Electricity Rate in North Carolina (2026): 14.74c/kWh Average
The EIA residential electricity price in North Carolina is 14.74 cents per kWh as of June 2026, 3.60c below the US average of 18.34c/kWh. The North Carolina commercial rate is 10.51c/kWh and the industrial rate is 7.87c/kWh (EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A).
North Carolina Electricity Rate: What You Need to Know
North Carolina electricity averages 14.74 cents per kWh for residential customers as of June 2026, according to the EIA Electric Power Monthly. This is 3.60c below the US average of 18.34c/kWh. The average monthly bill for North Carolina households is $145 based on typical usage of 1034 kWh.
North Carolina is served almost entirely by Duke Energy - either Duke Energy Carolinas or Duke Energy Progress, both subsidiaries of Duke Energy Corporation. North Carolina law does not permit retail choice. The state's 14.74c/kWh average (June 2026) sits below the US average, reflecting the Carolinas' diverse fuel mix (40% natural gas, 35% nuclear, 15% solar, 10% coal). The Vogtle nuclear expansion in neighboring Georgia has not directly affected NC rates. Duke Energy's 2025 rate case approved a 6.0% residential increase for grid modernization, including grid hardening after Hurricane Helene damage in 2024.
Generation mix: Natural gas 40%, nuclear 35%, solar 15%, coal 10%. The fuel mix is a primary driver of electricity rates - states with abundant hydro or nuclear tend to have lower rates, while states dependent on imported petroleum (Hawaii) or natural gas pay more.
Year-over-year change: North Carolina rates rose 10.2% year-over-year as of June 2026. This compares to the US average increase of 5% over the same period.
Regulated: You Cannot Switch Electricity Suppliers
Duke Energy Carolinas / Duke Energy Progress operates as the regulated utility in North Carolina. Retail electricity choice is not available for residential customers. Options for reducing your bill include: time-of-use rate optimization, energy efficiency upgrades, and rooftop solar.
Your North Carolina Electricity Bill Components
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Open Bill Calculator ->Electric Utilities in North Carolina: 108 Listed (2024 EIA-861)
EIA's Form 861 census records 108 entities with 2024 retail electricity sales in North Carolina: 55 distribution utilities filing the full form, 53 small utilities filing the short form (EIA-861S). By ownership: 71 municipal, 32 cooperative, 3 investor owned, 1 state, 1 federal. The state-wide average realised residential price in 2024 was 14.13 cents per kWh across 5,067,752 residential customers and 61,744,942 MWh of sales; EIA's latest monthly figure is 14.74c (June 2026). The largest utility by residential accounts served (bundled plus delivery-only) is Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC with 1,919,372 (13.94c per kWh, 36.7% of state residential sales by MWh). 54 of the 55 distribution utilities have a detail page; the rest are listed here only.
| # | Utility | Ownership | Res. accounts | Residential | Commercial | Counties |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLCalso SC | Investor Owned | 1,919,372 | 13.94c | 9.87c | 44 |
| 2 | Duke Energy Progress (NC)also SC | Investor Owned | 1,356,079 | 15.54c | 11.32c | 56 |
| 3 | EnergyUnited Elec Member Corp | Cooperative | 121,995 | 11.54c | 9.79c | 19 |
| 4 | Virginia Electric & Power Coalso VA | Investor Owned | 108,656 | 13.93c | 11.76c | 25 |
| 5 | Brunswick Electric Member Corp | Cooperative | 105,562 | 13.66c | 11.94c | 4 |
| 6 | Union Electric Membership Corp (NC) | Cooperative | 84,602 | 13.37c | 10.86c | 5 |
| 7 | Jones-Onslow Elec Member Corp | Cooperative | 79,690 | 13.09c | 10.20c | 6 |
| 8 | Fayetteville Public Works Commission | Municipal | 75,987 | 12.21c | 11.38c | 1 |
| 9 | Blue Ridge Elec Member Corp (NC) | Cooperative | 71,926 | 14.59c | 12.38c | 7 |
| 10 | Rutherford Elec Member Corp | Cooperative | 70,743 | 13.13c | 12.62c | 10 |
| 11 | Greenville Utilities Comm | Municipal | 65,731 | 11.97c | 10.27c | 1 |
| 12 | Lumbee River Elec Member Corp | Cooperative | 64,396 | 12.81c | 9.82c | 5 |
| 13 | Wake Electric Membership Corp | Cooperative | 53,268 | 13.42c | 11.14c | 7 |
| 14 | South River Elec Member Corp | Cooperative | 45,730 | 13.30c | 9.67c | 5 |
| 15 | Carteret-Craven El Member Corp | Cooperative | 38,858 | 12.15c | 10.52c | 4 |
| 16 | Town of High Point | Municipal | 38,079 | 11.63c | 10.52c | 4 |
| 17 | French Broad Elec Member Corpalso TN | Cooperative | 36,147 | 14.78c | 12.51c | 5 |
| 18 | City of Wilson (NC) | Municipal | 32,078 | 12.13c | 11.84c | 7 |
| 19 | Randolph Electric Member Corp | Cooperative | 31,086 | 15.91c | 12.43c | 5 |
| 20 | Four County Elec Member Corp | Cooperative | 30,807 | 13.98c | 10.06c | 6 |
| 21 | Piedmont Electric Member Corp | Cooperative | 30,334 | 15.60c | 14.35c | 7 |
| 22 | City of Concord (NC) | Municipal | 29,857 | 11.84c | 10.77c | 1 |
| 23 | Town of Apex- (NC) | Municipal | 29,289 | 10.52c | 13.96c | 1 |
| 24 | Haywood Electric Member Corpalso GA, SC | Cooperative | 29,078 | 16.60c | 13.07c | 6 |
| 25 | Surry-Yadkin Elec Member Corp | Cooperative | 28,080 | 16.06c | 11.30c | 5 |
| 26 | City of Gastonia (NC) | Municipal | 27,008 | 12.40c | 10.92c | 1 |
| 27 | City of Rocky Mount (NC) | Municipal | 25,407 | 12.18c | 9.57c | 2 |
| 28 | Tri-County Elec Member Corp (NC) | Cooperative | 22,523 | 12.76c | 12.32c | 7 |
| 29 | Central Electric Membership Corp. (NC) | Cooperative | 22,071 | 14.34c | 12.49c | 5 |
| 30 | Tideland Electric Member Corp | Cooperative | 21,551 | 16.18c | 12.52c | 6 |
| 31 | City of New Bern (NC) | Municipal | 21,226 | 12.65c | 10.75c | 2 |
| 32 | Pee Dee Electric Member Corp | Cooperative | 19,396 | 14.77c | 11.84c | 7 |
| 33 | City of Lexington (NC) | Municipal | 18,053 | 11.75c | 12.21c | 1 |
| 34 | Blue Ridge Mountain EMC (GA)also GA | Cooperative | 15,879 | 14.05c | 17.53c | 1 |
| 35 | Mountain Electric Coop, Incalso TN | Cooperative | 15,491 | 12.51c | 13.85c | 3 |
| 36 | Albemarle Electric Member Corp | Cooperative | 12,728 | 14.47c | 12.48c | 5 |
| 37 | City of Statesville (NC) | Municipal | 12,120 | 11.71c | 10.38c | 1 |
| 38 | Roanoke Electric Member Corp | Cooperative | 12,049 | 21.14c | 18.18c | 7 |
| 39 | City of Washington (NC) | Municipal | 11,547 | 13.01c | 12.93c | 3 |
| 40 | City of Elizabeth City (NC) | Municipal | 11,366 | 11.76c | 9.50c | 1 |
| 41 | City of Albemarle (NC) | Municipal | 11,248 | 10.85c | 9.52c | 1 |
| 42 | Edgecombe-Martin County E M C | Cooperative | 10,716 | 16.06c | 11.31c | 8 |
| 43 | City of Monroe (NC) | Municipal | 10,543 | 12.28c | 11.23c | 1 |
| 44 | City of Kinston (NC) | Municipal | 10,042 | 13.07c | 11.62c | 1 |
| 45 | City of Lumberton (NC) | Municipal | 9,983 | 13.83c | 12.77c | 1 |
| 46 | Town of Huntersville (NC) | Municipal | 8,080 | 12.12c | 10.25c | 1 |
| 47 | New River Light & Power Co | State | 7,247 | 12.45c | 10.37c | 1 |
| 48 | City of Morganton (NC) | Municipal | 7,055 | 10.67c | 8.25c | 1 |
| 49 | Town of Tarboro (NC) | Municipal | 5,592 | 13.56c | 12.20c | 1 |
| 50 | Town of Murphy (NC) | Municipal | 3,685 | 12.85c | 12.51c | 1 |
| 51 | Tri-State Electric Member Corpalso GA, TN | Cooperative | 1,571 | 14.68c | 19.89c | 1 |
| 52 | Broad River Electric Coop, Incalso SC | Cooperative | 482 | 15.62c | 14.90c | 3 |
| 53 | Mecklenburg Electric Cooperativealso VA | Cooperative | 135 | 14.40c | 15.71c | 5 |
| 54 | York Electric Coop Incalso SC | Cooperative | 15 | 12.35c | 11.90c | 2 |
| 55 | Tennessee Valley Authorityalso TN, AL, KY, MS | Federal | 0 | n/a | 10.20c | 1 |
Small utilities filing the EIA-861S short form (53): totals across all sectors, no residential split+
| Utility | Ownership | Customers (all) | Avg price (all) | Counties |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Halifax Electric Member Corp | Cooperative | 12,389 | 15.57c | 4 |
| Pitt & Greene Elec Member Corp | Cooperative | 9,168 | 13.80c | 6 |
| Town of Clayton (NC) | Municipal | 9,158 | 13.94c | 1 |
| City of Shelby (NC) | Municipal | 8,941 | 9.91c | 1 |
| Cape Hatteras Elec Member Corp | Cooperative | 8,128 | 14.79c | 1 |
| Town of Wake Forest (NC) | Municipal | 7,552 | 14.48c | 1 |
| City of Laurinburg (NC) | Municipal | 5,559 | 11.13c | 1 |
| City of Kings Mountain (NC) | Municipal | 5,428 | 11.91c | 2 |
| Town of Smithfield (NC) | Municipal | 5,141 | 10.36c | 1 |
| Town of Ayden (NC) | Municipal | 4,769 | 12.86c | 1 |
| City of Newton (NC) | Municipal | 4,747 | 10.22c | 1 |
| Town of Pineville (NC) | Municipal | 4,294 | 10.94c | 1 |
| Town of Forest City | Municipal | 4,269 | 11.18c | 1 |
| Town of Edenton (NC) | Municipal | 4,244 | 12.36c | 1 |
| Town of Cornelius (NC) | Municipal | 4,009 | 12.82c | 1 |
| Town of Dallas (NC) | Municipal | 3,847 | 10.44c | 1 |
| Town of Landis (NC) | Municipal | 3,654 | 10.17c | 1 |
| Town of Waynesville (NC) | Municipal | 3,631 | 14.31c | 1 |
| City of Southport (NC) | Municipal | 3,532 | 11.14c | 1 |
| City of Winterville (NC) | Municipal | 3,337 | 14.36c | 1 |
| Town of Farmville (NC) | Municipal | 3,099 | 13.45c | 1 |
| Town of Selma (NC) | Municipal | 3,024 | 11.94c | 1 |
| City of Lincolnton (NC) | Municipal | 3,004 | 12.13c | 1 |
| City of Highlands (NC) | Municipal | 2,938 | 12.58c | 2 |
| Town of Granite Falls (NC) | Municipal | 2,681 | 11.02c | 1 |
| City of Cherryville (NC) | Municipal | 2,568 | 11.78c | 1 |
| Town of Benson (NC) | Municipal | 2,185 | 15.06c | 1 |
| Town of Louisburg (NC) | Municipal | 2,106 | 13.45c | 1 |
| Town of La Grange (NC) | Municipal | 1,848 | 12.93c | 1 |
| Town of Red Springs (NC) | Municipal | 1,761 | 14.39c | 1 |
| Town of Windsor- (NC) | Municipal | 1,729 | 11.99c | 1 |
| Town of Scotland Neck (NC) | Municipal | 1,343 | 14.91c | 1 |
| Town of Stantonsburg (NC) | Municipal | 1,320 | 13.53c | 3 |
| Town of Maiden (NC) | Municipal | 1,299 | 9.40c | 1 |
| Town of Sharpsburg (NC) | Municipal | 1,261 | 16.90c | 3 |
| Town of Drexel (NC) | Municipal | 1,256 | 10.85c | 1 |
| Town of Enfield (NC) | Municipal | 1,243 | 15.52c | 1 |
| City of Hertford (NC) | Municipal | 1,204 | 12.22c | 1 |
| Town of Lucama (NC) | Municipal | 1,155 | 13.18c | 1 |
| Town of Belhaven (NC) | Municipal | 1,106 | 13.94c | 1 |
| City of Robersonville (NC) | Municipal | 892 | 11.32c | 1 |
| Town of Black Creek (NC) | Municipal | 855 | 15.72c | 1 |
| Town of Fremont (NC) | Municipal | 799 | 14.74c | 1 |
| Town of Pinetops (NC) | Municipal | 711 | 13.41c | 1 |
| Town of Pikeville (NC) | Municipal | 511 | 14.76c | 1 |
| Town of Hookerton (NC) | Municipal | 422 | 15.10c | 1 |
| Town of Fountain (NC) | Municipal | 301 | 16.92c | 1 |
| Town of MacClesfield (NC) | Municipal | 277 | 9.27c | 1 |
| Town of Hobgood | Municipal | 268 | 16.92c | 1 |
| Town of Hamilton (NC) | Municipal | 234 | 16.06c | 1 |
| Town of Oak City (NC) | Municipal | 224 | 14.27c | 1 |
| Town of Bostic (NC) | Municipal | 205 | 10.81c | 1 |
| Town of Walstonburg | Municipal | 136 | 15.33c | 1 |
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-861 Annual, 2024 final data (public domain), retrieved 28 August 2026; prices are average realised revenue per kWh, not tariffs. Final 2024 file f8612024.zip (released 3 December 2025) from the EIA-861 detailed data files. Preliminary 2025 figures come from the early-release file f8612025er.zip (4 August 2026), which EIA has not yet validated; they are labelled as such wherever shown and never mixed into a final figure.