Your new bill after a percentage or per-kWh rate increase, monthly and yearly
Updated October 2026
| Measure | Latest | A year earlier | Change | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average residential electricity price, U.S. | 18.31¢/kWh (July 2026) | 17.45¢ (July 2025) | +4.9% | EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A |
| Average electricity price, U.S. city average | 19.6¢/kWh (Sept 2026) | 18.8¢ (Sept 2025) | +4.3% | BLS average price data |
| CPI electricity index | 309.852 (Sept 2026) | 296.887 (Sept 2025) | +4.4% | BLS CPI-U, not seasonally adjusted |
| CPI utility (piped) gas index | 264.250 (Sept 2026) | 251.728 (Sept 2025) | +5.0% | BLS CPI-U, not seasonally adjusted |
EIA’s figure is revenue divided by kilowatt-hours sold, so it already includes fixed charges and riders; BLS samples bills in urban areas. Both put the past year’s increase near 4% to 5% nationally. Local changes can be much larger: Maine’s average residential price rose from 27.98¢ to 32.41¢ between July 2025 and July 2026 in the same EIA table, while Connecticut’s fell from 27.60¢ to 24.16¢.
Percent mode: new bill = old bill × (1 + p). For $150 and 10%, $150 × 1.10 = $165.00. The usage cut that keeps the bill flat is 1 − 1 ÷ (1 + p) = 1 − 1 ÷ 1.10 = 9.09%, a little less than the increase itself.
Rate mode: bill = kWh × price + fixed charge. At 900 kWh and a $12 customer charge, 900 × $0.1844 + $12 = $177.96 before and 900 × $0.20 + $12 = $192.00 after: $14.04 a month, $168.48 a year, 7.89%. The energy price rose 8.46%, but the fixed charge did not, so the bill rose less. To hold the bill at $177.96 you would need to use 1 − $165.96 ÷ $180.00 = 7.80% fewer kWh.
| Case | Old bill | New bill | Monthly increase | Yearly increase | Use less to stay flat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $150 bill, 5% increase | $150.00 | $157.50 | $7.50 (5.00%) | $90.00 | 4.76% |
| $150 bill, 10% increase (default) | $150.00 | $165.00 | $15.00 (10.00%) | $180.00 | 9.09% |
| $150 bill, 20% increase | $150.00 | $180.00 | $30.00 (20.00%) | $360.00 | 16.67% |
| 900 kWh, 18.44¢ to 20¢, $12 fixed (rate-mode default) | $177.96 | $192.00 | $14.04 (7.89%) | $168.48 | 7.80% |
| 500 kWh, 18.44¢ to 20¢, $12 fixed | $104.20 | $112.00 | $7.80 (7.49%) | $93.60 | 7.80% |
| 1,500 kWh, 18.44¢ to 20¢, $12 fixed | $288.60 | $312.00 | $23.40 (8.11%) | $280.80 | 7.80% |
| 900 kWh at the U.S. residential average, July 2025 (17.45¢) to July 2026 (18.31¢), no fixed charge | $157.05 | $164.79 | $7.74 (4.93%) | $92.88 | 4.70% |
The fixed charge cushions the percentage. At 500 kWh it is a bigger share of the bill, so the same price change raises the bill by a smaller percent than at 1,500 kWh; heavy users pay the most in dollars, which is where efficiency upgrades pay back fastest.
It models one price per kWh and one fixed charge. Tiered, seasonal and time-of-use rates, demand charges, natural gas therms, water and sewer bills, and taxes that scale with the bill are not modeled separately. It does not forecast future rate cases. For help paying a higher bill, ask your utility about budget billing and income-qualified programs, or contact your state’s LIHEAP office.