End Use: July 2012

Retail Rates/Prices and Consumption

In this section, we look at what electricity costs and how much is purchased. Charges for retail electric service are based primarily on rates approved by State regulators. However, a number of States have allowed retail marketers to compete to serve customers and these competitive retail suppliers offer electricity at a market-based price.

EIA does not directly collect retail electricity rates or prices. However, using data collected on retail sales revenues and volumes, we calculate average retail revenues per kWh as a proxy for retail rates and prices. Retail sales volumes are presented as a proxy for end-use electricity consumption.

Average Revenue per kWh by State

• Percent Change
• ¢ Per KWh

Compared to July 2011, the average cost of electricity fell in many States located in the Northeast. The exceptions were Rhode Island and Vermont, where the average cost of electricity increased by 2.1 percent and 3.9 percent, respectively. Revenues per kilowatthour also decreased in every Gulf Coast State, except for Alabama, which observed a slight increase of 0.6 percent when compared to July 2011. Like last month, the largest year-over-year increases in average cost occurred in Wyoming and Utah, where revenues per kilowatthour increased 13.0 percent and 11.7 percent, respectively. The largest decline occurred in Louisiana, where average cost decreased 15.4 percent from July 2011.

The average cost of electricity fell in all sectors compared to July 2011, with total average revenues decreasing 2.1 percent from the previous year. The volume of retail sales of electricity increased slightly in the commercial and industrial sectors, while remaining relatively flat in the residential sector and only decreasing by 0.5 percent in the transportation sector. One notable year-over-year decrease in retail sales and average revenues occurred in Texas, where the State experienced its hottest July on record in 2011, and then slightly above normal temperatures in July 2012.

Retail Sales

• Percent Change
• Per Capita
• MWh

As observed by the map below of cooling degree days (CDDs) deviation from normal, July 2012 was very warm for most of the country. The exceptions occurred in Nevada, Arizona, Alaska and Hawaii. Compared to last July, many States in the lower half of the Nation experienced a decrease in cooling degree days, whereas many States in the top half of the country experienced an increase in cooling degree days. The most notable States that were exceptions to this trend were located in the Mid-Atlantic and New England.

• Change from 2011
• Change from normal