District of Columbia electricity rates
As of May 2026, the average residential electricity rate in District of Columbia is 25.40 cents per kilowatt-hour, 37.7% above the U.S. average of 18.44¢. That is the 10th highest rate of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
- Year over year
- ▲ +24.3% from 20.43¢ in May 2025
- Vs. U.S. average
- +37.7% U.S. average 18.44¢
- National rank
- #10 of 51 · #42 cheapest
- Supply market
- PJM Retail choice statewide
Why District of Columbia pays what it pays
The District generates almost no electricity. Every kilowatt-hour arrives over transmission lines into a dense urban load pocket, and the District pays both the regional energy price and the congestion cost of getting it there.
That left it maximally exposed when PJM's capacity market repriced. With no in-state generation and no ability to build any at scale, there was nothing to offset the increase, and the Standard Offer Service price moved sharply.
Delivery costs are high for the same reason they are high in Manhattan. The network is largely underground, and the District has an ongoing programme to move remaining overhead lines below ground, recovered through a dedicated surcharge.
The District also funds an ambitious set of climate and assistance programmes through the electric bill, including a sustainable energy trust fund and one of the more generous low-income discount structures in the country.
Where District of Columbia power comes from
District of Columbia generated 190 GWh in 2025, the 51th largest output of any state. Natural gas supplied 46.6% of it. Renewables accounted for 26.8%, against 23.8% nationally, which ranks District of Columbia #22 of 51.
- Natural gas 46.6% 88 GWh
- Solar 26.8% 51 GWh
- Other 26.5% 50 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 District of Columbia compares
District of Columbia ranks #10 of 51 jurisdictions by residential price, making it the 42nd cheapest. Within the South Atlantic division, every other state is cheaper.
| State | ¢/kWh | YoY | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | 15.09 | +5.4% | #35 |
| Florida | 15.17 | +1.3% | #33 |
| Georgia | 15.84 | +5.7% | #30 |
| South Carolina | 16.18 | +5.0% | #27 |
| West Virginia | 16.80 | +3.8% | #23 |
| Virginia | 17.61 | +15.4% | #21 |
| Delaware | 19.38 | +6.9% | #19 |
| Maryland | 21.77 | +14.6% | #15 |
| District of Columbia | 25.40 | +24.3% | #10 |
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 District of Columbia households actually pay
District of Columbia looks cheaper on paper than it is in practice. It has the 42nd cheapest rate in the country but only the 28th highest bill from the bottom, because households there use 637 kWh a month against a national average of 871. See how every state compares on bills.
Estimate your District of Columbia 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 District of Columbia: gas, heat pump or resistance
Residential natural gas in District of Columbia averaged $16.49 per thousand cubic feet in 2024, about $1.59 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 District of Columbia, gas remains cheaper to run than a heat pump by about $7.14 per million BTU at these assumptions, roughly $428 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.
Who sells electricity in District of Columbia
Pepco, an Exelon company, is the sole electric distribution utility. Generation was divested during restructuring.
The District has full retail choice. The Office of the People's Counsel is an independent agency that represents ratepayers and publishes plain-language analyses of every rate filing.
District of Columbia sits in The PJM region. The wholesale market whose capacity auction repriced and pushed residential rates up across nine jurisdictions in a single year. Read the regional analysis.
What you can actually do about it
The District's low-income discount programmes are among the largest available anywhere in the United States. They are administered through the Department of Energy and Environment rather than the utility, which is why eligible households frequently miss them.
Renters should check whether their building is master-metered. If it is, the electricity cost is inside the rent and no supplier switch or rate schedule change is available to you.
Closest states by price
These jurisdictions charge within a fraction of a cent of District of Columbia, which is useful if you are comparing a move or a multi-state operating cost.
District of Columbia electricity rates: common questions
What is the average electricity rate in District of Columbia?
The average residential electricity rate in District of Columbia is 25.40 cents per kilowatt-hour as of May 2026, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. That is +37.7% relative to the national average of 18.44¢/kWh.
How much is the average monthly electric bill in District of Columbia?
The average District of Columbia household paid $152 a month across the twelve months to May 2026, using an average of 637 kWh. That is -2.3% against the U.S. average bill of $155, and it ranks 28th 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 District of Columbia bill ranking different from its rate ranking?
A bill is the rate multiplied by usage, and usage varies between states more than price does. District of Columbia ranks #10 of 51 on price but 28th on the actual bill, because households there use about 637 kWh a month against a national average of 871. Climate and heating fuel drive most of that difference.
Have electricity rates in District of Columbia gone up?
District of Columbia rates rose 24.3% over the year to May 2026, from 20.43¢ in May 2025 to 25.40¢.
Can I choose my electricity supplier in District of Columbia?
Retail choice statewide. Residential customers in District of Columbia can buy supply from a competitive provider while the local utility continues to deliver it and maintain the wires.