Southwestern Electric Coop Inc electricity rates
Southwestern Electric Coop Inc charges an average of 13.68 cents per kilowatt-hour to residential customers, and the average household on its system paid $154 a month using 1,124 kilowatt-hours, according to its 2024 filing with the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Member-owned cooperative MISO Illinois
Where Southwestern Electric Coop Inc sits
It is a smaller system, serving 24,822 residential customers, which means its fixed costs are spread across a narrow base. At 13.68¢ per kilowatt-hour it is one of the cheaper places to buy electricity in Illinois, 42.6% under the statewide average of 23.85¢.
Its customers use more electricity than the national norm, 1,124 kilowatt-hours a month against 871, which amplifies whatever the rate does.
Owned by the customers it serves, with directors elected by members. Co-ops are frequently outside state rate regulation. That matters because a bill is not only the cost of generating electricity: it also carries the cost of the network, and who owns that network changes how it is paid for.
| Rate | Monthly bill | Monthly kWh | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southwestern Electric Coop Inc | 13.68¢ | $154 | 1,124 |
| Illinois average | 23.85¢ | $132 | 719 |
| United States average | 18.44¢ | $155 | 871 |
Utility figures: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-861 annual electric power industry report, 2024. State and national figures: Electric Power Monthly, May 2026. Methodology
Where Southwestern Electric Coop Inc delivers
Its service territory covers 11 Illinois counties, either wholly or in part. Utility boundaries follow historic franchise agreements rather than county lines, so a county appearing here does not mean every address in it is served by Southwestern Electric Coop Inc.
- Bond
- Clay
- Clinton
- Effingham
- Fayette
- Macoupin
- Madison
- Marion
- Montgomery
- Shelby
- St Clair
How often the power goes out
In 2024 the average Southwestern Electric Coop Inc customer went 305 minutes without electricity across 2.21 interruptions. The median across the 941 utilities that report this is 185 minutes.
That is worse than typical. Overhead lines through wooded or storm-exposed terrain are the usual explanation, and the fix is vegetation management and circuit automation, both of which are recovered through rates.
Other Illinois utilities
| Utility | Rate | Bill | Customers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commonwealth Edison Co | 15.22¢ | $89 | 2.9 million |
| Ameren Illinois Company | 15.26¢ | $130 | 520,498 |
| Sunrun Inc. | 15.06¢ | $106 | 31,729 |
| Southeastern IL Elec Coop, Inc | 14.47¢ | $166 | 22,731 |
| Norris Electric Coop | 15.08¢ | $170 | 18,074 |
Southwestern Electric Coop Inc rates: common questions
How much does Southwestern Electric Coop Inc charge per kilowatt-hour?
An average of 13.68 cents per kilowatt-hour across its residential customers in 2024. That is -42.6% against the Illinois average of 23.85¢ and -25.8% against the national average of 18.44¢. It is an all-in average across every residential rate schedule the utility offers, not a specific tariff.
What is the average Southwestern Electric Coop Inc bill?
$154 a month, based on total residential revenue divided by residential customers over the 2024 survey year, at an average of 1,124 kWh a month. The national average bill is $155 at 871 kWh.
Who owns Southwestern Electric Coop Inc?
It is classified by the EIA as a member-owned cooperative. Owned by the customers it serves, with directors elected by members. Co-ops are frequently outside state rate regulation.
Is Southwestern Electric Coop Inc expensive compared with other Illinois utilities?
It ranks #20 of the 27 Illinois utilities covered here, counting from the most expensive. Nationally it ranks #637 of 1369.