North Carolina electricity rates
As of May 2026, the average residential electricity rate in North Carolina is 15.09 cents per kilowatt-hour, 18.2% below the U.S. average of 18.44¢. That is the 35th highest rate of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
- Year over year
- ▲ +5.4% from 14.32¢ in May 2025
- Vs. U.S. average
- -18.2% U.S. average 18.44¢
- National rank
- #35 of 51 · #17 cheapest
- Supply market
- Southeast (non-RTO) Regulated monopoly
Why North Carolina pays what it pays
North Carolina's rate advantage rests on nuclear generation. Duke Energy's Carolinas fleet supplies a large share of the state's electricity at low marginal cost from plants whose construction costs were recovered long ago.
Working the other way is the state's carbon-reduction law, which sets interim and final emissions targets and requires Duke to file a carbon plan showing how it will meet them. The plan involves retiring coal, building solar and storage at scale, adding gas capacity, and evaluating new nuclear. That is a very large capital programme, and it recovers through rates over time.
North Carolina also grew quickly. Population growth adds distribution investment, but it also adds customers to spread fixed costs across, which is why fast-growing Southern states have generally held rates better than shrinking ones.
Where North Carolina power comes from
North Carolina generated 135 TWh in 2025, the 9th largest output of any state. Natural gas supplied 40% of it. Renewables accounted for 14.4%, against 23.8% nationally, which ranks North Carolina #29 of 51.
- Natural gas 40% 54 TWh
- Nuclear 31.8% 43 TWh
- Coal 13.2% 18 TWh
- Solar 9.4% 13 TWh
- Hydroelectric 3.4% 5 TWh
- Wood and biomass 0.9% 1 TWh
- Wind 0.7% 936 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 North Carolina compares
North Carolina ranks #35 of 51 jurisdictions by residential price, making it the 17th cheapest. Within the South Atlantic division, no 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 North Carolina households actually pay
North Carolina looks more expensive on paper than it is in practice. Its rate ranks #35 of 51, but the average bill ranks only 29th, because households there use 1,036 kWh a month against a national average of 871. See how every state compares on bills.
Estimate your North Carolina 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 North Carolina: gas, heat pump or resistance
Residential natural gas in North Carolina averaged $16.42 per thousand cubic feet in 2024, about $1.58 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 North Carolina, a heat pump is cheaper to run than a gas furnace by about $2.85 per million BTU at these assumptions. Over a 60 million BTU heating season that is roughly $171, 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 North Carolina utility charges
The statewide average hides a wide spread. Across the 51 North Carolina utilities reporting to the EIA, rates run from 10.52¢ at Town of Apex to 21.14¢ at Roanoke Electric Member Corp . Together they serve 4.9 million residential customers.
| Utility | ¢/kWh | Bill | kWh | Customers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | 13.94 | $137 | 984 | 1.9 million |
| Duke Energy Progress | 15.54 | $156 | 1,006 | 1.4 million |
| EnergyUnited Elec Member Corp | 11.54 | $137 | 1,188 | 121,995 |
| Virginia Electric & Power Co | 13.93 | $167 | 1,201 | 108,656 |
| Brunswick Electric Member Corp | 13.66 | $131 | 957 | 105,562 |
| Union Electric Membership Corp | 13.37 | $164 | 1,230 | 84,602 |
| Jones-Onslow Elec Member Corp | 13.09 | $141 | 1,080 | 79,690 |
| Fayetteville Public Works Commission | 12.21 | $119 | 971 | 75,987 |
| Blue Ridge Elec Member Corp | 14.59 | $127 | 869 | 71,926 |
| Rutherford Elec Member Corp | 13.13 | $146 | 1,115 | 70,743 |
| Greenville Utilities Comm | 11.97 | $119 | 993 | 65,731 |
| Lumbee River Elec Member Corp | 12.81 | $168 | 1,310 | 64,396 |
| Wake Electric Membership Corp | 13.42 | $149 | 1,111 | 53,268 |
| South River Elec Member Corp | 13.30 | $167 | 1,257 | 45,730 |
| Carteret-Craven El Member Corp | 12.15 | $122 | 1,007 | 38,858 |
| Town of High Point | 11.63 | $102 | 881 | 38,079 |
| French Broad Elec Member Corp | 14.78 | $114 | 774 | 36,147 |
| City of Wilson | 12.13 | $131 | 1,083 | 32,078 |
| Randolph Electric Member Corp | 15.91 | $163 | 1,026 | 31,086 |
| Four County Elec Member Corp | 13.98 | $174 | 1,244 | 30,807 |
| Piedmont Electric Member Corp | 15.60 | $179 | 1,146 | 30,334 |
| City of Concord | 11.84 | $118 | 997 | 29,857 |
| Town of Apex | 10.52 | $95 | 905 | 29,289 |
| Haywood Electric Member Corp | 16.60 | $134 | 807 | 29,078 |
| Surry-Yadkin Elec Member Corp | 16.06 | $166 | 1,032 | 28,080 |
Showing the 25 largest of 51. 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 North Carolina
Duke Energy Carolinas serves the west and Duke Energy Progress the east, and together they cover most of the state. Dominion Energy North Carolina serves the northeast. Electric membership corporations and municipal systems serve substantial rural and small-city territory.
There is no residential retail choice. The North Carolina Utilities Commission sets rates and approves the carbon plan, and the Public Staff is a separate agency representing ratepayers.
North Carolina sits in The Southeast. Vertically integrated utilities, no retail choice, moderate rates and the highest household consumption in the country. Read the regional analysis.
What you can actually do about it
North Carolina permits multi-year rate plans, which means increases are approved in advance for several years at a time. Reading the current approved plan tells you what next year's increase will be before it happens.
Duke's residential time-of-use and EV rates in North Carolina have wide off-peak discounts and are opt-in. Households with electric vehicles are the clearest candidates.
Closest states by price
These jurisdictions charge within a fraction of a cent of North Carolina, which is useful if you are comparing a move or a multi-state operating cost.
North Carolina electricity rates: common questions
What is the average electricity rate in North Carolina?
The average residential electricity rate in North Carolina is 15.09 cents per kilowatt-hour as of May 2026, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. That is -18.2% relative to the national average of 18.44¢/kWh.
How much is the average monthly electric bill in North Carolina?
The average North Carolina household paid $150 a month across the twelve months to May 2026, using an average of 1,036 kWh. That is -3.7% against the U.S. average bill of $155, and it ranks 29th 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 North Carolina bill ranking different from its rate ranking?
A bill is the rate multiplied by usage, and usage varies between states more than price does. North Carolina ranks #35 of 51 on price but 29th on the actual bill, because households there use about 1,036 kWh a month against a national average of 871. Climate and heating fuel drive most of that difference.
Have electricity rates in North Carolina gone up?
North Carolina rates rose 5.4% over the year to May 2026, from 14.32¢ in May 2025 to 15.09¢.
Can I choose my electricity supplier in North Carolina?
Regulated monopoly. North Carolina households buy both supply and delivery from their local regulated utility or co-operative; there is no competitive residential supplier market.