State average · reviewed October 14, 2026
Why are North Carolina electric bills so high?
In July 2026 the average residential price in North Carolina was 15.16¢ per kWh, compared with 13.37¢ in July 2025 (+13.4%). The 2025 average monthly bill was $146.14 for 1,044 kWh. A single household can sit far from those averages because of usage, a rider, or a different utility.
EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A · Reviewed October 14, 2026
EIA-861 2025 average bill · Reviewed October 14, 2026
- July 2026
- 15.16¢
- +13.4% vs July 2025
- 2025 average bill
- $146.14
- 1,044 kWh a month
- 2025 average price
- 14.00¢
- 5,162,893 residential customers
Full service and delivery
Among distribution utilities in this extract, delivery-only residential customers were 0.0% of bundled plus delivery customers. A high share means many households buy energy from someone else. A low share means most reported customers are still full service. This is not a legal map of retail choice. Needs verification for a specific address.
Calculated from EIA-861 2025 residential customer counts · Reviewed October 14, 2026
Utilities
| Utility | Customers | Average shown | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duke Energy Carolinas | 2,543,170 | Full service | 13.43¢ |
| Dominion Energy Virginia | 2,517,958 | Full service | 15.07¢ |
| Duke Energy Progress | 1,527,825 | Full service | 15.07¢ |
| EnergyUnited Elec Member | 124,446 | Full service | 11.61¢ |
| Brunswick Electric Member | 108,087 | Full service | 13.34¢ |
| Union Electric Membership | 86,852 | Full service | 13.92¢ |
| Jones-Onslow Elec Member | 81,070 | Full service | 13.39¢ |
| Fayetteville Public Works Commission | 75,618 | Full service | 12.14¢ |
| Blue Ridge Elec Member | 72,320 | Full service | 14.92¢ |
| Rutherford Elec Member | 72,060 | Full service | 13.02¢ |
| Greenville Utilities Comm | 66,779 | Full service | 12.68¢ |
| York Electric Coop | 66,385 | Full service | 13.68¢ |
| Lumbee River Elec Member | 65,422 | Full service | 14.32¢ |
| Wake Electric Membership | 56,069 | Full service | 14.29¢ |
| Blue Ridge Mountain EMC | 46,903 | Full service | 14.80¢ |
| South River Elec Member | 46,422 | Full service | 14.56¢ |
| Carteret-Craven El Member | 39,424 | Full service | 12.46¢ |
| Town of High Point | 38,553 | Full service | 11.66¢ |
| French Broad Elec Member | 37,052 | Full service | 16.21¢ |
| City of Wilson | 32,472 | Full service | 12.85¢ |
| Randolph Electric Member | 31,531 | Full service | 16.15¢ |
| Four County Elec Member | 31,222 | Full service | 15.10¢ |
| Haywood Electric Member | 30,752 | Full service | 16.86¢ |
| Piedmont Electric Member | 30,640 | Full service | 15.63¢ |
| Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative | 30,215 | Full service | 14.32¢ |
| City of Concord | 30,029 | Full service | 11.57¢ |
| Town of Apex | 29,754 | Full service | 16.72¢ |
| Surry-Yadkin Elec Member | 28,296 | Full service | 17.53¢ |
| Mountain Electric Coop | 27,882 | Full service | 13.13¢ |
| City of Gastonia | 27,524 | Full service | 12.34¢ |
| City of Rocky Mount | 24,395 | Full service | 13.16¢ |
| Broad River Electric Coop | 24,150 | Full service | 17.15¢ |
| Tri-County Elec Member Corp (NC) | 22,887 | Full service | 13.29¢ |
| Tideland Electric Member | 21,906 | Full service | 16.41¢ |
| City of New Bern | 21,545 | Full service | 14.76¢ |
| Central Electric Membership | 20,677 | Full service | 15.37¢ |
| Pee Dee Electric Member | 19,435 | Full service | 15.58¢ |
| City of Lexington | 18,282 | Full service | 11.62¢ |
| Tri-State Electric Member | 17,633 | Full service | 14.95¢ |
| Albemarle Electric Member | 12,810 | Full service | 15.15¢ |
Showing the 40 largest. The rest are linked from the utilities directory.
No residential customers in the 2025 extract
These 55 EIA respondents touch North Carolina and reported no residential sales in the files used here. Their profiles stay online so an old link does not 404, and they are left out of the sitemap so they are not indexed as thin pages.
- Cape Hatteras Elec Member Corp · Cooperative
- City of Cherryville - (NC) · Municipal
- City of Hertford - (NC) · Municipal
- City of Highlands - (NC) · Municipal
- City of Kings Mountain - (NC) · Municipal
- City of Laurinburg - (NC) · Municipal
- City of Lincolnton - (NC) · Municipal
- City of Newton - (NC) · Municipal
- City of Robersonville - (NC) · Municipal
- City of Shelby - (NC) · Municipal
- City of Southport - (NC) · Municipal
- City of Winterville - (NC) · Municipal
- Halifax Electric Member Corp · Cooperative
- North Carolina Eastern M P A · Municipal Mktg Authority
- Pitt & Greene Elec Member Corp · Cooperative
- Tennessee Valley Authority · Federal
- Town of Ayden - (NC) · Municipal
- Town of Belhaven - (NC) · Municipal
- Town of Benson - (NC) · Municipal
- Town of Black Creek - (NC) · Municipal
- Town of Bostic - (NC) · Municipal
- Town of Clayton - (NC) · Municipal
- Town of Cornelius - (NC) · Municipal
- Town of Dallas - (NC) · Municipal
- Town of Drexel - (NC) · Municipal
- Town of Edenton - (NC) · Municipal
- Town of Enfield - (NC) · Municipal
- Town of Farmville - (NC) · Municipal
- Town of Forest City · Municipal
- Town of Fountain - (NC) · Municipal
- Town of Fremont - (NC) · Municipal
- Town of Granite Falls - (NC) · Municipal
- Town of Hamilton - (NC) · Municipal
- Town of Hobgood · Municipal
- Town of Hookerton - (NC) · Municipal
- Town of La Grange - (NC) · Municipal
- Town of Landis - (NC) · Municipal
- Town of Louisburg - (NC) · Municipal
- Town of Lucama - (NC) · Municipal
- Town of MacClesfield - (NC) · Municipal
- Town of Maiden - (NC) · Municipal
- Town of Oak City - (NC) · Municipal
- Town of Pikeville - (NC) · Municipal
- Town of Pinetops - (NC) · Municipal
- Town of Pineville - (NC) · Municipal
- Town of Red Springs - (NC) · Municipal
- Town of Scotland Neck - (NC) · Municipal
- Town of Selma - (NC) · Municipal
- Town of Sharpsburg - (NC) · Municipal
- Town of Smithfield - (NC) · Municipal
- Town of Stantonsburg - (NC) · Municipal
- Town of Wake Forest - (NC) · Municipal
- Town of Walstonburg · Municipal
- Town of Waynesville - (NC) · Municipal
- Town of Windsor- (NC) · Municipal
A bill at the July 2026 state average
| Monthly use | At 15.16¢/kWh |
|---|---|
| 500 kWh | $75.80 |
| 750 kWh | $113.70 |
| 1,000 kWh | $151.60 |
| 1,500 kWh | $227.40 |
| 2,000 kWh | $303.20 |
This uses the statewide average, not your utility's tariff. Fixed charges make low-use bills diverge. Needs verification against the bill.
Regulator and assistance
Investor-owned base rates are usually set in a public docket. Municipal and cooperative rates may be set by a city or a co-op board instead. Which body sets this utility's rates needs verification.
North Carolina Utilities Commission
LIHEAP contacts for North Carolina are on the federal list. A utility's own discount needs verification.
Questions
Why are North Carolina electric bills so high?
In July 2026 the average residential price in North Carolina was 15.16¢ per kWh, compared with 13.37¢ in July 2025 (+13.4%). The 2025 average monthly bill was $146.14 for 1,044 kWh. A single household can sit far from those averages because of usage, a rider, or a different utility.
Who regulates electric rates in North Carolina?
North Carolina Utilities Commission publishes orders and pending dockets. Investor-owned base rates are usually set in a public docket. Municipal and cooperative rates may be set by a city or a co-op board instead. Which body sets this utility's rates needs verification.
What help is available in North Carolina?
LIHEAP is the federal bill-assistance program. State contacts are listed by HHS. Utility discounts need verification.