arkansas E C C | 12.96 | $158 | 1,220 | 24,879 |
| C & L Electric Coop Corp | 13.26 | $139 | 1,050 | 20,000 |
| Petit Jean Electric Coop Corp | 15.62 | $148 | 945 | 18,776 |
| City of Benton | 10.30 | $103 | 998 | 12,972 |
| Paragould Municipal Utilities | 9.48 | $126 | 1,328 | 12,540 |
| Woodruff Electric Coop Corp | 11.40 | $131 | 1,153 | 12,125 |
| Clay County Electric Coop Corp | 14.19 | $125 | 881 | 10,523 |
| City of West Memphis | 8.08 | $92 | 1,141 | 10,199 |
| South Central Ark El Coop, Inc | 14.70 | $142 | 965 | 9,410 |
| City of Siloam Springs | 11.65 | $100 | 862 | 8,590 |
| Ouachita Electric Coop Corp | 13.19 | $125 | 947 | 8,391 |
| City of Hope | 11.69 | $106 | 909 | 5,782 |
Showing the 25 largest of 28. Utilities with fewer than 1,000 residential customers are not published.
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-861 annual electric power industry report, 2024.
Who sells electricity in Arkansas
Entergy Arkansas serves most of the state's population. Oklahoma Gas and Electric, Southwestern Electric Power Company and Empire District serve smaller territories, and co-operatives supplied by Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation cover much of the rural state.
There is no residential retail choice. The Arkansas Public Service Commission sets rates.
Arkansas sits in The Midwest. A single wholesale market stretching from Manitoba to the Gulf, containing both the cheapest wind states and some of the highest delivery costs in the country. Read the regional analysis.
What you can actually do about it
Arkansas has one of the more workable net-metering frameworks in the South, and residential solar economics there depend heavily on which utility territory a home sits in.
The low rate again favours electrification. At Arkansas prices a heat pump beats propane comfortably and competes with natural gas in most of the state.
Closest states by price
These jurisdictions charge within a fraction of a cent of Arkansas, which is useful if you are comparing a move or a multi-state operating cost.
Arkansas electricity rates: common questions
What is the average electricity rate in Arkansas?
The average residential electricity rate in Arkansas is 14.36 cents per kilowatt-hour as of May 2026, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. That is -22.1% relative to the national average of 18.44¢/kWh.
How much is the average monthly electric bill in Arkansas?
The average Arkansas household paid $138 a month across the twelve months to May 2026, using an average of 1,045 kWh. That is -11.0% against the U.S. average bill of $155, and it ranks 33rd highest of the 51 jurisdictions. Your own bill depends on the size of your home, your heating and cooling equipment and your rate schedule.
Why is the Arkansas bill ranking different from its rate ranking?
A bill is the rate multiplied by usage, and usage varies between states more than price does. Arkansas ranks #41 of 51 on price but 33rd on the actual bill, because households there use about 1,045 kWh a month against a national average of 871. Climate and heating fuel drive most of that difference.
Have electricity rates in Arkansas gone up?
Arkansas rates rose 8.9% over the year to May 2026, from 13.19¢ in May 2025 to 14.36¢.
Can I choose my electricity supplier in Arkansas?
Regulated monopoly. Arkansas households buy both supply and delivery from their local regulated utility or co-operative; there is no competitive residential supplier market.