California electricity rates
As of May 2026, the average residential electricity rate in California is 33.25 cents per kilowatt-hour, 80.3% above the U.S. average of 18.44¢. That is the 2nd highest rate of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
- Year over year
- ▼ -0.1% from 33.29¢ in May 2025
- Vs. U.S. average
- +80.3% U.S. average 18.44¢
- National rank
- #2 of 51 · #50 cheapest
- Supply market
- CAISO Retail choice limited
Why California pays what it pays
California's rate is not primarily about the cost of generating electricity. Wholesale energy in CAISO is not unusually expensive, since the state has enormous solar output, substantial hydro, geothermal and one remaining nuclear station. The cost is in everything wrapped around it.
Wildfire dominates. After utility equipment was found responsible for catastrophic fires, the state's utilities undertook the largest grid-hardening programme in American history: burying thousands of miles of distribution line, replacing conductors, installing weather stations and fast-trip protection, and expanding vegetation management enormously. They also pay for wildfire insurance and contribute to a state wildfire fund. All of it recovers through rates.
Layered on top are transmission investment to reach remote renewables, the cost of past long-term contracts, and a set of public purpose programmes covering low-income discounts, efficiency and the California Solar Initiative's legacy, all funded through the bill. The state has also recovered rooftop solar's shifted costs from remaining customers, an effect that grows as more customers install panels.
California's rate was essentially flat year over year, which after several years of sharp increases is itself notable.
Where California power comes from
California generated 206 TWh in 2025, the 4th largest output of any state. Natural gas supplied 35.6% of it. Renewables accounted for 54.7%, against 23.8% nationally, which ranks California #9 of 51.
- Natural gas 35.6% 73 TWh
- Solar 27% 56 TWh
- Hydroelectric 13.5% 28 TWh
- Nuclear 8.5% 18 TWh
- Wind 7.9% 16 TWh
- Geothermal 5.2% 11 TWh
- Wood and biomass 1.1% 2 TWh
- Other 1% 2 TWh
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 California compares
California ranks #2 of 51 jurisdictions by residential price, making it the 50th cheapest. Within the Pacific division, 3 of 4 neighbouring states are cheaper.
| State | ¢/kWh | YoY | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | 14.95 | +9.5% | #37 |
| Oregon | 16.27 | +2.3% | #26 |
| Alaska | 28.23 | +8.2% | #7 |
| California | 33.25 | -0.1% | #2 |
| Hawaii | 52.00 | +26.7% | #1 |
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 California households actually pay
California looks cheaper on paper than it is in practice. It has the 50th cheapest rate in the country but only the 20th highest bill from the bottom, because households there use 488 kWh a month against a national average of 871. See how every state compares on bills.
Estimate your California 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 California: gas, heat pump or resistance
Residential natural gas in California averaged $19.14 per thousand cubic feet in 2024, about $1.85 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 California, gas remains cheaper to run than a heat pump by about $11.97 per million BTU at these assumptions, roughly $718 over a 60 million BTU season. A heat pump can still be the better purchase once cooling, equipment age and incentives are counted, but not on heating cost alone.
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 California utility charges
The statewide average hides a wide spread. Across the 36 California utilities reporting to the EIA, rates run from 13.14¢ at Surprise Valley Electrification to 43.63¢ at San Diego Gas & Electric Co . Together they serve 9.1 million residential customers.
| Utility | ¢/kWh | Bill | kWh | Customers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southern California Edison Co | 32.43 | $164 | 506 | 3.2 million |
| Pacific Gas & Electric Co. | 39.62 | $198 | 500 | 1.9 million |
| Los Angeles Department of Water & Power | 23.84 | $116 | 485 | 1.4 million |
| Sacramento Municipal Util Dist | 17.87 | $126 | 702 | 592,557 |
| Sunrun Inc. | 26.24 | $175 | 666 | 309,658 |
| San Diego Gas & Electric Co | 43.63 | $159 | 365 | 307,982 |
| Imperial Irrigation District | 17.91 | $208 | 1,159 | 142,078 |
| Tesla Inc. | 19.21 | $106 | 554 | 126,771 |
| City of Anaheim | 17.11 | $80 | 467 | 105,839 |
| Modesto Irrigation District | 21.78 | $176 | 808 | 103,650 |
| City of Riverside | 20.20 | $129 | 637 | 100,450 |
| Turlock Irrigation District | 16.34 | $141 | 862 | 80,575 |
| City of Glendale | 33.81 | $139 | 411 | 77,563 |
| City of Roseville | 18.66 | $134 | 720 | 63,052 |
| SunPower Capital, LLC | 24.24 | $140 | 576 | 62,640 |
| City of Pasadena | 25.98 | $124 | 476 | 58,551 |
| Sunnova | 27.55 | $137 | 497 | 51,597 |
| City of Santa Clara | 16.88 | $72 | 425 | 50,949 |
| City of Burbank Water and Power | 19.25 | $90 | 467 | 46,157 |
| Liberty Utilities | 25.92 | $144 | 557 | 43,902 |
| City of Redding | 17.85 | $152 | 849 | 38,170 |
| PacifiCorp | 20.64 | $177 | 858 | 36,273 |
| Alameda Municipal Power | 22.98 | $81 | 351 | 33,174 |
| City of Palo Alto | 20.67 | $104 | 501 | 26,249 |
| Spruce Finance | 19.18 | $127 | 664 | 25,337 |
Showing the 25 largest of 36. 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 California
Pacific Gas and Electric serves northern and central California, Southern California Edison most of the south, and San Diego Gas & Electric the far south. Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and Sacramento Municipal Utility District are large municipal utilities with substantially lower rates.
Most Californians in investor-owned territory are served by a Community Choice Aggregator, which buys the energy while the utility delivers it. There is no conventional individual retail choice. The choice is made by the local government.
California sits in California. The highest mainland rates in the country, driven almost entirely by what is wrapped around the electricity rather than the electricity itself. Read the regional analysis.
What you can actually do about it
The municipal utilities are dramatically cheaper than the investor-owned utilities. SMUD and LADWP customers pay roughly half what some PG&E customers pay for the same service.
California's rate schedules are tiered and time-differentiated, and the marginal rate in the highest tier during peak hours is far above the average. That makes load shifting unusually valuable, and it makes the average rate a poor guide to what an additional kilowatt-hour actually costs you.
If you are evaluating rooftop solar, confirm which net-metering tariff applies. The current tariff values exported energy far below the retail rate, which changes the economics fundamentally compared with older systems.
Closest states by price
These jurisdictions charge within a fraction of a cent of California, which is useful if you are comparing a move or a multi-state operating cost.
California electricity rates: common questions
What is the average electricity rate in California?
The average residential electricity rate in California is 33.25 cents per kilowatt-hour as of May 2026, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. That is +80.3% relative to the national average of 18.44¢/kWh.
How much is the average monthly electric bill in California?
The average California household paid $160 a month across the twelve months to May 2026, using an average of 488 kWh. That is +3.0% against the U.S. average bill of $155, and it ranks 20th 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 California bill ranking different from its rate ranking?
A bill is the rate multiplied by usage, and usage varies between states more than price does. California ranks #2 of 51 on price but 20th on the actual bill, because households there use about 488 kWh a month against a national average of 871. Climate and heating fuel drive most of that difference.
Have electricity rates in California gone up?
California rates fell 0.1% over the year to May 2026, from 33.29¢ in May 2025 to 33.25¢.
Can I choose my electricity supplier in California?
Retail choice limited. Choice in California is restricted. Availability depends on your utility, your location and in some cases a programme cap.