Appalachian Power Co electricity rates
Appalachian Power Co charges an average of 17.02 cents per kilowatt-hour to residential customers, and the average household on its system paid $178 a month using 1,048 kilowatt-hours, according to its 2024 filing with the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Investor-owned utility PJM Virginia
Where Appalachian Power Co sits
It serves 465,283 residential customers, making it one of the larger utilities in Virginia. At 17.02¢ per kilowatt-hour it tracks the Virginia average of 17.61¢ closely, which is what you would expect from a utility large enough to shape that average itself.
Its customers use more electricity than the national norm, 1,048 kilowatt-hours a month against 871, which amplifies whatever the rate does.
A shareholder-owned company whose rates are set by the state regulator, including an approved return on the capital it has invested. 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appalachian Power Co | 17.02¢ | $178 | 1,048 |
| Virginia average | 17.61¢ | $171 | 1,063 |
| 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 Appalachian Power Co delivers
Its service territory covers 34 Virginia 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 Appalachian Power Co.
- Albemarle
- Amherst
- Appomattox
- Bedford
- Bland
- Botetourt
- Buchanan
- Buckingham
- Campbell
- Carroll
- Craig
- Dickenson
- Floyd
- Fluvanna
- Franklin
- Galax City
- Giles
- Grayson
- Henry
- Lynchburg City
- Montgomery
- Nelson
- Patrick
- Pittsylvania
- Pulaski
- Roanoke
- Roanoke City
- Russell
- Scott
- Smyth
- Tazewell
- Washington
- Wise
- Wythe
How often the power goes out
In 2024 the average Appalachian Power Co customer went 1,714 minutes without electricity across 2.26 interruptions. The median across the 941 utilities that report this is 185 minutes.
That is far worse than typical, and figures at this level almost always reflect a major storm season rather than everyday performance. A single hurricane or ice storm can dominate the annual number.
Optional rate plans
Appalachian Power Co offers time-of-use pricing to residential customers. 1,447 households were enrolled, about 0.3% of its residential base.
These plans are opt-in almost everywhere. They reward households that can move laundry, dishwashing, water heating or electric vehicle charging out of the late-afternoon peak, and they cost more than the standard rate for households that cannot. How to tell which group you are in.
Rooftop solar on this system
4,892 residential customers had net-metered solar in 2024, totalling 38.16 megawatts. That works out to 10.5 installations per thousand customers, against a median of 8 across the utilities reporting it.
Adoption is above the national median, which generally tracks the retail rate more closely than it tracks sunshine. What exports are actually worth.
Other Virginia utilities
| Utility | Rate | Bill | Customers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Electric & Power Co | 14.09¢ | $142 | 2.4 million |
| Rappahannock Electric Coop | 14.89¢ | $170 | 169,489 |
| Northern Virginia Elec Coop | 11.57¢ | $132 | 167,274 |
| Shenandoah Valley Elec Coop | 13.81¢ | $161 | 85,281 |
| Southside Electric Coop, Inc | 15.48¢ | $171 | 56,846 |
Appalachian Power Co rates: common questions
How much does Appalachian Power Co charge per kilowatt-hour?
An average of 17.02 cents per kilowatt-hour across its residential customers in 2024. That is -3.4% against the Virginia average of 17.61¢ and -7.7% 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 Appalachian Power Co bill?
$178 a month, based on total residential revenue divided by residential customers over the 2024 survey year, at an average of 1,048 kWh a month. The national average bill is $155 at 871 kWh.
Who owns Appalachian Power Co?
It is classified by the EIA as a investor-owned utility. A shareholder-owned company whose rates are set by the state regulator, including an approved return on the capital it has invested.
Is Appalachian Power Co expensive compared with other Virginia utilities?
It ranks #2 of the 19 Virginia utilities covered here, counting from the most expensive. Nationally it ranks #198 of 1369.