Residential rates by utility (EIA-861, average all-in ¢/kWh)
| Utility | 2023 ¢/kWh | 2024 ¢/kWh | Customers (2024) | Ownership | vs state avg, $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Potomac Edison Company | 11.37 | 12.59 | 135,266 | Investor-owned | -$266 |
| Monongahela Power Co | 12.62 | 13.97 | 334,588 | Investor-owned | -$118 |
| Appalachian Power Co | 16.02 | 16.77 | 348,946 | Investor-owned | +$184 |
| Wheeling Power Co | 16.66 | 17.41 | 34,392 | Investor-owned | +$254 |
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 = 15.06¢/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 West Virginia?
Electric supply choice: no · Gas supply choice: no
Fully regulated.
Official rate information: psc.state.wv.us.
Heating: which fuel is cheapest per million BTU in West Virginia?
| Fuel | Native price | As of | $ per MMBTU |
|---|---|---|---|
| Utility natural gas | $1.202 /therm | Feb 2026 | 12.02 |
| Electricity (resistance) | 14.41 ¢/kWh | Feb 2026 | 42.23 |
Utility natural gas is the cheapest residential energy per BTU in West Virginia at $12.02/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 West Virginia.)
Electricity price trend, last 12 months
West Virginia's average residential price went from 14.82¢/kWh in Feb '25 to 14.41¢/kWh in Feb '26 — down 3% year-over-year. The 12-month peak was 16.19¢ in Oct '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 | 14.82 | 15.89 | 16.05 | 16.18 | 15.82 | 15.43 | 15.65 | 16.14 | 16.19 | 15.65 | 14.61 | 14.77 | 14.41 |
Head-to-head utility comparisons in West Virginia
- Appalachian Power Co vs Monongahela Power Co — who's cheaper?
- Monongahela Power Co vs The Potomac Edison Company — who's cheaper?
Questions people ask
- Who has the cheapest electricity in West Virginia?
- The Potomac Edison Company, at an average 12.6 cents per kWh for 2024 among West Virginia utilities with at least 50,000 customers (EIA-861). The most expensive, Appalachian Power Co, averaged 16.8 cents — a difference of about $451 per year at 10,800 kWh.
- Can I choose my electric company in West Virginia?
- No. West Virginia 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.state.wv.us).
- Is gas or electric heat cheaper in West Virginia?
- Per million BTU of site energy, utility natural gas was $12.02 (Feb 2026) versus $42.23 for electric resistance heat. A heat pump delivering 2.5-3 units of heat per unit of electricity brings electric heating to roughly $14-17 per MMBTU.
- What is the average electric bill in West Virginia?
- At West Virginia's February 2026 average price of 14.41 cents/kWh and typical usage of 900 kWh per month, a household pays about $130 per month ($1556 per year) for electricity. Actual bills vary with usage, utility territory, and tariff.