New York electricity rates
As of May 2026, the average residential electricity rate in New York is 29.93 cents per kilowatt-hour, 62.3% above the U.S. average of 18.44¢. That is the 3rd highest rate of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
- Year over year
- ▲ +12.1% from 26.69¢ in May 2025
- Vs. U.S. average
- +62.3% U.S. average 18.44¢
- National rank
- #3 of 51 · #49 cheapest
- Supply market
- NYISO Retail choice statewide
Why New York pays what it pays
A single statewide average badly misrepresents New York. Upstate has abundant hydro at Niagara and the St. Lawrence, plus large nuclear units in the west, and its wholesale prices are among the lowest in the Northeast. New York City and Westchester are a separate world: a transmission-constrained load pocket where in-city generation must run for reliability, land and labour costs are extreme, and the distribution network is largely underground.
Underground networks are the quiet driver of Con Edison's delivery rates. Replacing a feeder in Manhattan costs an order of magnitude more than restringing an overhead line, and the city's network reliability standards are the strictest in the country.
The closure of Indian Point removed a large, low-cost, zero-emission generator close to the load centre. Replacement energy has come substantially from gas plants further away, which raised both the energy price and the congestion charge on transmission into the city.
Where New York power comes from
New York generated 132 TWh in 2025, the 10th largest output of any state. Natural gas supplied 47.2% of it. Renewables accounted for 28.9%, against 23.8% nationally, which ranks New York #21 of 51.
- Natural gas 47.2% 62 TWh
- Nuclear 21.6% 28 TWh
- Hydroelectric 19.6% 26 TWh
- Wind 5.2% 7 TWh
- Solar 4% 5 TWh
- Petroleum 1% 1 TWh
- Other 1.3% 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 New York compares
New York ranks #3 of 51 jurisdictions by residential price, making it the 49th cheapest. Within the Middle Atlantic division, every other state is cheaper.
| State | ¢/kWh | YoY | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | 21.55 | +11.7% | #16 |
| New Jersey | 23.27 | +13.6% | #13 |
| New York | 29.93 | +12.1% | #3 |
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 New York households actually pay
New York looks cheaper on paper than it is in practice. It has the 49th cheapest rate in the country but only the 16th highest bill from the bottom, because households there use 590 kWh a month against a national average of 871. See how every state compares on bills.
Estimate your New York 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 New York: gas, heat pump or resistance
Residential natural gas in New York averaged $16.58 per thousand cubic feet in 2024, about $1.60 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 New York, gas remains cheaper to run than a heat pump by about $11.47 per million BTU at these assumptions, roughly $688 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 New York utility charges
The statewide average hides a wide spread. Across the 19 New York utilities reporting to the EIA, rates run from 5.02¢ at City of Plattsburgh to 35.66¢ at Consolidated Edison Co-NY Inc . Together they serve 6.8 million residential customers.
| Utility | ¢/kWh | Bill | kWh | Customers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Consolidated Edison Co-NY Inc | 35.66 | $130 | 365 | 2.7 million |
| Niagara Mohawk Power Corp. | 17.22 | $110 | 637 | 1.4 million |
| Long Island Power Authority | 24.57 | $182 | 739 | 1.0 million |
| New York State Elec & Gas Corp | 18.32 | $132 | 723 | 735,192 |
| Rochester Gas & Electric Corp | 18.76 | $127 | 678 | 294,053 |
| Central Hudson Gas & Elec Corp | 25.14 | $168 | 668 | 229,592 |
| Orange & Rockland Utils Inc | 23.31 | $156 | 670 | 170,465 |
| Sunrun Inc. | 22.15 | $129 | 581 | 38,886 |
| Tesla Inc. | 18.59 | $91 | 490 | 16,990 |
| Village of Fairport | 6.69 | $78 | 1,171 | 16,462 |
| Jamestown Board of Public Util | 8.43 | $68 | 811 | 15,562 |
| Village of Freeport | 14.12 | $109 | 771 | 13,353 |
| SunPower Capital, LLC | 26.20 | $149 | 569 | 9,366 |
| City of Plattsburgh | 5.02 | $71 | 1,418 | 8,801 |
| Town of Massena | 6.19 | $72 | 1,165 | 8,156 |
| Sunnova | 28.79 | $171 | 593 | 5,852 |
| Spruce Finance | 18.53 | $105 | 566 | 5,636 |
| Village of Solvay | 6.49 | $67 | 1,034 | 4,680 |
| FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Co | 15.14 | $114 | 751 | 3,355 |
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-861 annual electric power industry report, 2024.
Who sells electricity in New York
Consolidated Edison serves New York City and Westchester. National Grid, NYSEG, RG&E and Central Hudson cover most of the rest, and the Long Island Power Authority, operated by PSEG Long Island, serves Long Island under a public-authority model.
New York has full retail choice through its ESCO market, though the Public Service Commission has repeatedly tightened the rules after finding that residential ESCO customers paid more on average than utility supply customers.
New York sits in New York. One state, two electricity markets, and a gap between them wider than the gap between many entire states. Read the regional analysis.
What you can actually do about it
If you are comparing New York against another state, use your own utility's rate rather than the state average. The spread between Con Edison and a western New York utility is larger than the spread between many entire states.
New York's low-income discount is applied automatically when a household is enrolled in certain benefit programmes, but only if the utility has been told. It is one of the more commonly missed savings in the state.
Closest states by price
These jurisdictions charge within a fraction of a cent of New York, which is useful if you are comparing a move or a multi-state operating cost.
New York electricity rates: common questions
What is the average electricity rate in New York?
The average residential electricity rate in New York is 29.93 cents per kilowatt-hour as of May 2026, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. That is +62.3% relative to the national average of 18.44¢/kWh.
How much is the average monthly electric bill in New York?
The average New York household paid $164 a month across the twelve months to May 2026, using an average of 590 kWh. That is +5.3% against the U.S. average bill of $155, and it ranks 16th 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 New York bill ranking different from its rate ranking?
A bill is the rate multiplied by usage, and usage varies between states more than price does. New York ranks #3 of 51 on price but 16th on the actual bill, because households there use about 590 kWh a month against a national average of 871. Climate and heating fuel drive most of that difference.
Have electricity rates in New York gone up?
New York rates rose 12.1% over the year to May 2026, from 26.69¢ in May 2025 to 29.93¢.
Can I choose my electricity supplier in New York?
Retail choice statewide. Residential customers in New York can buy supply from a competitive provider while the local utility continues to deliver it and maintain the wires.