Washington electricity rates
As of May 2026, the average residential electricity rate in Washington is 14.95 cents per kilowatt-hour, 18.9% below the U.S. average of 18.44¢. That is the 37th highest rate of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
- Year over year
- ▲ +9.5% from 13.65¢ in May 2025
- Vs. U.S. average
- -18.9% U.S. average 18.44¢
- National rank
- #37 of 51 · #15 cheapest
- Supply market
- Western Interconnection / BPA Regulated monopoly
Why Washington pays what it pays
Washington generates more hydroelectricity than any other state. The federal Columbia River system, including Grand Coulee, Chief Joseph and the lower Snake and Columbia projects, is marketed by the Bonneville Power Administration at cost rather than at market price, and public utility districts and municipal utilities with BPA contracts pass that advantage to their customers.
Rates have been rising because of what is being added rather than what is already there. Washington's Clean Energy Transformation Act requires a carbon-free supply on a fixed schedule, the state has a cap-and-invest programme whose allowance costs reach electricity, and utilities are investing heavily in transmission, wildfire mitigation and storage.
Drought is a recurring risk. In low-water years hydro output falls and utilities buy replacement power at market prices, which flows through to rates with a lag.
How Washington compares
Washington ranks #37 of 51 jurisdictions by residential price, making it the 15th cheapest. Within the Pacific division, no state is cheaper.
| State | ¢/kWh | YoY | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | 14.95 | +9.5% | #37 |
| Oregon | 16.27 | +2.3% | #26 |
| Alaska | 28.23 | +8.2% | #7 |
| California | 33.25 | -0.1% | #2 |
| Hawaii | 52.00 | +26.7% | #1 |
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 a bill looks like at this rate
The figures below apply the May 2026 Washington average to four usage levels. They are arithmetic, not quotes. A real bill also carries fixed customer charges, taxes and any rider specific to your utility.
Estimate your Washington 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.
Who sells electricity in Washington
Puget Sound Energy is the largest investor-owned utility, with Avista in the east and Pacific Power in the southwest. Seattle City Light, Tacoma Power, Snohomish PUD, Chelan PUD and many other public utilities serve a large share of the population, generally at lower rates because of their BPA allocations.
There is no residential retail choice. The Utilities and Transportation Commission regulates the investor-owned utilities. Public utilities are governed by elected commissions and set their own rates.
What you can actually do about it
The spread between a Washington public utility and an investor-owned utility is one of the widest in the country for identical service. Seattle City Light and Snohomish PUD customers pay materially less than Puget Sound Energy customers a few miles away.
Washington's low rate makes heat pumps compelling, and the state has layered its own incentives on top of federal ones. That matters in a region where air conditioning is becoming necessary in summer.
Closest states by price
These jurisdictions charge within a fraction of a cent of Washington, which is useful if you are comparing a move or a multi-state operating cost.
Washington electricity rates: common questions
What is the average electricity rate in Washington?
The average residential electricity rate in Washington is 14.95 cents per kilowatt-hour as of May 2026, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. That is -18.9% relative to the national average of 18.44¢/kWh.
How much is a typical monthly electric bill in Washington?
At the May 2026 average rate of 14.95¢/kWh, a household using 900 kWh a month would pay about $135, and one using 1,500 kWh about $224. Actual bills vary with usage, rate schedule, fixed customer charges and taxes.
Have electricity rates in Washington gone up?
Washington rates rose 9.5% over the year to May 2026, from 13.65¢ in May 2025 to 14.95¢.
Can I choose my electricity supplier in Washington?
Regulated monopoly. Washington households buy both supply and delivery from their local regulated utility or co-operative; there is no competitive residential supplier market.
Where does this Washington rate figure come from?
It is the residential-sector average revenue per kilowatt-hour reported by utilities to the U.S. Energy Information Administration on Form EIA-861M and published in the Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A. It blends supply and delivery across every residential customer in the state, so it is a statewide average rather than a quote for any individual household.