California's average residential electricity price was 33.2¢/kWh in February 2026 —
the 2nd-highest price of the 51 states+DC (EIA). Across its major utilities in 2024, average all-in rates ranged from
16.3¢/kWh at Turlock Irrigation District to
43.6¢/kWh at San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) — a spread worth about
$2,947/yr at typical usage (10,800 kWh/yr).
California lets households choose their natural-gas supplier; electric service is fully regulated.
For home heating, utility natural gas was the cheapest fuel at
$21.65 per million BTU vs $97.36 for electric resistance heat.
Residential rates by utility (EIA-861, average all-in ¢/kWh)
| Utility | 2023 ¢/kWh | 2024 ¢/kWh | Customers (2024) | Ownership | vs state avg, $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turlock Irrigation District | 16.98 | 16.34 | 80,575 | Public district | -$1,376 |
| City of Santa Clara | 14.75 | 16.88 | 50,949 | Municipal | -$1,318 |
| City of Anaheim | 17.54 | 17.11 | 105,839 | Municipal | -$1,293 |
| City of Redding | 18.43 | 17.85 | 38,170 | Municipal | -$1,213 |
| Sacramento Municipal Util Dist | 16.89 | 17.87 | 592,557 | Public district | -$1,211 |
| Imperial Irrigation District | 17.58 | 17.91 | 142,078 | Public district | -$1,206 |
| City of Roseville | 17.81 | 18.66 | 63,052 | Municipal | -$1,126 |
| City of Azusa | 20.11 | 19.08 | 15,599 | Municipal | -$1,080 |
| City of Burbank Water and Power | 17.12 | 19.25 | 46,157 | Municipal | -$1,062 |
| City of Riverside | 18.37 | 20.20 | 100,450 | Municipal | -$959 |
| PacifiCorp | 16.96 | 20.64 | 36,273 | Investor-owned | -$912 |
| City of Palo Alto | 20.21 | 20.67 | 26,249 | Municipal | -$908 |
| Modesto Irrigation District | 19.68 | 21.78 | 103,650 | Public district | -$788 |
| City of Lodi | 20.77 | 22.47 | 23,751 | Municipal | -$713 |
| Alameda Municipal Power | 21.90 | 22.98 | 33,174 | Municipal | -$659 |
| Los Angeles Department of Water & Power | 22.99 | 23.84 | 1,410,191 | Municipal | -$566 |
| Merced Irrigation District | 24.53 | 24.25 | 11,366 | Public district | -$521 |
| City of Colton | 22.87 | 24.85 | 17,472 | Municipal | -$457 |
| Liberty Utilities | 18.75 | 25.92 | 43,902 | Investor-owned | -$341 |
| City of Pasadena | 24.14 | 25.98 | 58,551 | Municipal | -$335 |
| Bear Valley Electric Service | 32.52 | 30.67 | 23,327 | Investor-owned | +$172 |
| Southern California Edison (SCE) | 32.34 | 32.43 | 3,219,520 | Investor-owned | +$362 |
| City of Glendale | 25.08 | 33.81 | 77,563 | Municipal | +$511 |
| Pacific Gas & Electric Co. | 34.04 | 39.62 | 1,856,780 | Investor-owned | +$1,138 |
| City of Moreno Valley | 36.52 | 39.87 | 7,936 | Municipal | +$1,165 |
| San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) | 45.48 | 43.63 | 307,982 | Investor-owned | +$1,571 |
Average price = residential revenue ÷ residential sales from each utility's federal EIA-861 filing (bundled service — supply + delivery + riders, not a quoted tariff rate). State average = 29.08¢/kWh, volume-weighted across these utilities (2024). Your distribution utility is fixed by address; these gaps measure what households in different territories actually paid. A further 34 competitive suppliers / solar lessors report energy-only or behind-the-meter sales in California; their prices cover only part of the bill and are not comparable to the all-in figures above.
Can you choose your electric company in California?
Electric supply choice: no · Gas supply choice: yes
Electric Direct Access suspended for residential since 2001 energy crisis (capped, non-residential lottery only). Gas: Core Transport Agent (CTA) program gives residential gas supply choice.
How to switch suppliers in California (3 steps)
- Find the price to compare (default supply rate) on your utility bill — you only save when an offer beats it for the same period.
- Compare licensed supplier offers on the state's official shopping site: cpuc.ca.gov. Check term, early-exit fees, and whether the rate is fixed or variable.
- Sign up with the supplier — they handle the switch. Your utility still delivers the power, owns the wires, and responds to outages; only the supply line of the bill changes.
Heating: which fuel is cheapest per million BTU in California?
| Fuel | Native price | As of | $ per MMBTU |
|---|---|---|---|
| Utility natural gas | $2.165 /therm | Feb 2026 | 21.65 |
| Electricity (resistance) | 33.22 ¢/kWh | Feb 2026 | 97.36 |
Utility natural gas is the cheapest residential energy per BTU in California at $21.65/MMBTU. Conversions: 1 kWh = 3,412 BTU; 1 therm = 100,000 BTU; heating oil 138,500 BTU/gal; propane 91,452 BTU/gal. Site-energy prices — appliance efficiency changes delivered-heat cost: a 95% AFUE gas furnace delivers heat near the gas figure, while a heat pump at seasonal COP 2.5–3 cuts the effective electric figure by 60–70%. (No EIA weekly heating-oil survey price for California.)
Electricity price trend, last 12 months
California's average residential price went from 31.72¢/kWh in Feb '25 to 33.22¢/kWh in Feb '26 — up 5% year-over-year. The 12-month peak was 34.71¢ in Dec '25.
| Month | Feb '25 | Mar '25 | Apr '25 | May '25 | Jun '25 | Jul '25 | Aug '25 | Sep '25 | Oct '25 | Nov '25 | Dec '25 | Jan '26 | Feb '26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ¢/kWh | 31.72 | 32.48 | 33.82 | 33.29 | 33.59 | 32.66 | 31.65 | 32.04 | 33.60 | 31.89 | 34.71 | 30.29 | 33.22 |
Head-to-head utility comparisons in California
- Southern California Edison (SCE) vs Pacific Gas & Electric Co. — who's cheaper?
- Southern California Edison (SCE) vs Los Angeles Department of Water & Power — who's cheaper?
- Southern California Edison (SCE) vs San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) — who's cheaper?
- Southern California Edison (SCE) vs Imperial Irrigation District — who's cheaper?
- Southern California Edison (SCE) vs City of Anaheim — who's cheaper?
- Southern California Edison (SCE) vs City of Riverside — who's cheaper?
- Southern California Edison (SCE) vs Turlock Irrigation District — who's cheaper?
- Southern California Edison (SCE) vs City of Glendale — who's cheaper?
- Southern California Edison (SCE) vs City of Pasadena — who's cheaper?
- Pacific Gas & Electric Co. vs Sacramento Municipal Util Dist — who's cheaper?
Questions people ask
- Who has the cheapest electricity in California?
- Turlock Irrigation District, at an average 16.3 cents per kWh for 2024 among California utilities with at least 50,000 customers (EIA-861). The most expensive, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), averaged 43.6 cents — a difference of about $2,947 per year at 10,800 kWh.
- Can I choose my electric company in California?
- No. California is a regulated retail market: your utility is set by address and there is no residential supplier shopping. Rates are set in state utility-commission proceedings (cpuc.ca.gov).
- Is gas or electric heat cheaper in California?
- Per million BTU of site energy, utility natural gas was $21.65 (Feb 2026) versus $97.36 for electric resistance heat. A heat pump delivering 2.5-3 units of heat per unit of electricity brings electric heating to roughly $32-39 per MMBTU.
- What is the average electric bill in California?
- At California's February 2026 average price of 33.22 cents/kWh and typical usage of 900 kWh per month, a household pays about $299 per month ($3588 per year) for electricity. Actual bills vary with usage, utility territory, and tariff.
About these numbers. Rates shown are averages computed from federal regulatory filings (EIA Form 861)
and public tariff databases — confirm with your utility before making decisions; your actual rate depends on your tariff,
usage, and riders. Distribution utility is determined by address and generally cannot be chosen; in retail-choice states
you may choose your supplier for the supply portion of the bill. Savings figures use 10,800 kWh/yr
(US average residential usage) and are estimates, not quotes. EnergySavings is an independent data project by CertiHomes
and is not affiliated with any utility, supplier, or government agency.