Kentucky's average residential electricity price was 13.4¢/kWh in February 2026 —
the 14th-lowest price of the 51 states+DC (EIA). Across its major utilities in 2024, average all-in rates ranged from
10.9¢/kWh at Salt River Electric Coop Corp to
15.1¢/kWh at Kentucky Power Co — a spread worth about
$452/yr at typical usage (10,800 kWh/yr).
Kentucky lets households choose their natural-gas supplier; electric service is fully regulated.
For home heating, utility natural gas was the cheapest fuel at
$13.93 per million BTU vs $39.33 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henderson City Utility Comm | 9.73 | 10.84 | 10,320 | Municipal | -$212 |
| Salt River Electric Coop Corp | 11.09 | 10.88 | 53,479 | Co-op | -$207 |
| City of Frankfort | 10.92 | 11.23 | 17,200 | Municipal | -$170 |
| City of Bowling Green | 11.58 | 11.48 | 27,181 | Municipal | -$142 |
| Madisonville Municipal Utils | 12.20 | 11.68 | 6,919 | Municipal | -$121 |
| Kentucky Utilities Co | 11.98 | 11.85 | 450,673 | Investor-owned | -$103 |
| Warren Rural Elec Coop Corp | 11.88 | 11.98 | 60,701 | Co-op | -$88 |
| Louisville Gas & Electric Co | 12.40 | 12.28 | 384,902 | Investor-owned | -$56 |
| Blue Grass Energy Coop Corp | 12.55 | 12.32 | 60,641 | Co-op | -$52 |
| Tri-County Elec Member Corp | 12.36 | 12.52 | 20,529 | Co-op | -$30 |
| City of Hopkinsville | 12.29 | 12.53 | 9,832 | Municipal | -$29 |
| Owen Electric Coop Inc | 12.80 | 12.55 | 63,984 | Co-op | -$27 |
| Cumberland Valley Electric, Inc. | 13.06 | 12.87 | 22,478 | Co-op | +$7 |
| South Kentucky Rural E C C | 13.18 | 12.92 | 64,877 | Co-op | +$13 |
| Fleming-Mason Energy Coop Inc | 12.76 | 13.04 | 23,666 | Co-op | +$26 |
| Nolin Rural Electric Coop Corp | 13.09 | 13.08 | 35,855 | Co-op | +$30 |
| Farmers Rural Electric Coop Corp | 12.83 | 13.08 | 24,889 | Co-op | +$30 |
| Pennyrile Rural Electric Coop | 12.95 | 13.16 | 40,645 | Co-op | +$39 |
| Shelby Energy Coop, Inc | 12.98 | 13.21 | 17,437 | Co-op | +$45 |
| Clark Energy Coop Inc | 13.54 | 13.25 | 26,203 | Co-op | +$48 |
| City of Murray | 13.24 | 13.27 | 6,163 | Municipal | +$51 |
| Taylor County Rural E C C | 11.87 | 13.27 | 24,985 | Co-op | +$51 |
| City of Owensboro | 12.99 | 13.43 | 23,286 | Municipal | +$68 |
| Duke Energy Kentucky | 12.15 | 13.44 | 139,405 | Investor-owned | +$69 |
| City of Glasgow | 13.57 | 13.45 | 5,644 | Municipal | +$71 |
| West Kentucky Rural E C C | 13.20 | 13.46 | 32,062 | Co-op | +$71 |
| Jackson Energy Coop Corp | 13.71 | 13.66 | 49,423 | Co-op | +$93 |
| Big Sandy Rural Elec Coop Corp | 13.83 | 13.69 | 11,574 | Co-op | +$96 |
| Inter County Energy Coop Corp | 13.48 | 13.74 | 26,655 | Co-op | +$101 |
| Licking Valley Rural E C C | 14.05 | 13.84 | 16,805 | Co-op | +$112 |
| Meade County Rural E C C | 13.87 | 14.27 | 29,248 | Co-op | +$159 |
| Kentucky Power Co | 14.19 | 15.07 | 130,852 | Investor-owned | +$245 |
| Kenergy Corp | 14.32 | 15.15 | 47,292 | Co-op | +$254 |
| City of Paducah | 15.36 | 15.55 | 18,863 | Municipal | +$298 |
| Jackson Purchase Energy Corporation | 15.08 | 15.64 | 23,979 | Co-op | +$307 |
| Grayson Rural Electric Coop Corp | 16.27 | 16.07 | 14,429 | Co-op | +$354 |
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 = 12.80¢/kWh, volume-weighted across these utilities (2024). Your distribution utility is fixed by address; these gaps measure what households in different territories actually paid.
Can you choose your electric company in Kentucky?
Electric supply choice: no · Gas supply choice: yes
Electric regulated. Columbia Gas of Kentucky Customer CHOICE gas program.
How to switch suppliers in Kentucky (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: psc.ky.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 Kentucky?
| Fuel | Native price | As of | $ per MMBTU |
|---|---|---|---|
| Utility natural gas | $1.393 /therm | Feb 2026 | 13.93 |
| Propane | $2.936 /gal | Mar 30, 2026 | 32.10 |
| Heating oil (No. 2) | $4.872 /gal | Mar 30, 2026 | 35.18 |
| Electricity (resistance) | 13.42 ¢/kWh | Feb 2026 | 39.33 |
Utility natural gas is the cheapest heating fuel in Kentucky at $13.93/MMBTU — heating oil costs 2.5× as much per BTU. 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%.
Electricity price trend, last 12 months
Kentucky's average residential price went from 12.82¢/kWh in Feb '25 to 13.42¢/kWh in Feb '26 — up 5% year-over-year. The 12-month peak was 14.27¢ in Jan '26.
| 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 | 12.82 | 13.20 | 13.69 | 13.85 | 13.40 | 13.13 | 13.17 | 13.56 | 13.62 | 13.70 | 13.22 | 14.27 | 13.42 |
Head-to-head utility comparisons in Kentucky
- Kentucky Utilities Co vs Louisville Gas & Electric Co — who's cheaper?
- Kentucky Utilities Co vs Duke Energy Kentucky — who's cheaper?
- Kentucky Utilities Co vs Kentucky Power Co — who's cheaper?
- Kentucky Utilities Co vs South Kentucky Rural E C C — who's cheaper?
- Kentucky Utilities Co vs Owen Electric Coop Inc — who's cheaper?
- Kentucky Utilities Co vs Warren Rural Elec Coop Corp — who's cheaper?
- Kentucky Utilities Co vs Blue Grass Energy Coop Corp — who's cheaper?
- Kentucky Utilities Co vs Salt River Electric Coop Corp — who's cheaper?
- Louisville Gas & Electric Co vs Blue Grass Energy Coop Corp — who's cheaper?
- Louisville Gas & Electric Co vs Salt River Electric Coop Corp — who's cheaper?
Questions people ask
- Who has the cheapest electricity in Kentucky?
- Salt River Electric Coop Corp, at an average 10.9 cents per kWh for 2024 among Kentucky utilities with at least 50,000 customers (EIA-861). The most expensive, Kentucky Power Co, averaged 15.1 cents — a difference of about $452 per year at 10,800 kWh.
- Can I choose my electric company in Kentucky?
- No. Kentucky 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 (psc.ky.gov).
- Is gas or electric heat cheaper in Kentucky?
- Per million BTU of site energy, utility natural gas was $13.93 (Feb 2026) versus $39.33 for electric resistance heat, $35.18 for heating oil. A heat pump delivering 2.5-3 units of heat per unit of electricity brings electric heating to roughly $13-16 per MMBTU.
- What is the average electric bill in Kentucky?
- At Kentucky's February 2026 average price of 13.42 cents/kWh and typical usage of 900 kWh per month, a household pays about $121 per month ($1449 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.