City of New Bern electricity rates
City of New Bern charges an average of 12.65 cents per kilowatt-hour to residential customers, and the average household on its system paid $129 a month using 1,021 kilowatt-hours, according to its 2024 filing with the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Municipal utility CPLE North Carolina
Where City of New Bern sits
It is a smaller system, serving 21,226 residential customers, which means its fixed costs are spread across a narrow base. At 12.65¢ per kilowatt-hour it is one of the cheaper places to buy electricity in North Carolina, 16.2% under the statewide average of 15.09¢.
Its customers use more electricity than the national norm, 1,021 kilowatt-hours a month against 871, which amplifies whatever the rate does.
Owned by the city it serves and governed by a local board rather than the state commission. No shareholder return is built into the rate. 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| City of New Bern | 12.65¢ | $129 | 1,021 |
| North Carolina average | 15.09¢ | $150 | 1,036 |
| 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 City of New Bern delivers
Its service territory covers 2 North Carolina 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 City of New Bern.
- Craven
- Jones
How often the power goes out
In 2024 the average City of New Bern customer went 144 minutes without electricity across 1.19 interruptions. The median across the 941 utilities that report this is 185 minutes.
That is better than the typical American utility, though the figure includes major storm days and can move sharply from one year to the next.
Other North Carolina utilities
| Utility | Rate | Bill | Customers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | 13.94¢ | $137 | 1.9 million |
| Duke Energy Progress | 15.54¢ | $156 | 1.4 million |
| Tri-County Elec Member Corp (NC) | 12.76¢ | $158 | 22,523 |
| Central Electric Membership Corp. | 14.34¢ | $184 | 22,071 |
| Tideland Electric Member Corp | 16.18¢ | $150 | 21,551 |
City of New Bern rates: common questions
How much does City of New Bern charge per kilowatt-hour?
An average of 12.65 cents per kilowatt-hour across its residential customers in 2024. That is -16.2% against the North Carolina average of 15.09¢ and -31.4% 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 City of New Bern bill?
$129 a month, based on total residential revenue divided by residential customers over the 2024 survey year, at an average of 1,021 kWh a month. The national average bill is $155 at 871 kWh.
Who owns City of New Bern?
It is classified by the EIA as a municipal utility. Owned by the city it serves and governed by a local board rather than the state commission. No shareholder return is built into the rate.
Is City of New Bern expensive compared with other North Carolina utilities?
It ranks #32 of the 51 North Carolina utilities covered here, counting from the most expensive. Nationally it ranks #873 of 1369.